Sunday 28 September 2014

Grisedale

Today the farmer has been with his walking group to one of the remotest of the Yorkshire Dales - Grisedale.   A few years ago someone wrote a book on Grisedale called 'The Dale that died.'
So remote and cut off is the dale that it became almost impossible to live there.   In the Winter children were cut off from school, often for several months and even when they could go they often had to walk several miles to get there over wet and boggy ground.

Now all that remains are one or two inhabited farms, a couple of cottages and a lot of ruins.   There is a Quaker burial ground, there is a beautiful packhorse bridge, there are ruined barns and farmhouses (plus one which has been 'done up' and provides a rather nice house - but note there is a four-track outside - essential vehicle in this terrain.)

I am just putting on the photographs he took for you to see.  There is a fascinating one where he peeped into an old ruined barn and saw an old pair of trousers hanging from a beam.   A blue tit had built a nest in the trousers - how resourceful birds are.

Here they are then - what do you think to 'the dale that died'?









16 comments:

Cloudia said...

Yes, the Friends (Quakers) had to find remote areas in order to remain unmolested back in the day. . . Nice atmospheric post. Say, are those radishes growing on your header?



ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
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donna baker said...

So beautiful. I can't imagine that it died. The stone walls and the grounds, what a wonderful place to happen upon.

jinxxxygirl said...

Its so funny how out of place that 4 wheel drive vehicle looks in that setting...the old with the new... Looks like the peace and quiet i need.... :) Thanks for sharing the Farmer's pictures. Hugs! deb

Frances said...

Please do thank the Farmer for taking the walk to Grisedale and bringing back such an excellent collection of photographs. I am now very intrigued by this particular part of the Dales.

Perhaps late summer, early autumn is an excellent time to visit Grisedale. As I gazed at the views, my imagination was fed. I expect that I will be returning here for another look.

The softness of the colors, the curves of the landscape, and the stone structures (and of course the birds' nesting location) really did give my artist eyes a feast.

Best wishes to you all. xo

Virginia said...

Presumably someone farms there still, even if they don't live there? Great photos, thank you Farmer. What difficult lives the inhabitants must have had - particularly the womenfolk, caring for children and their schooling, as well as cooking without a supermarket to 'pop' down to. We are so fortunate, aren't we!

angryparsnip said...

What wonderful photos. Thank the Farmer for me.
Since I see sheep and horses someone stills lives there.
Now I must look up were this is.

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

There is so much stone, one wonders how the grass grows for the sheep.

Cro Magnon said...

I do like the look of that ruined house with the 2 chimneys (from the back). I'd have a go at restoring it any day!

Helsie said...

How amazing in this day and age. It looks so lovely. Does no one farm there any more then? Someone must own the land ?

Heather said...

I always find ruined cottages bring a feeling of sadness but Grisedale is so beautiful and it's good to know that there are still such large areas of undeveloped countryside. The owners of the house which has been rebuilt seem to have the entire area to themselves. I love that little bridge and the bird's nest in the trousers.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hi Pat,
My mind went immediately to the Joyce Kilmer poem
The House With Nobody In It. Here's the first verse:

WHENEVER I walk to Suffern along the Erie track,
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black.
I suppose I've passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute,
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it.

Grisedale is starkly beautiful. I fear if it was here in America, someone would have developed it by now. Godd thing it's tucked away by you.

:) maureen & josephina ballerina cat

The Broad said...

It's very beautiful, in that eerie Yorkshire way that entices you, but too forlorn to invite you to enter...

The Weaver of Grass said...

The farmer thanks you for all your comments on his photography. I loved the one of the bird's nest too and also the one of the packhorse bridge. Thanks for calling in - it's nice to be back.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

What wonderful photos - and a lovely area. To me the best places are often difficult to access - but I do understand about the hardships that cause people to move away. Stunning landscapes!!!

Bovey Belle said...

A lovely spot but too remote for the poor families in the past. It must have been so difficult being cut off half the winter and I bet they kept a jolly good store cupboard, but to see no-one for weeks and weeks on end . . . I loved the photo of the little bridge over the stream, and a great one of the trousers and occupant! Thank the Farmer for me please.

Terry and Linda said...

I loved seeing this place...it seems very silent yet loud!

Linda
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