Monday 3 June 2013

Going to the top of the world..

...well, the top of our part of the world anyway.

Isn't it funny - I think we are all the same.   We have had such a very long run of cold, windy and wet weather so that on the first spell of warm sunny weather we come out of the woodwork like flies.

Yesterday the farmer, Tess and I all went for a walk in North Yorkshire - going directly North from the farm.   It always seems to be uphill all the way as we go North and I suppose to some extent it is.

We went through Reeth, the unofficial capital of Swaledale and then on into Arkengarthdale, through the only village in the dale - Langthwaite - and then turned up towards Teesdale, climbing higher all the time.

Once out on to the moor there is nothing in the way of habitable buildings as far as the eye can see.   There are one or two houses but they have been derelict for




generations and just serve to show how absolutely bleak and hard life was for the farmers up here in past generations.

Suddenly, there they were, Mrs Pheasant and fourteen babies (not more than a couple of days old, not much bigger than large bumble bees) crossing the road in front of us.   By the time I had got the camera out they had crossed but the farmer grabbed the camera and took a reasonable photograph of them on the grass at the side of the road.   Aren't they just lovely?

We crested the hill and the whole of Teesdale spread out in front of us.   We stopped to take in the view - breath-taking.   At The Stang forest we drew into a gateway and went for a walk.  I am no longer a fast walker so I went at my pace while the farmer and Tess wene at theirs and when I saw them in the distance on their way back I turned round and began to walk back too.   They caught me up about a hundred yards from the car.   It was a lovely walk for us all.
The sun shone and it was pleasantly warm, but it is high ground here - sufficient to say that the daffodils are still in bloom.

10 comments:

Twiglet said...

That sounds like a perfect way to spend a day. I love the little pheasants. Now I haven't told anyone else this - it's too sad - I think a fox got my mother pheasant and probably her chicks too. Last week there was a whole heap of feathers on next door's lawn. That's nature, I know but so sad after we had watched her do such a great job through all that awful weather. x Jo

Em Parkinson said...

What a fantastic view. Amazing that 14 babies have survived! Glad you liked the Cuckoo Flowers by the way.

Heather said...

There is something very special about Yorkshire. I don't know why (except that it is beautiful) as I've been a southerner all my life but it has an emotional pull for me.
How lovely to meet Mrs.Pheasant and her family on your walk and thankyou for photographing those wonderful views.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

What a lovely walk - fantastic pictures.

Hildred said...

I think I mentioned before, Pat, that I had seen a truly wonderful documentary of the Yorkshire countryside, and I wished I could turn time back, visit again, and concentrate on the lovely 'Englishness' of the scenery. Thank you for a glimpse...

Dartford Warbler said...

Thank you for another photo journey up onto the moors. I do miss the stone barns and dry stone walls.

I`m sure your walk in the sunshine felt wonderful after the long, cold winter we have had.

angryparsnip said...

Lovely walk and photos.
I have the same thing happening with my quail. I will drive up my drive way and from under the bush by the garage wall the quail will run out. I forget, Mum in the lead all the babies (like you said no bigger than bumblebee) running behind in a single line. Except for the last one who is always all over the place with dad following.
They grow so fast.

cheers, parsnip

Cloudia said...

Life at it's highest joy!


Thank you


ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3
> < } } ( ° >
> < 3 3 3 ( ' >

Reader Wil said...

How wonderful to walk there, where there are no buildings. I also prefer the country side to a town. Lucky you to see those pheasants. I haven't seen young birds yet.
Last week I went to the mills with Jesh St Germain from "Artistique", and her husband. It was so nice to meet them. But we saw no waterbirds at all, which is very unusual for this time of the year.

Golden West said...

Always such a pleasure to join you on a ramble - beautiful!