Salt & Light
Based in the World Heritage Site of Saltaire, West Yorkshire, England.
Wednesday, 8 February 2023
A Waterloo church
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
The play of light
At one point I was fascinated by the coppery toned reflections in the water, as the sun glinted off the tops of the trees. I loved the copper v blue combination, lifted with a few white highlights as the water ripples over rocks.
Monday, 6 February 2023
Where the frost lingers
Deep in the Strid Gorge at Bolton Abbey, it was clear that the sun had not penetrated all day and the air temperature was chill enough for the frost still to be lingering. It was very beautiful. I don't often venture out in those conditions and it was a joy to experience.
Coating the dead grasses and leaves on the woodland floor, it emphasised the shapes and reminded me somehow of Chinese characters, those wonderfully intricate logograms.
On leaves, it has the effect of picking out the veining.
The other phenomenon I spotted, which I got quite excited about, was this hair ice. It is apparently a rare kind of ice formation, caused by the presence of a particular fungus, Exidiopsis effusa, that is found on moist, rotting wood. (See HERE) It needs very specific conditions before it forms. I've heard of it but never seen an actual example before. It looks soft and silky but was in fact hard and brittle to (a gentle) touch.
I found it so enjoyable just wandering along and seeing what I could spot.
Sunday, 5 February 2023
Moods of the river
The River Wharfe as it flows through the Bolton Abbey estate has many aspects and moods and, even in one day, can look quite different at different points and with varying light. The sunlight and shadow caused interesting effects (though a bit of a pain to photograph effectively!) I rather like the view above, just where the water flows out from the very narrow Strid rocks.
From higher up, you get glimpses through the trees; here the water is very much in the shade because of the steep sided gorge and low winter sunshine.
Climb a little higher and you reach the viewpoint known as Turner's View, painted by the artist JMW Turner in the early 1800s. (Did you know JMW stands for Joseph Mallord William?) In the distance you can see the ruined Barden Tower, easier to spot in the winter sunshine than when I last photographed the view (HERE).
Saturday, 4 February 2023
Down to the detail
Friday, 3 February 2023
Wishes
Thursday, 2 February 2023
Bolton Abbey riverside
As I've said before, it's a joy to live quite near the Bolton Abbey estate, which belongs to the Dukes of Devonshire. It's a very beautiful area, with the River Wharfe flowing through, and is justly popular with visitors from all over the world. In summer it can get really busy so I particularly value the chance to explore in winter when there are fewer tourists.
These photos were all taken near the Riverside Pavilion tearoom and visitor centre. It's one of the few river crossing points within the estate, with a wooden footbridge spanning the water. There are some information boards (not yet brought up to date for 2023!) and a working Royal Mail postbox. There are quite a few estate houses dotted around, so no doubt a postbox is handy for residents and visitors.
As with most of England's ducal estates, the houses tend to have a distinctive style - here they are made of good Yorkshire stone with some attractive embellishments.
Wednesday, 1 February 2023
Icons in the fog
Fog strips the warmth out of Saltaire's honey-coloured stone and, I think, brings in a bit of an air of menace or spookiness. I suppose it's for that reason that some dramatic films use fog machines to wreath a scene in mist for added atmosphere. In these conditions our iconic buildings: Salts Mill, Saltaire United Reformed Church and the New Mill, have a very different ambience. The big mill chimney, so tall, almost gets lost in the murk.
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Grassington
Grassington is approached by a sturdy road bridge over the River Wharfe, and the village, slightly higher up the hillside, clusters around a cobbled square, with a network of streets and alleyways branching out. It's a tourist honeypot even in winter and (although there's a massive car park some distance away) the centre is plagued by cars, both parked and trying to navigate their way through. It would be very pretty if it weren't for all the people! I should hate to live there. It has been made even more famous because the TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small' about the Yorkshire vet has been filmed there.
Monday, 30 January 2023
Linton Falls
After all the rain we'd had, I wanted to see Linton Falls near Grassington. When I went last summer, the Wharfe was merely a trickle but after rain it's a gushing torrent - noisy and exhilarating.
The lower falls (above), where the footbridge crosses, tumble over natural shelves in the rock, below a weir. There used to be a mill there, and the bridge made it easy for the mill workers to walk down from the village to work. The upper falls cascade over another weir, and there's a hydro-electric plant there.
Sunday, 29 January 2023
Nature (and fitness!) notes
The mill dam walk wasn't especially scenic. We're at that time of year where most places look a bit scrappy, mucky, muddy and dull. Some over-excited dogs running around near the dam ruined any chance I might have had of seeing the kingfisher that is sometimes there. There were a few mallards on the pond, looking beautiful in their breeding plumage.