A Holloway to Gribdale Gate
I have long been fascinated by this track and steep-sided gorge that leads to Gribdale Gate on the Lonsdale side. Its form suggests deliberate shaping, as though carved by generations travelling to and from Great Ayton Moor. The talus slope is composed of shaley mudstone, which weathers into a slick, unstable mass, more mud than stone whe ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/02/23/a-holloway-to-gribdale-gate/
Is “Managing” Nature the Right Thing to Do, or Just an Excuse?
It never fails to weary me how interest groups reach for academic work as a drunk reaches for a lamppost, more for support than illumination. A paper appears, and before the ink is dry it is trimmed, polished, and made to serve a house creed. We have seen the trick befor ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/02/15/is-managing-nature-the-right-thing-to-do-or-just-an-excuse/
The Belt of Venus
I came across an article the other day about the Belt of Venus. It is one of those quiet marvels the sky puts on without fuss, turning up often enough, yet missed by most people because they are too busy staring straight at the sunset or sunrise like moths at a bulb. The trick is that it appears on the opposite side of the sky.
So, wit ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/01/05/the-belt-of-venus/
#CliffRigg #GreatAytonMoor #NewtonMoor #NorthYorkMoors #Astronomy #sky
Snow on Great Ayton Moor
Despite the cold and the driving snow, the figures about to pass on this path on Great Ayton Moor carry a quiet determination. The dog walker pushing into the headwind shows a calm determination, choosing fresh air and motion over comfort. His dog, meanwhile, remains happily unaware of the brief, restless drama of the falling snow.
The wide, open moor and the ...
Paths on the Map but not on the Ground
This boundary stone on Great Ayton Moor stands on its highest point as though it has nothing better to do than provide a focus to anyone passing by. A glance at the O.S. map shows this top lies on a junction of a Public Bridleway between Gribdale and Hutton, plus two Public Footpaths approaching from the west, one ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/11/29/paths-on-the-map-but-not-on-the-ground/
Toad in the Hole
How thoughtful the keepers appear to be, fashioning what looks like a charming wildlife pond in the middle of the grouse moor. A touching gesture, if one overlooks the small detail that this idyllic pool is also a shooting butt where folk crouch, lie in wait, and unleash a storm of shot at birds driven overhead. Should the heavens open, the “sportsmen” will ...
The Yow and Two Boundary Stones
The yow was waiting for me. At least, that is how it felt. She stood beside two boundary stones as if on sentry duty, a glint of mischief in her eye and a smile that gave nothing away. Mona Lisa would have approved.
One stone is plain but upright, the other broken and almost recumbent, resting against its base. Its surviving inscripti ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/08/15/the-yow-and-two-boundary-stones/
Reflections at Lonsdale Quarry
Lonsdale Quarry was fully operational during in 1874, run by a Mr Grievson. It was likely the source of stone for Christ Church in Great Ayton, opened in 1877. The quarry is now quiet, a place for solitude and reflection. But it also holds a bleak memory.
One Monday in May 1874, quarryman James Smith arrived for work with his dog ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/07/21/reflections-at-lonsdale-quarry/
A Costly Collop — The Ubiquitous Smoke of Burning Heather
A view south-east, straight into a hazy sun, down Lonsdale and across to Kildale Moor. The scene is, of course, marred by a hibernal plume of smoke from the burning of the heather, because no landscape is complete without an artificial smog. But enough about that.
Today is the ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/03/03/a-costly-collop-the-ubiquitous-smoke-of-burning-heather/
Four Years On: From Relief to Dread
A dreary morning on Great Ayton Moor, perfectly suited to my mood.
Four years ago, I posted about watching Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States. It was the first time I had ever bothered with such a ceremony, accompanied by an immense sense of relief. Today, there is no such relief—only unease and dread. What delightful surprises will the next f ...
Mick Garratt
