GROSMONT STATION.................This line runs steam engines from Whitby to Pickering across the North Yorkshire moors. Interestingly enough it's the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Heavy showers rather marred my visit and photo opportunities are limited by the safety barriers. That said it's well worth a visit and I'll be back earlier in the day when it will be less crowded.
Enough of steam for one day, I'll finish with the famous Whitby pole dancer.
That's all for today.
There's a famous seaside place called Blackpool,
That's noted for fresh-air and fun,
And Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert, their son.
A grand little lad was their Albert
All dressed in his best; quite a swell
'E'd a stick with an 'orse's 'ead 'andle
The finest that Woolworth's could sell.
They didn't think much to the ocean
The waves, they was fiddlin' and small
There was no wrecks... nobody drownded
'Fact, nothing to laugh at, at all.
The above is part of a monologue written by Marriott Edgar, and made famous on the Music Hall stage by Stanley Holloway. The rest of this monologue can be read HERE.
The last verse above about sums up Whitby this week, with the exception of an hours excitement Sunday evening when a tourist fell in the harbour. Quite a show, inshore lifeboat and the air ambulance keeping folk amused for a while. I see from yesterdays paper that the unfortunate gentleman is expected to be none the worse after his impromptu immersion. Went out this morning, but the light was not playing. Got a couple just about worth sharing, hope you think so.
CAPTAIN COOK...........
That's it for today.
FIRST SIGHT OF WHITBY........This is the panorama from above Sleights looking out over Whitby to the North Sea. Molly and arrived Friday evening. Been a bit hectic since so have not managed to get out with the camera. Tomorrow the forecast is good so hopefully a post full of photos later in the week.
ALFIE...............Molly's new cousin.
Should get back to more regular posts over the next few days, meanwhile all the best.
OVER THE HORIZON
A short blog today, I'm heading off to Whitby later on. After many trials and tribulations have decided on and purchased a motor home. So the reason for starting this blog is one step nearer fruition. Discipline is now the key to a productive couple of years. A few photographs and then off to pack.
Pick this up next Friday, whether I like it or not it will be home for the next couple of years. I only hope the registration plate reflects the condition of her and is not an omen I will live to regret.
Hopefully you will be subjected to all things sandy and fishy, that reminds me to purchase a seaside guide. With a little luck I will be able to identify at least some of the creatures that will be gracing the pages of this blog.
All the best for the weekend.
I'm horrendously busy at the moment, so what with a combination of weather and sorting out the last few weeks of my current lifestyle I'm going to short change you over the next few days. These are some of my personal favourites of the last year. They are in no particular order.
As all photographers say, well a high percentage. 'I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed taking them.' Devious devils are just trying to forestall adverse criticism. If you don't like mine say so. I'm a big boy and can take it, just won't speak for weeks is all.
That's all for now. All the best.
' It is Tuesday today and God got up early, he created a ferment sic, with the heavens above and the earth below. He threw some stones at next doors cat, they missed and went to heaven and made stars. When he had done with the sky he started on the earth after a whole day he got it about done. And on top of all that it was bloody bin day.'
For some unknown reason it wasn't posted on the work board.
At a total loss for a theme for today, a tenuous link I realize but here are a few views of our church. The first is an HDR image, the second taken literally seconds later is a standard exposure. These are for you Tricia.
There are two curiosities in the church yard, a few more than that of an evening. The first is a memorial with a distinctly nautical theme. This dates from the early 19th century and we are pretty much as far from the sea as one can get in England. The latter is a sundial, nothing odd about that, there is with this one, the gnomon is eight feet off the ground!
The next few images are experimental, just playing with a wide angle lens trying to keep one true vertical or horizontal in the frame. Will look again at these in a day or so, me suspects there may be possibilities. I apologise for the quality, was not really on the ball yesterday. Nearly locked up, lying on my back in the rain pointing a camera at the church, explained to bewildered tourists, 'Tis OK, just imagination.' Thanks again for that Tricia.
The last image is a touch disturbing, needs a certificate, so does it's creator!
All the best for Wednesday, giving more rain for today so may have to do a blog of out takes.
For those that popped by for a look at How Green is my Valley; sorry if your eyes turned brown!The gas plant was apparently installed at the mill solely to provide lighting. Told you it was a dark, dank spot! The second flue was a vent for the gas condenser, not sure about the latter, it makes sense though, keeping any flammable gas away from the oven chimney. Not daft our Victorians, obviously knew a thing or two about explosions.
Today's post is all about bugs.They were taken yesterday, grand sunny morning with little wind forecast, it was pretty breezy as things turned out. Not a Dragon Fly to be found. Took the monopod, camera and the 50mm-200mm lens with a 25mm extension tube. This time the pictures are better, aperture f9 to f11 giving just a touch more depth of field. An old dog can learn new tricks or so these results would seem to prove.
The title is inspired firstly by my ignorance and secondly to make some of this blogs followers feel at home. Whether they actually speak like Sir Paul McCartney is hard to tell from their writing, most likely not. There's nothing less general than a generalisation. Treat this post as a quiz, not your common or garden quiz where the quiz master knows all the answers. Yours truly hasn't a clue what half these things are. I do know that they are beautiful and fascinating and it would make my expeditions several times more enjoyable if I could put a name to them.
WATER BOATMAN?...If I'm correct, an upside down water boatman. Why swim upside down? No Dafter than backstroke for humans I suppose.
LARGE RED DAMSELFLY
BLUE TAILED DAMSELFLY
GATE KEEPER.........I think it's a little early for these also In the past when I've seen them they were on brambles. No brambles anywhere near here.
VARIABLE DAMSELFLY..........I've been calling these Common Blue Damselflies. I have a strong suspicion that they are Variables.Good name that, covers most eventualities.
That's me! Completely bugged!
All help, knowledge, guesses, gratefully received. Happy pondering.
What a night! Rain and just for variety, more rain. Then when I thought it over, a little more rain. By eight thirty sunshine between the rain. Out we trotted, well Molly trotted and I walked, I being older and slightly more restrained. Only slightly as you will see by the following.
Now that's out of the way I'll get on with today's post. we headed for Litton Mill, I remember this as a working mill. Now expensive flats, nasty damp spot to live. Still if you come from out of the area then one wouldn't know. Could guess though, in a hole in the ground, water under and to the side. The clincher, not many cotton mills in deserts. Spent a fortune transporting the stuff from Egypt to an area noted for damp.
THE GAS HOUSE.........This was once a feature in small towns and large factories, round here anyway, proximity to the coalfields and railway making coal cheap and gas production feasible. It produced coal gas for driving a gas engine which in turn drove the looms through line shafting. As a bonus the plant no doubt produced coke and tar. This one is unique in my experience in having two flues, this one and one about a hundred feet up the hill. The latter dug through the cliff to the left and then capped with a chimney similar to this one. Why? A mystery, one to be solved. My maternal grandmother lived half a mile up the hill so there is little excuse for my ignorance.
Now for the valley and green bit. The valley is a veritable jungle. If you dislike green then you have permission to skip the rest. No captions, all much of a muchness, foliage, water, sunlight and reflections.
Overkill maybe?..... I hope not. The last picture is of a juvenile Moorhen, now this Moorhen may be a Coot...... Help!!!
Little mite could have been a touch sharper, could have two legs come to think of it. Not the unique Derbyshire one legged water fowl, just having a rest. All these pictures taken with 50mm-200mm lens helped by a monopod. A good compromise for a showery walk. Harder than I thought getting a post out of a days clicking and editing. Good for the soul, mine, if not yours. Enjoy the rest of your week. GP could have been worse, could have been better.
