"...the eternal rocks beneath" - Emily Bronte in "Wuthering Heights"
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| Looking eastwards to Seal Edge from Fairbrook Naze |
I was so energised by my recent arduous ramble to the Kinder Scout plateau that I decided to go back yesterday morning. The weather forecast was promising but it was raining when I parked up close to "The Snake Pass Inn", by the two lane A57 which weaves its way over the dark Pennine uplands to Lancashire.
After the rain shower had passed, I donned my boots and ventured down through the Snake Woodlands and into the valley of the River Ashop - which at this point is no more than a bubbling mountain stream. Onwards, over tributary streams gurgling with peaty water, trying desperately not to slip and tumble over. To my left, "The Edge" loomed - the northern fringe of the Kinder plateau - where the underlying and unclothed millstone grit is exposed to the elements. This was my objective.
After a couple of miles, another rain shower began to spit so I donned my blue cagoule and continued through bogs, clumps of saturated moorland grasses and over rust-coloured rivulets towards the path that would lead me up to The Edge. After half an hour, the rain petered out and soon I was up there in sunshine. Miles away to my left, I could see Manchester's sprawling urban jungle languishing under leaden skies and far to the east shafts of heavenly sunlight illuminated Sheffield - my home city - in ethereal light.
And so to The Edge - that's what it's called. Not Kinder Edge or Ashop Edge, simply The Edge like that miserable millionaire guitar player in U2. All the way along The Edge the weather behaved itself and I was treated to some wonderful sights. Or maybe it's just me. Perhaps others might dismiss what I saw as "just a bunch of stones" - and not "the eternal rocks beneath", again sculpted by wind and rain and frost and time into magnificent shapes set in dramatically wild upland scenery. In no particular order, here's a sample of images from yesterday's walk...
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| Pointing the way from The Edge |
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| Seal-like outcrop on The Edge |
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| Rocks and sky at Fairbrook Naze |
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| Rocks on The Edge with view to Bleaklow |
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| Iguana-like outcrop with Ashop Head beyond |
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| "The Boxing Glove" outcrop on The Edge |
*all these photos are copyrighted
Gorgeous. Fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do think that the seal rock looks more like a Tuatara, the wondrous New Zealand dinosaur. Possibly the namer of Seal Rock would have thought so too, had he or she seen one.
Promise I won't copy them.
Fantastic photos YP. One thing that always strikes us is the wide open spaces that you have in such a small country with such a large population. We never expected that. These places feel so completely remote with rarely another person sighted yet only a little way away ( by Aussie standards anyway) you find large populations clustered together.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived in England ( and I'd LOVE to spend my time between our two countries) I would have a hard time choosing where exactly, but it would be out in a little village in the countryside with a bigger town not too far away for shopping etc. It's a topic we ponder often in this house.
Keep 'em coming.
Cheers
So when are the tourist board going to give you a contract?
ReplyDeleteKATHERINE You may copy them and thank you for your positive reaction - means a lot coming from a genuine artist who thinks in images more than most people.
ReplyDeleteHELEN Are you a Muslim? If not you can forget your little pipe dream about splitting your year between England and Oz. You could always convert. You'd look great in a burkha!
HIPPO When? Oh, I see what you mean. Thank you.
I can just see you standing on the edge bonnet in hand
ReplyDeleteEARL GRAY Aye good sir, I were 'oldin Miss Catherine's bonnet while she went to do 'er business behind yon rock...If you goad me mister, I promise thee you shall witness my wrath unbridled. I'd as soon whip a man as a cur!
ReplyDeletestarring Yorkshire Pudding as Heathcliff
Will you stop doing this?! Never felt homesick before, until seeing your "not bad" (Yorkshiremem don't exaggerate) photos.
ReplyDeleteI want to be out there feeling the wind about me and being able to see for miles....with a flask of tea and something tasty to eat...............instead I am off to work. Hmmm. Great Photos YP.
ReplyDeleteBRIAN "Not bad" - Oh thank you for your gushing praise comrade!
ReplyDeleteLIBBY What was your crime? It must have been really bad to be sentenced to the drudgery of work for so long! Come run with me through the heather, over silvery streams and up to the crags! Let us be free!
BRIAN "Not bad" - Oh thank you for your gushing praise comrade!
ReplyDeleteLIBBY What was your crime? It must have been really bad to be sentenced to the drudgery of work for so long! Come run with me through the heather, over silvery streams and up to the crags! Let us be free!
Interesting pics YP. I liked the rock pictures. They added a sort of sculpture effect to your scenes - Dave
ReplyDelete