22 September 2019

Hartforth

St Agatha's Church, Gilling West
When I drove up to Teesdale on Thursday, I factored in a walking halt not too far from Scotch Corner. I parked Clint in the village of Gilling West and set off in the sunshine having quickly planned a six mile walk before leaving home. To me it was all virgin territory - a gentler landscape than upper Teesdale.

The walk took in two  smaller North Yorkshire villages - Whashton and Hartforth. It was a very pleasant stroll. I did not want to overdo it, knowing that I had a much more arduous walk planned for Friday.

When Clint and I left Gilling West we still had sixteen miles to go to Middleton-in-Teesdale. We drove through Barnard Castle and Cotherstone and then in the village of Romaldkirk, I remembered to visit the local cemetery in order to see the grave of Hannah Hauxwell. I have written about her before. She died just last year. The gravestone is effectively a natural boulder which I would like to think came from her home valley - Baldersdale.

Four more pictures from Thursday's walk plus my picture of Hannah's grave:-
West of Gilling West
Smelt Mill Beck near Whashton
Cottages in Whashton
Hartforth Hall - now a luxury hotel
Hannah Hauxwell's grave in Romaldkirk Cemetery. Clint is in the background.

16 comments:

  1. I have never seen a sheep in any one of your pictures look at you with other than a loving and trustful gaze. Do you call out to them? Do you stand and wait quietly for them to notice you and your trusty camera? They always look like they want to engage you in meaningful conversation. In that way, they are kinda like me, I suppose.

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    1. Jesus was also a shepherd dear sister.

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  2. Now THAT'S a gravestone!
    Your hay bales look like ours.

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    1. Our hay bales never used to look like that. Once they were smaller and rectangular.

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  3. More people should get out of the city into the countryside. they would see something different than their own little world and be able to compare the two and learn a thing or two.

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    1. Nature can be your best friend - if you just go out and spend time with her.

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  4. How nice to see Hannah Hauxwell's grave. I have read several articles about her including yours of course. She was truly an amazing and strong woman. We have fields not far from us with hay bales like that. People often decorate some of them for Halloween. I enjoyed this set of pictures. I love the stone cottages.

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    1. I am so glad you appreciated this post Bonnie and I am especially happy to have taken you to Hannah Hauxwell's grave. She lived very frugally but never complained. I now have something that belonged to her! That is another post.

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    2. Now I'm really curious!

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  5. For years here and in France I have been trying to capture the perfect hay roll bale picture. They fascinate me. I'd have been chuffed if Id taken that photo.

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    1. I took four pictures in that field but this one was the best. It was like I had stepped into a sculpture park.

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  6. Now I crave a bowl of Shredded Wheat :)

    Lovely photos. Those sheep look underdressed. Will they grow their wool again before the cold weather?

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    1. No. Their wool will not grow. That is why the farmer's wife is busily knitting sweaters for every member of the flock.

      I'm being silly. This lowland breed already have tight fleeces - not as woolly as upland breeds that I usually photograph.

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  7. Lovely clear images depicting an interesting area.

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  8. Where about was the third picture down taken? It's such a beautiful cottage. Thank you for sharing your photography, and it's wonderful to see the grave of Hannah.

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