Twistleton Scar End, Ingleton

Part two of our adventure into the Yorkshire Dales saw my trusty Sherpa Eddie Norgay and I head south west to Ingleton for Twistleton Scar. A major accent carefully planned down to the smallest detail although spreadsheets were not required this time.

We parked the car at base camp in sight of our goal on the more difficult west face before changing wellies for boots (it's not easy driving in wellies so note to one's self for future expeditions). After a gruelling walk along difficult to follow paths and across fast flowing rivers we reached camp 1, which was identifiable by an ice cream van, that had driven up the same path but from the east side. We needed to fuel our bodies ahead of the final accent - apparently they don't stock energy bars so we had to make do with a couple of 99s!

We left the day trippers to circumnavigate around the ridge and headed for the switchback path that leads to the plateau and our goal. Clearly this was a very difficult climb as my Sherpa, weighed down with all our photography equipment plus two tripods (Mrs R had declined this trip) was feeling the strain and stopped momentarily to catch a breather.

I pressed on, against the howling winds... no wonder the day trippers had faltered at this final hurdle! Upon reaching the summit I surveyed the landscape - not a single solitary person could be seen, apart from my trusty Sherpa making the final push up the infamously dangerous section simply known as "the path". I unpacked my Union Jack and planted it firmly between some cracks declaring this peak for Queen and country as well as naming the area - The Lancashire Dales, after all, it is on our side of the country.

Since our accent was unsupported, we both knew our time on the summit was limited due to the thinness of the air and so we took our photos of the limestone pavement and wind ravaged trees before making the long decent back to back camp, which surprisingly you can see from the top.

People may ask why we undertook such a dangerous expedition to summit one of the most difficult accents in the UK but as George Mallory once said about Everest... because it's there!

Many thanks to the Yorkshirephotoexplorer a.k.a. Sue for the info and excellent directions. Found it no problem and parked on Thornton Lane (approx postcode LA6 3PL for future reference)

Note: some fabrication of the facts may have crept into the telling of this story but the ice cream van bit is true... ask my Sherpa.

Tags:   Twistleton Twistleton Scar End Lancashire Dales trees ravaged windblown limestone pavement limestone cracks erosion Ingleton climb arduous gruelling Sherpa Our Everest Mount Everest George Mallory clouds blue sky oxygen thin air Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF24-105mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Twistleton Scar End, Ingleton

I'm not convinced by this one. Like most people we were lead to believe these ravaged windblown trees were the work of nature herself but now we are not so sure.

For on our decent we came across the remains of a pristine skeleton, picked clean to the bone by the indigenous carnivorous Swaledale sheep that use to terrorise these dales in the early 18th century. We deduced the remains to be that of a gardener, possibly Capability Grey (so named for his love of granite) - the little know brother of Capability Brown - the famous 18th century landscape gardener. So called for his creative workings of the landscape that we now know today as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

He disappeared at the height of his fame, just before his younger brother got the gig to do Chatsworth. Could this be sibling rivalry or fowl play... only history and a proper forensic investigation will determine the truth, but rural budgets are tight at the moment.

I hear you ask, what makes you think these are the remains of a gardener and the unknown Capability Grey?... it was the rusty pruning shears still gripped in his skeleton hand!

Tags:   Twistleton Twistleton Scar End Lancashire Dales trees ravaged windblown limestone pavement limestone cracks erosion Ingleton Capability Brown Capability Grey gardening topiary pruning shears rusty skeleton mystery murder tall tales Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF24-105mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Ribblehead Viaduct, Chapel-le-Dale, Yorkshire Dales

The wind had dropped but the clouds continued to look menacing as we ventured eastward to this limestone ridge out in the middle of Batty Moss. We only spent about half an hour here as the clouds darkened and rain was surely on its way. We cut our losses and made a B-line straight across the bog to the car. Thank god for wellies, although a couple of dodgy foot placements and I would have been cursing all the way across. Which is more than can be said for the passing scout troop coming the other way. Ankle boots and trainers are not the attire for such a place - who said "be prepared!"

I don't suppose it really mattered as they were all wearing helmets and a fair guess they were going pot-holing. Rather them than me. We just made it back to the car and was sat drinking coffee when the heavens opened.

Second best decision of the day... quit while you are ahead!

Tags:   Ribblehead Viaduct viaduct Chapel-le-Dale Yorkshire Dales Batty Moss moors bad weather low cloud rain wind windy marshy peat bog bog water wellies sunshine fat chance grasses blowing movement limestone pavement crags long exposure LE Lee filters 0.6 ND grad med Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF24-105mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Ribblehead Viaduct, Chapel-le-Dale, Yorkshire Dales

To be fair the weather forecast was as predicted and so Eddie Coulson and I ventured out in the hope of capturing some dramatic skies with a hint of sunlight streaking across the moors. It would be an understatement to say sunrays were very thin on the ground, if you pardon the pun, but the wind and random rain showers more than made up for their absence.

It was hard to determine which direction the wind was blowing from and so we headed initially west of the viaduct in the hope of some shelter from the farm boundary wall, which is directly behind me. I'm sure you'll agree, the clouds did an excellent job of confusing my long exposure attempts by creating this chaotic sense of direction.

All things considered, best decision of the day... wellies!

Tags:   Ribblehead Viaduct viaduct Chapel-le-Dale Yorkshire Dales moors bad weather low cloud rain wind windy marshy peat bog water wellies sunshine fat chance grasses blowing movement long exposure LE Lee filters 0.6 ND grad med Big stopper 10 stops Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF24-105mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Sheltered

On the way back to the car I noticed this single tree growing under one of the arches. The background sky didn't help the shot but this B&W conversion gives it a bit more punch.
Also I must confess I wanted to try a bordered square composition as I particularly like Ian Bramham's work and presentation style.

Hope you don't mind Ian...

Tags:   Ribblehead viaduct railway landscape rock formations vista victorian

© All Rights Reserved