Another stone in the wall

This is a dry stone wall on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. I was first attracted to it by the many interesting shapes of rock that went into building quite a uniform structure. However, once I got the image on my computer and I looked at it more closely I became aware of the huge variety of hues and shades that made up what I thought was just a grey stone wall.

I've tweaked the colours slightly to make the contrast more obvious but not by much. I'm not sure what type of stone this is (any help gratefully received) but it is used a lot in the area for functional structures. The houses tend to be made of a much lighter and yellower stone that doesn't appear to be the soft sandstone I've seen in the South.

This image (and a number of others) is available as a set of postcards from Zazzle.

A bleak winter hedgerow

This hedge caught my eye when I was out walking in on the North Yorkshire Moors.

For me the black and white image really shows the bleakness of some spots on the Moors during winter. There are very few trees and very little greenery to soften the view.

Labradoodle Dog looks a bit glum

This is a Labradoodle Dog. It's a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle. It is possibly the best natured dog I have ever met but she does have a habit of looking glum now and then.

She has been a bit spoilt and feels she should be out having fun at all times. If you don't make a fuss of her she slumps down somewhere with this expression on her face.

Corn Field in the Evening

I've taken a number of different shots of this field and it is really interesting to see how it changes with the seasons. This shot is taken from the church yard of St. Peter and St. Paul's Church in Seal Sevenoaks.

You can see the North Downs of Kent in the distance.

Steps up to field on the North Yorkshire Moors

These steps caught my eye because you don't usually see steps into a field. To me they look like they should go up to a little stone cottage but there is no sign of there ever being a building here.

The clue might be iron fence that was often used to mark the edges of country estates. There are a couple of estates near by that this land might have once belonged to. It is always possible that this gate was for a footpath that crosses the estate.

Roseberry Topping - The inspiration for Captain Cook

Roseberry Topping is a big rocky lump that rises out of the valley floor and offers a fantastic 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside. Situated at Newton-under-Roseberry, North Yorkshire it is said to be the inspiration for Captain Cook to become an explorer. H eused to climb to the top as a child.

I can certainly see how this would inspire someone to want to travel and see more fantastic sights.

I'm afraid that my image doesn't really do it justice as it only shows the view from one side at the top. The light was going so you can't see how far the patchwork of fields went on for. Also it looks quite still in this picture but at the top the wind whips around you quite fiercely and you have to be careful not to be blow off.

So all I can do is to recommend that if you're ever in the area (only about 10 miles from Middlesborough) take a trip to this fantastic place in an idyllic setting. You won't be disappointed!  

Bandstand at the Vine Cricket Ground in Sevenoaks

The Vine Cricket Ground in Sevenoaks, Kent is the second oldest cricket ground in the world. This is the bandstand on a cold day.

It is still occasionally in use for performances. Usually on sundays. Unfortunately it is actually quite complicated just to put on a simple performance as a license has to be applied for beforehand.

Here's a view of the rest of the Vine Cricket Ground with the symbolic oaks at the far edge and the North Downs in the distance.