Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: 2017

A melancholic walk in the snow.

Every year when the first fall of snow is on the ground, I get my camera out and walk the fields and lanes of my local village Clayton. I know how lucky I am to live on the edge of a big city. From leaving my house I can be away from the noise of the traffic in under ten minutes.

This years walk though, which I did a few weeks ago, was tinged with sadness and a lot of concern. As I looked around the fields and across the valley towards Thornton I realised that, if the developers got their way, this could be the last year of me doing this. A planning application is in for ninety nine houses to be built at the end of my road which will take up most of these fields. Local action groups have been set up, petitions have been submitted but at the end of the day I fear that our weak Council will give in and grant permission even though the infrastructure isn't there to take such an influx of people. My side road alone can expect another 100 cars using it every day and that is assuming that each new house only has one car. These days most have two or even three! The traffic at both rush hours is horrendous now so this can only get worse. You can also add to this the fact that the doctors and the school are both already at capacity.

Also, in the past week, I have learnt that another application has been place to build a further one hundred and fifty houses on the green land between Clayton and Thornton which will just about join both villages together so I can see another campaign getting off the ground.

Anyway back to the walk. I was surprised how many people were out; most walking their dogs but a few like me who were just out there enjoying the snow and the fresh air. I gingerly walked down one of the country lanes but I was a bit wary of meeting any traffic as they are pretty steep and very few people know how to drive in the snow. Thankfully most people had more sense than to try as I only encountered one car and that was at the top of the hill. I have no idea if it got down safely or, more importantly if it got up the other side!

Sadly by the end of the day most of the snow had thawed and the remainder was gone the following day but it was good whilst it lasted. A great walk to end the year with.

Snow on conifer

Snow on wall

The Bronte Way, Clayton

Local field

The Bronte Way, Clayton

Local field

The Bronte Way, Clayton

Looking over to Thornton

The Bronte Way, Clayton

Looking over to Thornton

The Bronte Way, Clayton

Snow covered leaves

Snow covered berries

Brow Lane, Clayton

Looking towards the old railway line

Brow Lane, Clayton

Selfie

Far From The Madding Crowd.

Hmm, Saturday Christmas shopping or a drive in to The Dales. A no brainer eh? I do love giving presents but I can certainly do without the hassle of having to buy them a week before Christmas! Thank God for the internet, that's all I can say. Mind you that has its downside too due to all the packaging which companies seem to think they have to use on every item and, whilst I'm on the online subject, why do they always have to deliver either when you are out or have you stay in most of the day and then deliver at teatime!! Rant over.

So I started off the day with a visit to the tearooms at Kilnsey Trout Farm for a cup of the best cappuccino in The Dales. Then, feeling warmed up inside, I set off for a stroll on The Dales Way.

For those not aware, The Dales Way is a long distance footpath running from Ilkely in West Yorkshire to Bowness on Windermere in Cumbria and is approximately 80 miles in length. As the name suggest, wherever possible it is a riverside path although the section between Grassington and Kettlewell is a climb as is the crossing of the Pennine watershed but you would expect that.

The few miles that I walked was very easy going albeit a bit icy in places. I only saw three people all the time I was out. A couple walking towards Bucken and a girl returning to Kettlewell. Unfortunately at this time of year, the days are short and also, as soon as the sun drops behind the fells it gets bloody cold! Before returning home I had a quick walk around Kettlewell but resisted the urge to go in the Blue Bell for a beer.

Kettlewell

Stone paving

The path from Kettlewell

Ice on the path

The Dales Way

The River Wharfe

Iced puddle

Dales Barn

Dry stone walling

Over hanging tree

Stone slabs

Blossom in Kettlewell

Mighty Blencathra

Don't you just love it when all the elements come together albeit only for a short moments in time. This happened the other week whilst I was on my way home from the Lakes. The clouds were rolling in fast over Blencathra, one minute revealing the summit, the next moment hiding it plus the sun kept popping in and out which just added to the drama of the scene as well.

If I remember rightly, by the time I had driven down to Glenridding the cloud was well and truly down and I crossed the Kirkstone Pass only being able to see a few feet in front of me. This just confirms the saying "you always remember the good but conveniently forget the bad!"

All in all it was a great half hour and hopefully I have captured nicely with these photos.