Walkers Are Welcome Rosedale Abbey is part of the “This Exploited Land of Iron” Project. Click for more info.

Rosedale Community News

Welcome to the Rosedale blog. This is where we share news and information about events in Rosedale and the wider community throughout the year. You’ll also find news about the village timetable, our micro enterprises, school events, clubs, and lively socials.

Posts Tagged ‘Rosedale’

Autumn in our hedgerows

A real autumnal feel walking through the dale this weekend.  Birds and mammals taking full advantage of the seasonal bounty along our hedgerows.  Hazels Corylus avellana full of cobnuts and Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus laden with shiny red berries.  Good to be out.  Updale Natural History Recorder

Hazel cobnuts

Guelder rose berries

Invitation – Andy Goldsworthy – Hanging Stones Project

The David Ross Foundation invites you to Westerdale Village Hall for a public talk by internationally renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy.  

A chance to hear the artist speak about his wider practice and his ‘Hanging Stones’ project in Northdale Valley, North Yorkshire Moors.

Thursday 6th July

6.30pm

Westerdale Village Hall, Whitby YO21 2DT

All welcome, seating available on a first come first served basis

The Tree House

The Burnt Tree

The Ochre or Okker Wall

What have we in our river!

Brook lamprey are some of the most primitive vertebrates alive today and they are spawning in our river here in Rosedale right now. They are jawless, having a round sucker-like mouth and small round gill openings on the sides of the head. They have two dorsal fins and are about 15cm long. They spawn in clean gravel beds. Wonder if they know how excited Rosedale folk are about the TDY! Updale Natural History Recorder

Brook lamprey at Battlings Hill ford

Brook lamprey at Battlings Hill ford

ROSEDALE HILL CLIMBS – A HISTORY TALK

A 1913 Chalmers on Chimney Bank

A 1913 Chalmers on Chimney Bank, competing in the Flying Scotsman Rally, 13 March 2010

The Rosedale History Society presents an illustrated talk entitled “Rosedale Hill Climbs – Endeavour and Crowds 100 Years Ago” on the subject of the then nationally famous Rosedale Chimney Bank hill climbs, to be given by Paul Hayward, a local motor historian, in the History Room at the White Horse Farm Inn on Friday 26 April 2013 at 8.00 pm.

 

Farewell George Watson

Yesterday, as I passed over the gated footbridge in North Dale, I noticed wisps of smoke rising into the blue sky ahead. I continued on up the hill towards the old dog kennels, stopping only when I got to the next gate, through a wall by a large Ash tree. Here I could see the fire below. Orange flames danced high, lighting up a hunched figure standing within the reaches of its heat. Whatever it was he had in his hand, he tossed it into the flames making them pirouette away a moment, before they returned with increased energy spiralling higher and brighter.

Now he stood stock still, staring straight into the depths of the fire. Part of me wanted to join him, to share the beauty of the fire, the heat and the comfort that only an outdoor, evening fire can give. I didn’t. It would have been an intrusion.  He seemed to be burning more than rubbish, on this his last day as Tenant Farmer, steward of the land that is upper North Dale. Soon he would be gone, literally moving to pastures new.

Up at the house others busied themselves, loading his life and more, into lorries and onto trailers but the house stood as proud as ever, its face glowing in the low sun. Whatever is to become of it I hope it doesn’t stand empty and hollow for long.

Sitting high near Stone Bank I once watched George, on his quad bike and Hanna on her horse with a dog running hard and fast between them on the slopes above Bell End. They worked as one, gathering up sheep. With each twist and turn of their steeds they picked up more ewes and moved them on up the dale. Hanna, riding high on the slope with George below, soon had an arrow of white moving before them. The dog seemed to be controlling himself as I could not hear any whistles or shouts of direction. The rumble of the quad and yips and yells of Hanna shattered the usual peace of the dale but it was a welcome noise. The two were in harmony, a song of work. Suddenly Hanna turned and shot higher up the hill, her horse seemed to have no difficulty going straight up the steep slope. She had spotted a small group of sheep out on a limb and was getting above them to bring them into the ever growing flock. The dog instinctively took her place to keep the main flock whole and together with George kept them moving along.

George Watson loved the land, the stock and the wildlife that shared his dale and we would talk around these topics whenever we met on the hill. I will be forever grateful for the trust and support that George gave me, encouraging me to take small groups up Northdale to share wild places he knew, away from the usual paths. Here strangers would come together and cook a meal on small campfires, sit whittling and engage in other Bushcraft related activities. Really they were learning to love these wild places as George and I do.

While Rosedale and Northdale have lost something today, The Vale of Pickering has gained a passionate custodian of the land. Good luck and happy times to you George and to you Hanna and thank you, on behalf of all that have enjoyed wild upper North Dale in recent years.

Wild Country Walkabouts