Windows, reprised

I generally try to avoid taking the same photo twice, although it can be a fascinating exercise to log the changes over the years. Here is an exception. I am fascinated by all these windows in the houses bordering the path down from Ilkley Tarn. I first noticed and photographed them in 2010 (see HERE) and, since then, very little appears to have been altered. I still find them oddly compelling, and a black and white conversion still seems to suit the image best.

Elsewhere in Ilkley, things are changing. The Rombalds Hotel has closed, as the owners decided to retire after 22 years and could not sell it as a going concern. It is now being converted into nine apartments. Ilkley is a popular place for well-heeled retirees and there are already a lot of apartments, in converted older buildings and newly-built blocks. The developers obviously think they can sell a few more.

Of more concern to me was the fact that the public toilets in the town centre were closed! I'd understood that the local town council had taken them on, when they were earmarked for closure by Bradford Council last year. So whether their recent closure is temporary, for repairs, or permanent, I'm not sure. It always seems daft to me that the only alternative is to pay for a coffee in order to be able to use a café's facilities - and then an hour or so later you just need the same all over again!

Framed

There is a good view from Ilkley Tarn over the Wharfe valley towards Middleton and across to the high moorland north of Ilkley. From this raised vantage point, Ilkley itself is more or less hidden below in the valley. There is a shelter beside the Tarn and its wooden structure offered a kind of picture frame to the view.

Looking in the opposite direction, Ilkley Moor rises up from the Tarn, everywhere russet-tinged with heaps of collapsed bracken. I rather liked the shape of this lone tree on the edge of the moor.

Practising at Ilkley Tarn

I met with a friend from my camera club one afternoon and we walked up to Ilkley Tarn. Both of us are keen to improve our photography and I'm still on a learning curve with my new camera, so we were trying out manual exposures - with limited success in my case! It was a dullish day and the light wasn't great, but we still enjoyed chatting and learning together. Coffee and cake in one of Ilkley's lovely coffee shops rounded off a very pleasant afternoon.

The Tarn sits on the edge of the moor, above the town, and was created out of a bog in the 19th century, initially as a mill dam. It then became a popular place to walk - and skate when the water froze in winter - and was 'prettified' with shelters, lights and paths. It even had a fountain at one time. It has been a popular meeting spot too. Emmeline Pankhurst, the suffragette leader, spoke at a rally there.

It's still popular with dog-walkers and those seeking a gentle walk along decent, mud-free paths. You can happen upon it unexpectedly if, anticipating a moorland walk, you follow the path from the town. Indeed, beyond it there is access to Ilkley Moor proper. It always seems a little odd to me to come across the old Victorian lamp-posts that line the path. A bit of Saltaire in Ilkley or even a touch of Narnia in them.

In full flow

Yesterday I showed the River Aire in Roberts Park and here we have the River Wharfe in Ilkley (photos taken last Sunday).  Like the Aire, it is full almost to capacity, though not quite overtopping its banks. I suppose what happens next depends on what the weather is like for the next week or so up in the Yorkshire Dales. Will we get some flooding or not?

Ill-fated in Ilkley

I went over to Ilkley to have a walk by the river and to take some photos of the Christmas lights. It was, unfortunately, an ill-fated expedition. On the way back to my car, I managed to trip over a low kerb in the dark. I went flying and so did my DSLR camera, bouncing on its lens hood, which shattered. It's a bit poorly now... Although only the filter glass cracked (not the lens) and it still takes photos, the zoom mechanism is stiff and there are artefacts on the LCD screen. I've taken it to a camera shop in Leeds to get an estimate for repair. It may well not be worth it. (I have insurance but since the camera is quite an old model, it won't pay out enough to make it worth claiming.) Boo.

Never mind, that is only 'stuff' and can be replaced, even if at some cost. Thankfully, I've no broken bones, and just suffered some cuts, grazes and bruises. One of those times when you just wish you could turn the clock back two minutes!

And after all that, none of my photos turned out all that well anyway! These are the best of the bunch but don't give anything like a true idea of the lights, which are in reality very pretty, all strung through the trees.

Calvary

This curious place is on the hillside above Ilkley, not far from Middleton Woods. It is known as Calvary, and was erected by the local landowner, Peter Middleton, in the 1850s. The 'Stations of the Cross', depicts the final hours of Jesus' life, his 'Passion'. Such Stations, in churches or outdoors, are designed to help the devoted (usually Roman Catholic) to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, by reflecting and meditating on the scenes of Christ's suffering and death.
Even today, this is a peaceful place and has its own (slightly eerie) beauty, though it has obviously seen better days. I gather it was almost derelict by 1906, so someone must have tidied it up since then. Myddleton Lodge was occupied from the 1920s to the 1980s by a monastic order, the Passionist Fathers and then became a retreat house for the RC Diocese of Leeds. A new retreat centre was opened in 2002.
      

The oak

'Many a genius has been slow of growth. Oaks that flourish for a thousand years do not spring up into beauty like a reed.' George Henry Lewes.

And isn't this one a beauty? I came across it on a walk near Ilkley. There were a number of beautiful trees in the area, which is now farmland. They had the look of trees that might have been planted as part of a country estate at some time.

Loathe as I am to quote David Icke, he is recorded as saying:  'Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.'  Which may or may not be a good thought!

Ilkley Tarn

Craig Tarn, above Ilkley, was developed by the Victorians in 1874 from a moorland pond and bog into the small lake we see today. A gentle walk up from the town, the tarn has a central island that used to have a fountain, and a wide and level perimeter path, around which you can well imagine Victorian ladies promenading. Apparently it was at one time a popular spot for ice-skating in winter. See here for a photo taken in the 1920s.

Famous rocks

I didn't find the standing stones known as the Twelve Apostles during my walk on Ilkley Moor, but I did find the huge piece of gritstone (above) known as the Pancake Stone for the way it lies flat and balanced on the edge of a ridge.

A little further along the moor edge lies one of the area's most famous and enduring attractions: the rock formation of Hangingstone Rocks, more commonly known as the Cow and Calf Rocks. They get their name from the small lower stone (the calf) close to its 'mother' (the cow).  Sitting on the edge of the moor just above the town of Ilkley, they have been enticing day-trippers since the glory days of Ilkley as a Victorian spa town. Nowadays the spot is popular with dog-walkers, families having picnics, bikers who come to the café and climbers on the gritstone rock face, which apparently offers a wide variety of climbs including some challenging routes. 

The inglorious Twelfth

The moorland heather is in full bloom, perfect for a ramble, provided one avoids the grouse-shooting areas. The shooting season officially started on August 12th, 'the glorious Twelfth'. It seems that Ilkley Moor is now the only remaining public land on which grouse shooting is licensed. Everywhere else, the shoots take place on private land. I hear there was a protest march on the moor this year, as well as a large wildlife protection march in London. Video has emerged, to widespread condemnation, of marsh harriers, a relatively rare species, being killed on a Yorkshire grouse moor. Bradford Council are under pressure not to renew the licences next year.

That aside, the moors are beautiful and I enjoyed my walk, although the huge network of paths means that I never seem to find the same route twice! I set off to look for the Twelve Apostle Stones (see here) but I didn't find them this time.

Audley Clevedon

I went to visit a friend who lives in Ben Rhydding, a village near the spa town of Ilkley. Although it was a dull and drizzly day, we went for a short walk up to Audley Clevedon, a luxury retirement complex. I'd actually never heard of it before but it is set in a stunning location, high up on the edge of the moor and with wonderful views across the valley. It consists of about 90 new houses, cottages and apartments, all built to a high specification. Properties are sold on a lease, with maintenance of the property and the surrounding gardens all taken care of. At the centre of the complex is an older building, which used to be a preparatory school. Now it is a clubhouse with a luxury hotel feel. It has a restaurant/bistro, bar, swimming pool, gym, spa, library and comfortable lounges for use of the residents. The restaurant and bar is also open to non-residents so we enjoyed a coffee in elegant surroundings, looking out over the terrace at the lovely view. 

This retirement lark has its perks! Although I couldn't afford to and would not wish to actually live in a place like Audley Clevedon, I can see its attractions. 

Pond life

There are as many ways of photographing a pond as there are people with cameras, I guess. This pool on the moors was safely fenced off - to avoid livestock falling in, I suppose, though it was probably as well to keep me away from it too, since I was having an accident-prone day! 

Here are two versions of it: an arty close-up and a more straightforward rendering. 

The greening of England

We walked a long circuit through the farm fields, along the edge of the moors and through little wooded valleys full of bluebells, blossom and pretty white flowers. I thought the white flowers were wood anemones but, on closer inspection, I now think they are a variety of stitchwort (stellaria). Pretty anyway. England is greening up with such a wonderful variety of fresh tones as spring slips in to summer.

A day on the farm

Although my camera club doesn't meet over the summer, several outings are arranged that are usually fun to join in with. One of our members lives on a farm on the edge of the moors above Ilkley, so we were invited to visit.

The day was bright and sunny, the views magnificent and all the farm life was fascinating to this 'townie'. I loved these sheep, waiting for a much needed haircut. I've seen sheep being sheared in a competition at Bingley Show but I've never got so close to the action before. Once the wool is off, in one big loose sheet, it is rolled into a bundle and bagged ready to be taken for processing.

PS: When I was a little girl, my dad taught me how to count sheep using the ancient numbering system used by Derbyshire shepherds. I've always remembered it started (1-5): Yan, tan, tethera, methera, pip. There are many dialect variations. I've just seen, in my Country Walking magazine, the whole 1-20 listed, as used by shepherds in Swaledale: Yan, tan, tether, mether, pip, azer, sezar, akker, conter, dick, yanadick, tanadick, tetheradick, metheradick, bumfit, yanabum, tanabum, tetherabum, metherabum, jigget.  Glorious!

Over the hills and far away

This was the view from the bottom of the drive of Beacon Hill House (see yesterday). Being so high up, it commands superb views across the Wharfe valley to the moors and dales beyond.

Beacon Hill House

Since 1927, the National Garden Scheme has encouraged the owners of exceptional private gardens to open to the public on one or two days a year to raise money for charities. Over £50 million has been donated, from admission fees and plant sales. I picked up a booklet showing all the gardens open this year in Yorkshire and (now that I'm a lady of leisure) I am going to enjoy visiting a few of the more local ones.

Beacon Hill House sits high up on the moors between Ilkley and Bolton Abbey. Its open day coincided with one of our first very warm and sunny days of the year but much of the steep plot of about seven acres is woodland, so there was plenty of shade. The house was built in 1848 by a businessman, Benjamin Briggs Popplewell, who chose the 1000ft high location hoping that the bracing, clean air might cure his consumptive child. (I don't know whether it did!) The original gardens were more formal and exposed than what exists today but there are traces of Victorian arches, walls, follies and a rather splendid Gothic dog kennel.

It has not been a good Spring for gardens. The magnolias were badly browned by frost and a recent spell of very dry weather has left many plants looking parched and weak. There were some rhododendrons in flower but some were past their best and the herbaceous plants are not yet flowering. The daffodils are over, though the woods were full of bluebells. The house has a pretty orchard and some of the trees had blossom. I love seeing trees coming into leaf, all maturing at different rates too. There were some attractive coppery tones among the spring greens.

Pink path

Normally I arrive at my weekly Camera Club meetings after dark but in the last few weeks of the club season, when we've changed the clocks to BST, it is light when I arrive. After a week's break for Easter, I was unprepared for the amazing sight of all these cherry trees in full blossom on the path up to Addingham church. (We meet in the church hall.) I didn't have my camera (!) so this is an iPhone photo. The cherry blossom all around this area is really splendid this year, although a cold snap is forecast this coming week so that may ruin it prematurely.

I'd planned to photograph this last weekend's World Heritage celebrations in Saltaire. I had a prior engagement on Saturday and then a migraine on Sunday! So, no photos - and it's been a lovely sunny weekend too. I feel I am failing in my 'local 'reporter' duties!! Must do better...
If you want to see how real reporters covered it, click here!

Heathcote

Heathcote, in Ilkley, is a large, Grade I listed, neoclassical villa situated just below Hebers Ghyll on the road into town. This is a prime residential area with some lovely homes but this house must be the biggest and best of them all. Built in 1906-08, it was commissioned by John Thomas Hemingway, a wealthy Bradford wool merchant. It was designed by the famous Arts and Crafts architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. No expense was spared, inside or out. There is a stunning black marble staircase and the gardens were planted by Gertrude Jekyll. Lutyens is said to have remarked: 'This house was for a very rich man who could not spend money, until he met me'. It was a private house until 1958 and then became a corporate headquarters. Recently back on the market, the guide price is/was reduced from £2.9 to around £2 million.

Hebers Ghyll

A silkscreen print by an artist called Joy Godfrey - 'Hebers Ghyll' - was the first 'proper' piece of original artwork I ever owned, way back in the mid 1970s, when Joy was just out of art college.  I still have it. Joy has her studio in Ilkley and continues to produce beautiful and distinctive work, mostly inspired by local landscapes.

Hebers Ghyll (named, oddly, after a Bishop Heber, who wrote hymns but appears to have had no connection to Ilkley) is one of several areas of woodland that edge Ilkley Moor and protect the town. A stream off the moor tumbles down the steep hillside here and the path crisscrosses it via wooden foot-bridges. It's dark under the trees and always damp but somehow the area has a peacefulness that makes it a lovely place to walk and think. The foliage is still green but there begins to be a hint of gold in the green; autumn is on its way. (Note to self: Do the walk the opposite way next time, as it is such a steep climb up this way.)

Ilkley Moor

We're having very mixed weather, one minute it's warm and sunny and the next it is grey and raining heavily. Confusing! My camera club had a nice idea that people should go out on a 'photo hunt' one weekend (like a treasure hunt but taking photos) and provided a leaflet full of clues to sights around Ilkley. I only had one possible day to do it and it was really dull and damp for most of the day but by late afternoon it had brightened up a bit, so I set off. Had a really good circular walk, through the town and up onto the edge of Ilkley Moor. The heather is beginning to bloom but this part of the moor, so close to the town, only has a few patches. I somehow missed a large chunk of the walk by taking a wrong turn but it was still fun to explore.