Signs of the times: View of enormous new Amazon distribution centre (at the Integra 61 development near Bowburn) from the abandoned Leamside railway line.
(L) Large log pile on a walk starting at Esh. (R) April snow shower!
Largely following a walk from last year from Westgate in Weardale. (L) The Middlehope Burn in Slitt Wood. (M) View from West Rigg opencut over over quarry workings to the Middlehope valley. (R) Ruined farmhouse (old maps name it as Hill Top). The location is magnificent, and it was good to see that another abandoned house (High Crooked Well) further up the valley was being restored.
Pictures from around West Slitt mine. (L) The burn had been culverted to extend the dressing floor. The arch doesn’t look that strong, but has clearly held for many years! (M) The reservoir above the valley used to power a water wheel. Interestingly the dam only appears on later historic maps. (R) Pond created by water draining from an old mine entrance (White’s level?).
Walk in Otley Chevin Forest Park, after a short visit to Bradford at the start of May.
Early May: (L) Large number of cows in what looked like a holding area. Interestingly biogas generated from these cows’ slurry is being fed into the gas grid, so they perhaps lead large numbers! (M) Hens at a poultry breeder. The brick rubble is from an row of cottages on the site which were presumably demolished when the Hedleyhope collier nearby closed. (R) Bridge over the Hedleyhope Burn in the Hedleyhope Fell nature reserve (Durham Wildlife Trust).
