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~Swaledale Revisited~

6th June 2014

Buttercups in Swaledale

The Meadows

Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk....

Mazda Molly

Molly in the Mazda

A Friday afternoon trip to Muker, briefly stopping at Giggleswick to watch a rare locomotive hauling a rake of carriages. Molly is safely harnessed into the passenger seat and she enjoys her first trip in the MX-5.

Class 40 345

Class 40 No.345 at Giggleswick

The organisers of the following day's charter train to Oxford from the East Lancs Railway, offered "cheap" tickets for the empty coaching stock positioning trip. Apparently more folk travelled on this trip than the main event. Class 40's are diesel locomotives that used to haul trains 30-odd years ago. More information at the foot of the page.

Muker Meadows Osprey Airplane
Muker Meadows
Osprey

The walk started from Muker at 15:20hrs. An "Osprey" aircraft (I think) came over with its unfeasibly large propellers.

Photographers

Buttercup Enthusiasts

Long lenses and tripods clutter the flagged paths. Man in a white shirt gets in the mix for a closer look.

Barn

Swaledale Meadow & Barn

Buttercups Ramps Holme Bridge

This walk was brought forward from the following day due to a less than satisfactory weather forecast. We cross the bridge and head up the hillside for a walk through Ivelet Wood.

River Swale

River Swale

Swaledale Ivelet Wood
Across The Dale
In Ivelet Wood

Out of the woods and further up the slope is Adelaide Level, an old mine cut into the hillside behind the beck in Arn Gill.

Adelaide Level

Mining Spoil

Adelaide Level

Adelaide Level

Arn Gill

Arn Gill

Upper Swaledale Swinner Gill
Upper Swaledale
Swinner Gill

~~~

Mine Building

Mine Buildings

Swinner Gill Bridge
East Grain Gill
Swinner Gill

I first visited here as a 10 year old on a trip with a few other children on a school trip. Happy memories and now frequent revisits to one of the finest areas in the Yorkshire Dales. Molly is now used to taking short swims.

Dales Barn

Barn

A sheep poo escapes Molly's attention on our way to Crackpot Hall.

Crackpot Hall

The ruins of Crackpot Hall and then a track back down to the foot of Swinner Gill.

Swinner Gill

Waterfall

Here at the foot of Swinner Gill are waterfalls and old mine buildings - with a sheep defending her territory ...

Sheep

Keep Out!

Swaledale

Swaledale

Now the well-established track back to Muker.

"Am I Allowed?"
"Gently!"

A young lamb showed interest in us, not the other way round. So, I let Molly have a look and it was the lamb that came to us for a nose-to-nose. That done, the wooly one turned around and walked away.

Oyster Catcher

Oyster Catcher

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Plenty of birds about on this stretch of the river.

Tall Buttercups

Tall Buttercups

Farmers Arms Muker

Farmers Arms, Muker

Dog friendly and good pub food.

Class 40 Preservation Society

Walkers: Molly n' Me

Time taken: 3hrs over a distance of about 6 miles.

Weather and Conditions: Warm and sunny.

Route: Muker, Ramps Holme Bridge, Ivelet Wood, Swinner Gill mining area, Crackpot Hall, foot of Swinner Gill, Swaledale back to Muker.

Greetings Count: A very quiet walk up through the wood and to Swinner Gill - nobody about. A few folk, plus the photographers in the dale.

Ratmobile

7th Year for me; 12 years old: 50505 miles (to date)

All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2014 ©

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