My Week In Pictures #3 - Exploring The Yorkshire Dales



You have most probably been thinking ‘Where on Earth did you disappear to for the past week James, I have been worried sick about you’. Well fear not for I have returned from a long and gruelling university field trip deep into the dales of Yorkshire, miles away from civilisation and anything remotely resembling wifi or phone signal! Being a complete southerner, I had never been to Yorkshire before, so I didn’t really know what to expect other than knowing that there is a lot of hills, tea and Emmerdale was filmed there.




I can honestly say from my week in Yorkshire that it is the most beautiful and picturesque place that I have ever been lucky enough to experience. Some parts, like this photo, made me feel like I was in a little magical Hobbit universe with a sole tree in the middle of a parting river and a stone wall off in the distance.  Everywhere that you look was completely untouched natural landscape, shaped completely by nature with not a building or artificial landmark in sight except the odd stone wall made completely of rocks from the environment, standing for hundreds of years with no cement or anything holding them together.





On our walk we encountered a little cove, formed by a waterfall flowing over the side hundreds of years ago. The rivers up North are a lot stronger and fast-flowing as they are closer to the source, which gives them enormous landscape shaping power to create amazing and unique natural landscapes. There is an old myth that a fairy lives in the cove, so adventurers or explorers that visit tend to fix a penny or so into the roots of the trees by the river and make a wish, which means that the tree roots are littered with hundreds of coins, making a magnificent sight like I have never seen before when the sun is shining. I'm not sure if I believe in it myself but I had to leave a 2p of my own and take a picture of it after I made a little wish.



A pretty steep climb and a lot of huffing and puffing later, we got to the highest point and were able to truly admire the stunning view. You could literally look out and see nothing but fields and trees for absolutely miles around, made even more beautiful by the sun setting over the horizon, I don't think words or this picture can do this view justice. You may recognise this gorgeous rocky cliff if you are a big fan of Harry Potter since this is where a scene of The Half Blood Prince Part 1 was filmed, so I couldn't help walking around the rocks and picturing myself as part of the movie.


We finished off our trip in another little cove deep in the Yorkshire dales admiring one of many waterfalls that exist in the North. I really wish that there were more landscapes like this where I live, I found this trip an amazing way to forget about the business and stresses of life, while bringing out my inner adventurer and explorer side. Sometimes its just nice to be surrounded with nothing but beautiful countryside, the feeling of a slight breeze and the beating sun on your skin, while listening to the gentle sounds of birds singing and the trickling of flowing rivers. I could literally sit for hours and admire the peacefulness that the Yorkshire dales provides, it is one of my new favourite places and I definitely recommend visiting if you haven't before!


25 comments

Megan @ lazythoughts.co.uk said...

I've never been to Yorkshire, but your photos make it look gorgeous! I definitely need to venture up north at some point this year!

Isaac Mule said...

(Woohoo I can comment now!)


Fantastic photos. It certainly had a 'Hobbit' feel to it. I like how you described the place as well as took photos. Yorkshire, I'm on my way :)

Rebecca Marie said...

Beautiful pictures as always. I miss living in Yorkshire, it;s the most beautiful pace to explore! Rebecca | www.rebeccamariee.blogspot.com xx

Andrew McCormack said...

Some amazing pictures and some amazing scenery! Looks like you had a really great time.

Andrew | thatmck.com

Sam said...

Looks amazing, I love going on walks in the countryside, always clears my head up a bit!


Sam | www.sprksam.com

James Bickle said...

It honestly requires no effort to take a beautiful photograph in Yorkshire, every bit of landscape is just so photogenic, you will love it there :)

James Bickle said...

Wooo! Thank you, I'm glad it inspired you to venture there, its one of those places that you would never think of going to but is far too amazing not to experience!

James Bickle said...

thank you :) I'm jealous that you actually got to live there, its probably like having a huge and beautiful back garden, I definitely want to go back for a little explore some time in the future!

James Bickle said...

Thank you, we had a lot of boring field work and essays to do, and I almost fell in a river, but other than that the scenery and being so close to nature was awesome!

James Bickle said...

Me too, that's one of my favourite parts about walks in the countryside, being able to get lost in your own thoughts while enjoying the beautiful scenery around you, and what better place to do it than here!

Matthew Pike said...

A fantastic part of the country, never a chore in Yorkshire.

Buckets & Spades

Kathryn said...

This looks amazing! I love going for walks and wish I had somewhere like this nearby to explore, thank you for sharing and that fairy coin wish thing is so cute.

Kathryn

nimblenote.blogspot.com

Megan @ lazythoughts.co.uk said...

I love it when that happens - I went to a really gorgeous part of Wales a couple of years ago and the photos just took themselves!

Amber Davey said...

These photos are breathtaking! Make me wanna cry for the countryside! I'll have to go for a walk on the beach sometime this week get some fresh air in my lungs. Can't believe that's where they filmed that scene of Harry Potter! If I'd been there I'd be waving my wand and fully re-enacting it. No shame. Lucky you getting such a lovely field trip! The Biologists at Pompey uni are off to Spain, marine biologists are off to somewhere in the English countryside... and me and the other Biochemists are off to our usual lab for a week -_- gutted! Hope you are well :D xo

Susanne said...

What a beautiful place!! Simply lovely. It looks so much like Connemara but with more green. I'll have to explore the UK more when I get a chance.

James Bickle said...

thank you so much, it really is the most beautiful countryside that I have ever visited! Sometimes you just can't beat a bit of sea air, I really wish that I lived closer to the coast sometimes. I think I would rather be venturing off to spain though, probably a little bit warmer than this country at the moment D: if it makes you feel any better I now have 3 solid weeks of deadlines and lab reports which is probably going to kill me! Hope you're well too! :)

Courtney Reid said...

Wow, it looks beautiful! Love that story with the coins, I just wish there was somewhere like that near me! :)

Sarah Bristow said...

Wow it looks so gorgeous!! I feel like I should explore the Yorkshire Dales a lot more seeing as I study in Leeds!! The photo of the pennies is amazing :)

Sarah x || www.whatsasssays.com

Kaylee and Shaguna said...

It's absolutely stunning!

Kirsty Haynes said...

Such stunning photos! I have always wanted to go but this has just spurred me on even more now!

http://blessedbymeow.blogspot.co.uk/

James Bickle said...

It really is gorgeous, it was actually my first being able to experience the north of England properly, being stuck as a southerner my whole life, but I will definitely be spending a lot more time up north in the future to see more of the amazing countryside. I totally didn't just have to Google where Leeds is, I had no idea that it was so far north!

Heather Nixon said...

I've been to the Yorkshire dales national park a couple of times, the view from the limestone pavement is pretty amazing!

www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk

Carolin said...

Yorkshire is a part of the country which I haven't visited yet but I'm planning an itinerary for the summer. I'd really like to see Fountain Abbey and another blogging friend has been to a sculpture park. The Dales where you've been look awesome so they will go straight onto my list. Thanks so much for sharing and I love your pictures. Hope you're well and we'll speak soon x

Caz | Style Lingua

Victoria Nightingale said...

It looks stunning, I've never been to Yorkshire but I go to the countryside a lot (Suffolk) and I love going there every now and then and getting a break from busy London life. I love the whole coin thing - such a magical little touch to the place.


vvnightingale.com

Gracey Blossom said...

Yorkshire is my favourite, my family used to go lots when I was little but living down south it's quite a long journey and I haven't been for years now. I can't wait to return one day and rediscover all its beauty :)

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