Farndale Daffodils.

The wild daffodils just starting to flower. River Dove, Farndale

Another Voluntary Ranger day, this time at Farndale. The daffodils are just starting to come out - another week or two (Easter weekend I reckon !!) and they will be at their best. But they were still well worth a stroll along the Daffodil Walk from Low Mill to Church Houses.


Beck in Farndale (SE673955)

Farndale, north from near High Wold House

The daffodils are all the wild variety that pre date all the domestic daffs in our gardens. They are quite a bit smaller and don't flower until about a month later than domestic daffodils. Wonderful how they have colonised this remote dale on the North York Moors.

Low Blakey Moor, above Farndale

Even though it was a Monday in March, the sun was out and there were quite a few walkers about.


Farndale, north from near Cote Hill

Farndale, north west from near Cote Hill



Farndale, north west from near Bitchagreen

Wild daffodils by the River Dove, Farndale.



More wild daffodils by the River Dove, Farndale.

Route: Low Mill (SE672952), footpath to High Wold House, footpath to Cote Hill, footpath to River Dove, north to the Daffy Caffy (High Mill), return to start along River Dove footpath.

Statistics: Distance: 4.5km  Ascent: 70m  Time: 1 hour.

Wykeham Forest and River Derwent.

A Voluntary Ranger Patrol on a day that started out fine and sunny, but slipped into cloud and then rain.

Hal and Rafe - Tumulus in Wykeham Forest (SE949885)

We set off from home, walked through Wykeham Forest.....

South East from near Wrench Green (SE961893)

Then down into the Derwent Valley.....

Mount Misery and Wykeham Forest from the River Derwent at SE965898

Followed the river upstream......

Hal and Rafe on the River Derwent path near Hackness (SE967897)

Rafe and Hal by the River Derwent near Wood House, Hackness (SE956900)

Then turned south and back up onto the Tabular Hills....

High Wood Brow (Top o'the Warren), Wykeham Forest, (SE942889) looking north to Broxa and Langdale in the rain

and back through Wykeham Forest in the rain.

Route: North Moor, Wykeham Forest (SE948862), Elven Wood, Charcoal Burners Track, (SE945863 to SE939877) Bothy Dip (SE941897), zig zag through the woods to the top of Langate (SE954889), Langate, Wrench Green, footpath north east to River Derwent, upstream to Little Hilla Hackness, west along the road, to the bottom of Bakers Warren (SE939300), Bakers Warren, High Wood Brow, forestry tracks through Wykeham Forest to start.

Statistics: Distance: 14.5km  Ascent: 300m  Time: 4 hours.

Almost a Week in Moray - 11th to 16th March 2012.

For almost two years we have had a certain amount of uncertainty in our lives.

This has partly been due to the Governments desire to do away with the Forestry Commission and divide it between its rich friends, for profit and private pleasure. Hopefully this has been put aside - for the time being at least (but God help us if the Tory rich boys get back in next time - it'll be back on the agenda, to be sure).

The rest of the uncertainty lay with the future of Jim's job. He could have been made redundant.... or TUPE'd into another company.... or transferred....

So, its number 3.

We are moving away from Wykeham Forest, our home of 27 years, and travelling about 400 miles north to Moray, Scotland.

We travelled up there, at the beginning of the month, for a bit of an explore, to get the lay of the land and to look for a new home.

Here are a few photo's.

QUARREL WOOD, BY ELGIN (or Quarry Wood according to the map !)

Quarrel Wood was right by our hotel, so it was handy for those early morning and last thing at night walks with the dogs. It was also a really nice place to be.


Rafe and Hal on the Quarrel Stone, Quarrel Wood, by Elgin (NJ198634)

Rafe and Hal on a morning walk in Quarrel Wood. (NJ196631)



Neolithic Henge in Quarrel Wood, by Elgin. (NJ186631)

LOSSIEMOUTH

Over the bridge to East Beach, Lossiemouth. Jim and the dogs. (NJ237175)

East Beach, Lossiemouth. (NJ240706)

East Beach, Lossiemouth. The dogs and Jim. (NJ243704)

ROSEISLE FOREST AND BEACH

Hal and Rafe in the dunes, Roseisle Forest. (NJ106659)

Rafe and Hal in the dunes by Roseisle beach. (NJ105659)

Rafe, Burghead Bay.

Hal, Burghead Bay.



Burghead from the west.

Hal and Rafe and Pill Box 3, Burghead Bay.

The beach at Burghead looking west.

Rafe by Millie Bothy, Roseisle Forest. (NJ108664)

FINDHORN


Findhorn, looking west to Lady Culbin Forest (NJ033649)

From Findhorn (NJ029651) looking north west.

Jim and the dogs, Findhorn (NJ029651)

Burghead Bay looking east from Findhorn.

FINDOCHTY

Findochty - looking east.

From Findochty, looking east.

East of Findochty.

Looking west towards Findochty

Findochty

HOPEMAN

Rafe and Hal, West Beach, Hopeman.

Hopeman Harbour. Rafe and Hal.

Hal, Jim and Rafe at Hopeman Harbour.

Hopeman Harbour.

Jim and the dogs on the Sea Wall, Hopeman Harbour.