Photography Blog
Photography Blog
ANOTHER 5 NIGHTS IN YORKSHIRE
27/09/2025
21st September 2025 and we set off for another 5 nights in Yorkshire; 1night in Ilkley and 4 nights in the lodges at Aysgarth (our third visit).
Day 1. Leaving at 7:45 we stop for breakfast but as Mrs. M has banned the use of the G(reggs) word I will in future only be commenting on breakfast stops if something out of the ordinary occurs.
We are heading for Saltaire near to Shipley as I have recently read a novel entitled The Canal Murders by J R Ellis which is based on a fictional location based on Saltaire.
After passing Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground, and a couple of wrong turnings, we arrive at the Salt Mill car park. Salt Mills is part of a model village created by Sir Titus Salt in 1853 and is a very impressive set of buildings which was a woollen mill but now primarily houses various different galleries. We wander round and have a stroll along the canal which is not quite at picturesque as I envisaged and after a couple of hours we set off for our first overnight stop; Ilkley. We are booked in to The Black Hat (a pub with rooms). The room and breakfast were fine but the evening meal was, according to Mrs.M, average.
Day 2. We set off to visit the Cow and Calf Rocks and, after a slight detour, arrive, park up and take a few images. There are grouse on the moor but not close enough to be photographed. We then set off for the “main event” of the day, The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. I have been here at least twice before but I have to admit I didn’t remember just how steep some parts of the walk were. It was eventually added to Mrs. M’s list of walks which were “glad to have been done but not to be done again”. Nonetheless there are some amazing waterfalls on the way round and I managed to get a few images. It was also a positive that the ice cream van was at his usual position about have way round and, strategically, at about the highest point. On the downside both of the pubs which we passed on the walk through the village back to the car park were closed. Returning, after a slight detour, to the car, we set the satnav for Leyburn and, following instructions, set off in a westerly direction; the opposite direction to Leyburn! This may have been operator error but a quick u-turn and amending the satnav’s destination to Hawes had us heading in the right direction past Ribbleshead Viaduct and into Hawes. After a parking faux-pas (i.e. parking in a no-parking area) a space became available and we grabbed some essential provisions and then had a couple in The Crown Inn where both Bass and Old Peculier were on draught. Mrs. M then took the wheel (allowing me to have 2 pints of aforementioned Bass) and we set off and eventually checked into our lodge at Aysgarth. Dinner was based around a very nice quiche from The Spar in Hawes.
Day 3. We have a plan! I’d booked us into the Red Squirrel Trail at Snaizeholme and once again it didn’t disappoint with enough red squirrel activity to keep us occupied as well as what may almost be classed as a covey of pheasants. On the way back to the car we bumped into Paul Fowlie, a professional photographer who runs red squirrel workshops from hides in the area, a possibility for another day. He confirmed that the red squirrel population is thriving. Returning to a very busy Hawes (it’s market day) we park up near to the Dales Museum and walk into town to have a look around the market and another couple at The Crown. Returning to the car park we take the opportunity to visit the Dales Museum before returning to Aysgarth via Semerwater, a new location for us. Mrs M. retires to the Falls End club and I make the short drive down to West Burton to take some images at the Cauldron Falls. Dinner is a beef lasagne from Hawes.
Day 4. We have received a text advising that the site electric will go off from 9am to 1pm for essential maintenance, so we are ready to leave as the power goes off. We head to Castle Bolton which I’ve seen many times but never visited. Mrs M spots some wild boar in an enclosure next to the car park which presented some great photographic opportunities. After an interesting tour of the castle (and a coffee and a shared slab of rocky road) we head to Leyburn. Whilst I am establishing from a local that there is an honesty box for car parking fees Mrs. M is reading a notice describing the Shawl, an area of parkland with views up Wensleydale. A helpful passer-by shows us how to reach The Shawl (about a 5 minute walk) and we set off to be greeted by a large dog posing in front of a panoramic view of Wensleydale; we both take some images. It transpires that the owner was unable to catch this dog, hopefully she eventually did. We then returned to Campbells for some essential supplies and from there to the Golden Lion. Before leaving we shared a sandwich from the Co-Op. Returning to Aysgarth we walked along the river and across the fields to to The Fox at West Burton where “Ginger”, an ex stable lad, regaled us with stories of his time working in racing both here and in America. Returning to Aysgarth Mrs. M prepared en croute and broccoli which we’d purchased at Campbell’s - delicious!
Day 5. I have only a “loose” plan so we set off for Ribbleshead where we walk over to the viaduct and are lucky enough to see a train crossing over.
Mrs. M wanted to visit Tan Hill but a map-reading error meant that we took a longer than planned route via Sedbergh - at least we saw some new moorland scenery. Unfortunately Tan Hill was “rammed” (as it often seems to be these days) so in an inspired move we drove the 5 miles or so over the moors to the Charles Bathurst (aka The CB, sister inn to the Punch Bowl at Low Row) where we enjoy delicious haddock and chips and prawn laguine. We head towards the “Herriot” water splash and then turn down the narrow track towards Reeth where we are rewarded with a sighting of half a dozen or so grouse. We return to Aysgarth for a final drink at Falls End.
Day 6. Mrs. M is a keen follower of Springtime on the Farm, a tv programme based around Farmer Dave and Farmer Rob at Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley. We have threatened to visit several times so on this occasion we do. Mrs. M was expecting a rural family farm but this is a big business and a major tourist attraction. Nonetheless it was worth the slight detour (and the parking and entry fees) to have a look around. We finished off with lunch in the Hungry Llama restaurant and then a quick visit to the large and impressive farm shop. We arrived home at about 4pm, a very good trip. There are some images in the Yorkshire Gallery.
Day 1. Leaving at 7:45 we stop for breakfast but as Mrs. M has banned the use of the G(reggs) word I will in future only be commenting on breakfast stops if something out of the ordinary occurs.
We are heading for Saltaire near to Shipley as I have recently read a novel entitled The Canal Murders by J R Ellis which is based on a fictional location based on Saltaire.
After passing Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground, and a couple of wrong turnings, we arrive at the Salt Mill car park. Salt Mills is part of a model village created by Sir Titus Salt in 1853 and is a very impressive set of buildings which was a woollen mill but now primarily houses various different galleries. We wander round and have a stroll along the canal which is not quite at picturesque as I envisaged and after a couple of hours we set off for our first overnight stop; Ilkley. We are booked in to The Black Hat (a pub with rooms). The room and breakfast were fine but the evening meal was, according to Mrs.M, average.
Day 2. We set off to visit the Cow and Calf Rocks and, after a slight detour, arrive, park up and take a few images. There are grouse on the moor but not close enough to be photographed. We then set off for the “main event” of the day, The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. I have been here at least twice before but I have to admit I didn’t remember just how steep some parts of the walk were. It was eventually added to Mrs. M’s list of walks which were “glad to have been done but not to be done again”. Nonetheless there are some amazing waterfalls on the way round and I managed to get a few images. It was also a positive that the ice cream van was at his usual position about have way round and, strategically, at about the highest point. On the downside both of the pubs which we passed on the walk through the village back to the car park were closed. Returning, after a slight detour, to the car, we set the satnav for Leyburn and, following instructions, set off in a westerly direction; the opposite direction to Leyburn! This may have been operator error but a quick u-turn and amending the satnav’s destination to Hawes had us heading in the right direction past Ribbleshead Viaduct and into Hawes. After a parking faux-pas (i.e. parking in a no-parking area) a space became available and we grabbed some essential provisions and then had a couple in The Crown Inn where both Bass and Old Peculier were on draught. Mrs. M then took the wheel (allowing me to have 2 pints of aforementioned Bass) and we set off and eventually checked into our lodge at Aysgarth. Dinner was based around a very nice quiche from The Spar in Hawes.
Day 3. We have a plan! I’d booked us into the Red Squirrel Trail at Snaizeholme and once again it didn’t disappoint with enough red squirrel activity to keep us occupied as well as what may almost be classed as a covey of pheasants. On the way back to the car we bumped into Paul Fowlie, a professional photographer who runs red squirrel workshops from hides in the area, a possibility for another day. He confirmed that the red squirrel population is thriving. Returning to a very busy Hawes (it’s market day) we park up near to the Dales Museum and walk into town to have a look around the market and another couple at The Crown. Returning to the car park we take the opportunity to visit the Dales Museum before returning to Aysgarth via Semerwater, a new location for us. Mrs M. retires to the Falls End club and I make the short drive down to West Burton to take some images at the Cauldron Falls. Dinner is a beef lasagne from Hawes.
Day 4. We have received a text advising that the site electric will go off from 9am to 1pm for essential maintenance, so we are ready to leave as the power goes off. We head to Castle Bolton which I’ve seen many times but never visited. Mrs M spots some wild boar in an enclosure next to the car park which presented some great photographic opportunities. After an interesting tour of the castle (and a coffee and a shared slab of rocky road) we head to Leyburn. Whilst I am establishing from a local that there is an honesty box for car parking fees Mrs. M is reading a notice describing the Shawl, an area of parkland with views up Wensleydale. A helpful passer-by shows us how to reach The Shawl (about a 5 minute walk) and we set off to be greeted by a large dog posing in front of a panoramic view of Wensleydale; we both take some images. It transpires that the owner was unable to catch this dog, hopefully she eventually did. We then returned to Campbells for some essential supplies and from there to the Golden Lion. Before leaving we shared a sandwich from the Co-Op. Returning to Aysgarth we walked along the river and across the fields to to The Fox at West Burton where “Ginger”, an ex stable lad, regaled us with stories of his time working in racing both here and in America. Returning to Aysgarth Mrs. M prepared en croute and broccoli which we’d purchased at Campbell’s - delicious!
Day 5. I have only a “loose” plan so we set off for Ribbleshead where we walk over to the viaduct and are lucky enough to see a train crossing over.
Mrs. M wanted to visit Tan Hill but a map-reading error meant that we took a longer than planned route via Sedbergh - at least we saw some new moorland scenery. Unfortunately Tan Hill was “rammed” (as it often seems to be these days) so in an inspired move we drove the 5 miles or so over the moors to the Charles Bathurst (aka The CB, sister inn to the Punch Bowl at Low Row) where we enjoy delicious haddock and chips and prawn laguine. We head towards the “Herriot” water splash and then turn down the narrow track towards Reeth where we are rewarded with a sighting of half a dozen or so grouse. We return to Aysgarth for a final drink at Falls End.
Day 6. Mrs. M is a keen follower of Springtime on the Farm, a tv programme based around Farmer Dave and Farmer Rob at Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley. We have threatened to visit several times so on this occasion we do. Mrs. M was expecting a rural family farm but this is a big business and a major tourist attraction. Nonetheless it was worth the slight detour (and the parking and entry fees) to have a look around. We finished off with lunch in the Hungry Llama restaurant and then a quick visit to the large and impressive farm shop. We arrived home at about 4pm, a very good trip. There are some images in the Yorkshire Gallery.
