Our winter photo week away this year was in the Yorkshire Dales. We were to be located at HF Newfield Hall near Malham which was central to all the areas we wished to visit over the three days we were there. Having said we would be there for three days, there is the journey up where we would also find locations to see and photograph.

The Journey There – Saltaire
As usual we would pick a place to stop on the way to our destination, and this was Saltaire at Shipley. This was a chance to stretch our legs, meet up for a chat and re-fuel our bodies and our photographic needs (yes we can be very needy when it comes to pointing & clicking at things).

This is a gem of a place to visit, and with many areas in the North which the industrial revolution had a big impact on, they are a joy to visit. The way areas are laid out with large Victorian factories interlaced with park land, it’s a photographers dream, especially with the Autumn/Winter light and the abundance of trees in such an area. Some of us had never visited the area and it was a place well chosen (thanks Chris & Martin). Many I feel will stop here again when given the chance.

Saltaire is a Victorian model village situated between the River Aire, the railway and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Salt’s Mill and the houses were built by Titus Salt between 1851 and 1871 to allow his workers to live in better conditions than the slums of Bradford.

Having got our fill of drink, food, photography and catching up (most of us only see each other once a month, which for some may be enough) we carried on to HF Newfield Hall which was only an hour’s drive away.

What can I say about our accommodation, as it was like stepping into a National Trust house. The place was very grand and as per usual we had found another gem to stay at (I blame Martin Arrowsmith as he does a brilliant job at organizing where we stay as well as the locations we photograph – well done sir).

Day 1 – Malham, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet’s Foss & Malham Tarn.
The weather forecast for the first 2 days would be mixed with sunshine, showers and the occasional little squall, but the light that greeted us on the first day from our bedroom windows was exceptional.

After a hearty breakfast, we drove the 20 minutes to the edge of Malham and our first day started. From here we walked through the village stopping for the occasional photo and walked on to Malham Cove. The word “Cove” is usually associated with the coast, but in this case it’s an amphitheatre of limestone that towers 260 feet above you. The cove was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago, and the river or Malham Beck as it’s called, now flows from its base having found another route several miles away through a cave system.

The majority of us ventured up the steep path to the top of the cove, whereas the rest of the party retreated back to Malham to find a safe haven in a pub (and who could blame them eh). The weather at this point was very changeable, and a squall could be seen on the horizon making its way towards us. Now this type of weather brings changeable light from dark to bright areas across the fields and is a joy to see and photograph. If you are fortunate enough to have a long lens, you can make the most of this light as it changes on the landscape. Please note that long lenses on mirrorless cameras are very light and compact and are very manageable in this type of environment.

Having reached the top of the cove, we were treated to spectacular views across the Yorkshire landscape, and we made our way back down Malham Rakes to the village. Two of our party of intrepid explorers were over joyed at being able to reach the top of the cove, and talked about it all the way back to the village (you know who you are ladies).

Back in the village we stopped at the Lister Inn for a well-earned rest and drink, having been caught in one of the squalls that we saw earlier on the horizon. Then it was off to Gordale Scar and Janet’s Foss which are very close to each other. Gordale Scar as the name implies looks like a scar or slash on the landscape, again formed by melting ice water from the last Ice Age 12,000 years ago. There is a waterfall in the scar which doesn’t tumble but roars through a hole in the limestone, and again just like at Malham Cove, the limestone cliffs tower hundreds of feet above you. Then it was off to see Janet’s Foss which was a small waterfall just a stone’s throw away from where we parked for Gordale Scar. This was a quick visit as we had done a lot so far that day and we wanted to visit Malham Tarn (plus the road we were to drive on looked very interesting, i.e. narrow, twisty and going uphill). By the time we reached the tarn the light was fading rapidly and I could see another squall coming in. I predicted that it would hit us in about 10 minutes and had to make the most of what was in front of us. To be honest the light wasn’t that good, and the 2 of us that ventured out of the cars just manged to get back in before the heavens opened.

Day 2 – Settle, Ingleton Waterfall Walk & Ribblehead Viaduct
This was to be a day of mixed adventures; more for some than others. We stopped at the museum/café in Settle called “The Folly” which is a restored Jacobean house built in 1679 for a local lawyer and houses the “Museum of North Craven Life”. Well worth a visit as it shows what life was like back in the day (what day would that be Mark?) and has a display with regard to the building of the Settle to Carlisle railway and the Ribblehead viaduct. Some of us walked around the towns side streets taking photos while the others set off for the Ingleton Waterfall walk.

The Ingleton Waterfall walk is a privately owned 4.5 mile pathed area between the River Twiss and the River Doe with a series of 6 waterfalls. As it’s private, it costs £10 per adult to visit, but the parking is free. You can see why it costs £10 to visit as they have to maintain the paths and the fences to ensure peoples safety. Three of us arrived later than the others, so we only ventured up to Thornton Force and retraced our steps back along the River Twiss to the car park, where as the early birds walked back down the road over the moors as they didn’t fancy the walk back along the River Twiss (the waterfalls on the River Doe weren’t visited).

The waterfalls are spectacular with strategically positioned viewing points to make the most of the water rushing through the narrow limestone gaps. The beginning of November was very wet, so the waterfalls were in full spate and in some places you couldn’t hear yourself think due to the noise of the water rushing to get somewhere (we didn’t question it as to where it was going, other than knowing it was going downhill at a rapid pace).

Other than the waterfalls there is plenty to see and photograph, such as the money tree (what you didn’t stop to take photos) and the autumn light and the colourful leaves on the trees. The three of us that walked back down the river were greeted with a locked payment kiosk but were able to get through the 8 foot gate which thankfully wasn’t locked (that would have been fun getting an 83 year old man over it). One of our party was stunned by the scenery and didn’t know such things existed in the UK (well he does spend a lot of time on golf courses).

Then it was on to the Ribblehead viaduct in the fading light. We timed it perfectly, because as we got out of the car a train came across the viaduct (but not a steam train as none were scheduled). This was a brief visit as the light had now gone, and it was a spectacular drive down the B6479 back to Settle and then on to our accommodation.

Day 3 – Bolton Abbey & The Strid near Skipton
Well what can I say about this day other than the weather had changed for the better and it was a glorious sunny day. Bolton Abbey like the majority of abbeys in the UK fell into disrepair after the dissolution of the monasteries back in the mid 1500’s.  Even though the place was a ruin, due to its location it was great place to visit.

This area was only a 45 minute drive from where we were staying and is located on the banks of the River Wharfe. It’s a beautiful setting and not all of the abbey is a ruin, as it still has a large parish church which has been in existence since the 12th century. There is a bridge across the river opposite the abbey from where you can take it in all its grandeur. Not so the stepping stones as these were nowhere to be seen, as the river was so high plus we think they had been washed away.

Here we split up to explore the area and get lost in our thoughts. I bumped into 2 ladies from Los Angeles in the USA who were with a local guide. They couldn’t get over the area or how quiet it was, as they are constantly bombarded by noise in the place they call home.

Walking around the cemetery at the abbey I took in the shape, form and shadows of the grave stones and spotted an odd one way back near the parish church entrance. One grave stone I did miss was at the front of the Abbey by what remains of the main window (not so Mr Gilbert).  He found the grave of Fred Trueman the Yorkshire cricketer who wanted to be buried in a quiet place.

Next we drove up the valley to visit “The Strid”. The Strid is a narrow gap in the rocks which the River Wharfe flows through, but due to the volume of water passing through it, didn’t appear that spectacular. The gorge is at least 9 metres deep, but the day we visited it was only a metre from the rocks to the rushing water. We didn’t know this as at the time as there was a 1.5 mile walk from the car park to it, but boy was it a lovely walk through the autumnal trees. As with most things you go to visit, it’s not always about the main attraction but what you see on the journey that catches your eye.

The Strid is only 6 feet across, and people in the past have tried to jump it.  Anyone that has fallen in, I’m sorry to say that their bodies have never been recovered. The reason being that there are tunnels and caves which have been carved out of the rocks over thousands of years, and it’s like a washing machine down there on a spin cycle. So once you’re in, you never come out (scary thought eh).

Having had our fill of the river walk and The Strid, we reconvened at the café for a welcome hot drink, then made our way back to our digs for the last night.

Summary
One of the things about these type of trips is the social aspect, and this one was no exception.  We crammed in a lot over the 3 days and had at least another 2 days’ worth of photography we could have fitted in. So we will have to go back one day and fill our photographic boots so to speak with those areas we missed.

Image Gallery
The following is a small selection of images taken by the members during the trip.

You can either browse the thumbnails by scrolling down, or click on the first image to view in full screen and scroll to the right. Be advised that there will be a slight pause while the images are loaded.