Wednesday, 16 March 2022

Needle felted shells

This was a two part workshop - which worked well. The first week I demonstrated  the techniques needed to needle felt a realistic shell and then participants took materials away to create more, before returning to finish and attach their shells to drift wood in the second session. 






















Sunday, 13 March 2022

Little Mell Fell

With Steve finishing his Wainwright's (down to the last few),it was a return visit for Rocky and I to this insignificant lump. A blustery and steep, but short walk. A few photos as rain was incoming - the Herdies stole the show! 















Saturday, 12 March 2022

Friday, 11 March 2022

Cayton Sands and Filey Brigg

The last day of our holiday and two new sites. Cayton Sands - for the potential phosphatic nodules that contain fossil lobsters and the 2008 large landslide. Tom did find a nodule - to be opened later....  Then after meeting friends a walk along the spectacular cliffs to the south of the bay. After that a trip to see Filey Brigg: a spectacular expanse of glacial till (30 - 40m deep) that overlies fossiliferous calcareous sandstones. 

Cayton Sands.

Trees from the 2008 landslip.

Spring!

Looking towards Filey Brigg from near Cayton Sands.

Filey Brigg.

Filey Brigg.

30 - 40 m of till!

'Badlands'.

Honey-comb weathering.






Thursday, 10 March 2022

Ravenscar from Robinhood's Bay

The morning was absolutely glorious, so as low tide was later in the afternoon we walked along the coastal footpath - up and down through Boggle hole and Stoupe bank, then through the allum works and up to Ravenscar (tea and cake at the National Trust cafe), before returning along the beach. For an apparently easy walk there's a lot of up and down and  then it's hard going across the beach. The weather was really spring like, so it was great to see a slow worm; hairy-footed flower bee; primroses, celandines and dog's-mercury out as well as bumble bees on the wing. At the bottom of the cliff at Ravensar we were escorted through the seals by a volunteer to minimise disturbance. There were some fantastic photo opportunities missed, as staying upright while being pulled by Rocky across slippery boulders in amongst the seals, was priority together with minimising seal disturbance. 

Looking back to Robinhood's Bay.

Towards Ravenscar - note the steps to the right. 

Hairy-footed flower bee (photo by Tom).

Slow worm - at least a foot long. 

From Ravenscar looking back. 

One of many seals (photo by Tom) - sadly they've had a very bad year - Storm Arwen and a lack of food in the area. 

Nothing spectacular fossil-wise today, but some nice pyritized ammonites.

Shap granite eratic. 

The return along the beach. 






Whitby Abbey

On  the way back yesterday, we stopped off in Whitby....so the iconic photo had to be taken. 











Wednesday, 9 March 2022

Wave cut platforms

Runswick Bay and then Saltwick, where we went to later, both have superb wave cut platforms. They are so flat though that there weren't many rockpools - still nice at low tide though. 

Runswick Bay.


Saltwick Bay.







Winkle tracks ...