I recently stole a day from the working week visiting one of my favourite places, the upper reaches of the Tees. It was early June, summer flowers would be making a show along the river, so I packed my watercolours, camera and waterproofs (in that order), which tempted fate! I decided to park the car at the High Force Hotel. I don’t normally patronise this car park, the £2.00 parking fee is silly considering they charge you AGAIN to enter through the gate to visit the waterfall! However, on this day I wanted to cross the road to follow the little known steps down to the river which offer a delightful route along the bank over putting green turf to Holwick Bridge and the start of my journey. The steps are steep and care should be taken when choosing this route, but once down by the river you begin to feel lost in an other worldly charm.
The sun was shining, although dark clouds brooding to the south threatened to spoil the day as they hung second-guessing my next move. I choose east, following the Tees to its final destination. Orchids on every side, the pale whites just beyond the fence and out of reach for the macro on my humble camera. Along the bank I spotted purple stems of Northern Marsh Orchid, mixed with dazzling yellow of Globeflowers and equally early bright flowers of the Shrubby Cinquefoil. I’ve had the benefit of some very knowlegable people in assiting to help ID some of the Orchids. The white Orchid (of which I was unsure) seems to be Heath Spotted, which can be variable. I thought the pink in the background of the same picture might be ‘Pyramidal’ as it has the spike shape. Again, I’ve learnt that the habitat is wrong and that the pink Orchid is more likely to be a Northern Marsh Orchid! Stuart from the UK Botany website also explained his take “ that they’re all the hybrid between CSO and HSO, which tend to have frilly lips when they have wet feet and tripointed lips when they have dry feet. Since CSO & HSO hybridise and back cross, there can’t be any pure ones left’ Thanks Stuart.
I always take dozens of pictures on each walk in the hope that a few might be worth publishing. On this day I seemed to have made a bad hand of things. Rain was the excuse as clouds chased me along the river spoiling any chance of painting. I took refuge below Low Force. While drinking from the flask ,I noticed the Bog Cotton on the other side of the fence. I’ve read that this is a favourite food of black grouse and sheep and there's evidence that grazing pressures were suppressing its flowering! Recently, the numbers of sheep have been reduced and many plants are now fowering again.
I decided to turn west and follow the river to High Force. Around 250 million years ago, intrusions of dolerite was forced through layers to form the Great Whin Sill. This rock originated from beneath the earth’s crust and can be seen in many places, one of the best apart from the river Tees is High Cup Nick. I passed the bridge following the way I had come, climbing to start my journey to the waterfall. On arriving, I was greeted by a group of no less than thirty school children. I passed without pausing to follow the wild open stretch that takes you over Bleabeck and Pasture Foot. There’s much evidence of Iron Age homesteads in this area, the best is at Force Garth, on private land on the other side of the river. Some of the other better examples have now been fenced off to prevent rabbit damage, which is a shame, but no doubt necassary. I passed a very attractive flower which I’ve now discovered to be ‘Mimulus’ or ‘Monkey Flower’ ( Hybris Swan), thanks to Nicholas Montegriffo, Colin Jacobs, (Writer, Naturalist and Photographer) Stephen Bungard and Gill from ryenats.org.uk for their help and advice.
It was raining heavy now, the sort of rain your car wipers make no difference when switched to turbo! I plodded on through some thickening mist towards Bracken Rigg which I decide would be the final destination before turning to follow the route back along the river. This was one of those days sent to remind us just how easily the weather can change in the North Pennines. We had 16o, sunshine, followed by heavy rain, mist and a temperature of 7o on the ridge which is home to the remains of Bracken Rigg, the bronze age homestead. The journey back was through a downpour that left me sneezing for days.
As a footnote, one of things I enjoy most whilst walking is when you push the limits of the day creeping into the evening light. The few walkers had all gone home, the river seems louder and darker, the trees full of bird song, while the swarming Starlings fill the night time sky with a spectacular exhibition of natures own choreography. The car park was empty when I returned. I sat in the shelter of the hatchback and drank the last of my coffee.
A great day!
9-10
Keith
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