The last part of the journey there, from York to Malton and on to Scarborough, is always a little other worldly to someone with a strong sense of 'natural geography' as I have. I'm driving towards the sea, but up the valley. It makes sense on a map, just not when I'm looking at the hills around the valley and know what's ahead.
Morning sunshine over the cooking porridge. Funily enough, the easiest way to heat anything when in the woods, away from gas and electricity is, er, on a wood fire.
Looking down the track with a hint of the edge of the woods in an alpine blue sky.
A few souls moving around this idyllic landscape, giving some hint if the temperature with the woolly clothes.
My lonesome tent, with a fresh white covering just shaken down to the sides.
The view that greeted me on opening my tent to the outdoor air.
Tops of the trees disappear into a sky so blue that the snow almost sucks it in.
It's pretty clear which direction the snow had come from the previous night.
Some of the tracery even works on the smaller trees.
To prove that the sun did shine. Or just an attempt at an arty shot!
Pines always have this corona of active branches right at the top. How this supports these massive trees is amazing.
Of course, eventually that porridge has to have it's final stop. It's just in the woods, the running water is replaced by sawdust. And, no, it doesn't smell!
This wood does do some work. Here's the tractor and trailor in front of the sawmill shelter.
Occassionally, oil is needed to move all kinds of wheels.
The crane that moves the cut logs into the mill.
And, yes, boys will be boys.
For smaller wood cutting. Actually, this one belongs to my friends eight year old daughter. You'd better put it back right or you're in trouble!
The dog is a bit more comfy not far from the kitchen fire.
A snowy tippy-tap. An ingenious method of washing your hands without touching and contaminating the shared hygiene system.
Kelly kettles, lanterns, pots, and pans.
Sat round the kitchen fire, finishing off breakfast.
A good working woodland has things moving all the time. So, one of the jobs this weekend was to fell a tree for planking. Replacement planting happens later in the year.
Starting the V cut.
A good V cut in a few minutes.
And then the final moments for the tree that had taken decades to grow.
Trimming off the branches for seasoning for the kitchen fire.
A few clouds are appearing by now.
And the last lonely figure arrives from his bed.
Is that a whiter shade of pale?
As the day goes by, the snow gradually goes.
And night brings on the desire to get to bed. Some had a tarped and decorated shelter.
Of course, the kitchen fire turned into the local nightspot. Rowdy songs, fabulous food, and the odd drink or two. This shows how the whiter shade of pale becomes a nature morning reaction!
The next morning brought yet more snow, but not such nice skies. Still, a snowball fight is a snowball fight. Well, that mostly involves standing around trying not to get too close when your 10!
The return of snow from the sky, as the previous photo suggests, meant a considerable reduction in photo taking and a desire to get back on the road as 200 miles beckoned!
