#goathland viewpoint

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19/06/2022: Blog two of two: Walk at Goathland Viewpoint and a quick look at Thornton Dale Following on from my previous post, we then had a delightful delve into the North York Moors today as we did in 2018 when here, it was so nice to see the dramatic landscape and charming picturesque villages and I felt very immersed in Yorkshire on the way. We had a walk from this car park near to where we went in 2018 at Goathland and the landscape was stunning with some breathtaking views of moor, valleys, bright green trees, the landscape carpeted in the red of possible field sorrel in places I took the eighth picture in this photoset a zoom into some of this and interesting sky scenes as we had at the coast earlier which I mentioned in my previous post. This was another enriching walk round today. I took the first three and sixth pictures in this photoset of views here today. On the way back coming through here it was nice to notice how green the landscape is.

I touched on in my previous post about how seeing birds of a landscape makes you feel integrated into it, and I would extend that to bird calls and all wildlife. And we saw some brilliant birds of the moor on this walk, with three wading species elegant Lapwing and Curlew bulky birds in the air seen and heard with their evocative calls and Snipe seen all big highlights of the walk. Skylark was a perfect part of the sound track again today. I was also very pleased to see a Wheatear which I took the seventh picture in this photoset of, a striking and bright bird which we saw very well. It’s actually my first seen in England this year after seeing so many during our week in Pembrokeshire in April and not seeing one in home areas yet this year.

We had come to this spot in the hope of seeing a Large Heath butterfly one we never had which is found here, we didn’t see it but did see a fair few pretty and bright Small Heaths a key butterfly of the habitat flitting around and I also saw a Painted Lady. Key parts of this habitat Sheep were nice to see too including a young one. 

Other flowers/plants I really liked seeing on the walk were bits of heather out in purple flower starting to carpet the landscape a little I took the fifth picture in this photoset of, cotton grass which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of and heath bedstraw which the fourth picture in this photoset shows which I am really enjoying seeing this year doing the same and key for the habitat tormentil. There were some great green trees visible on the walk.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: Curlew, Snipe, Lapwing, Skylark, Wheatear, Pied Wagtail a nice one to see, lots of Woodpigeons, Feral Pigeon, great views of Rook, Herring Gull, Small Heath, Painted Lady, a blue butterfly I believe, a nice moth and a beetle.

On the way back tonight we called briefly into one of the picturesque villages we passed on the way, Thornton Dale or Thornton-le-Dale, to let Missy our dog have a cool off. It is such a beautiful and happy place and it was nice to take in a little stream with an attractive waterfall and a pond which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of as well as the nice village with a great view of a church. Mallard with ducklings on the pond, foxgloves, red campion and Small Tortoiseshells were brilliant sightings here. It was nice to see two Kestrels on a barn one with prey on the journey back. I also enjoyed seeing Buzzard I believe and another stunning view of a Hare on the way back. There were nice sky scenes at the cottage again tonight. A lovely, packed and relaxing first full day of the holiday, I hope you all have a nice and safe week. 

Part 1 of today’s posts is here: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/687520907555667968/19062022-blog-one-of-two-first-morning-in-the

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24th June 2022-Trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Goathland to Pickering, Goathland Viewpoint, Thornton-le-Dale, the cottage and a local walk 

I enjoyed seeing the crane fly in the first picture in this photoset in my bedroom in the cottage before bed last night and again today, I do like these and its one of a few flies to see in the cottage this week. A slightly longer post tonight perhaps rather than split into different parts as the day panned out with short bits I wrote about different places that when I wrote up on the way back to the cottage from further afield places all fitted into one but some things this evening I wrote about a fair bit but just felt like keeping it as one post. 

We did something a bit different for our last full day in Yorkshire and went into Goathland and rode the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to Pickering and back. It was a lovely relaxing thing to do and was really interesting to ride a vintage train, one that we had seen coming through the valley when at Fen Bog Nature Reserve yesterday. And there was some stunning moorland, woodland and boggy scenery on the journey which was so beautiful to see adding to a stellar set of views admired this amazing week away and it was a wonderful way to enjoy this. I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of views from the train. 

I spotted some interesting wildlife on the journey including Grey Wagtail in a stream, Roe Deer in a field, Woodpigeon, Buzzard, a wet female Pheasant in the rain which was interesting, Herring Gulls and it was nice to see Blackbird, Swallows seen well and House Martin with a nest yet again this week at Goathland station. It was also great to see two butterflies quickly here I believe Small White and Painted Lady and I saw moths on the journey too. I also enjoyed seeing Sheep and cattle both with young from the train.

There were a delightful array of flowers at all stations passed on the journey including foxgloves, and on the journey it was brilliant to see bits of the landscape painted pink by foxgloves. It was also nice to see yellow iris, red campion, herb-Robert, honeysuckle, lots of nice roses, some poppies, cornflower and others in a nice wild grass patch, broad-leaved clover, fields covered in white clover, hogweed and many other flowers on the journey which looked so beautiful. There was also what looked like rosebay willowherb at Goathland station.

We then had a brief walk at Goathland Viewpoint car park where we came on Sunday, with the sun emerging after a shower, slightly misty scenes of the shower leaving us and dramatic sky scenes there were nice moody views. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of one of the views. I enjoyed seeing Linnet, seeing and hearing Skylark I believe, seeing Pied Wagtail again this week not something I am seeing a lot of at home lately, Woodpigeons and sheep on this walk, as well as Small Heath butterfly briefly I believe, a nice moth and a beautiful common green lacewing a great find on the moor an insect I have seen before and did really enjoy seeing its so pretty and intriguing which I took the fifth picture in this photoset of. Flowers I liked seeing here was self-heal, roses, possibly milkwort, bits of bell heather in purple flower, tormentil, white clover and more lovely heath bedstraw here. We also saw some great bits of lichen on the moor which looked a pretty green and red this was great to find too I took the sixth picture in this photoset of. It was nice to see a steam train coming through here this afternoon too.

We had a brief stop at Saltergate Car Park to look over and take pictures of a smashing piece of moorland scenery the first we saw of the North York Moors National Park’s beauty when coming here the three times whilst away which has been great. The area it overlooks is Levisham Moor and Hole of Horcum. As the sun had really we come out we called into the beautiful village of Thornton-le-Dale again on the way back to the cottage a very pleasant stopping place on journeys this holiday, where we enjoyed another ice cream and brief look at the nice pond and wooded area as well as the charming village and stream, getting nice views of House Sparrow, lots of Mallards, some foxgloves and other flowers. I seem to recall seeing some black medick at some point today but can’t quite remember where I am pretty sure it was in the moors. I did enjoy seeing poppies, a notable amount of Buzzards and a House Sparrow with I believe food in its beak on journeys today.

With the sun very much out by the time we got back to the cottage we had a walk through the village of Kilham where we have been based this week and down some footpaths which took us into some fields and it was a really great bit of typically Eastern English and indeed British flat countryside which did look so beautiful in the strong evening sunlight. I enjoyed seeing All Saints Church a beautiful sight driving by through the week on the way to paces which was nice. I probably should have done this local walk around the cottage earlier its just been such a busy week with so many places we went and so much seen. This is the sort of local walk for the holiday on holidays before I have done or first done on the first evening or morning but there was something so nice about doing it on the last night, a great sign off to the lovely area we stayed in to allow us to visit the wider area and chance to embed myself into it a bit more. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of a view on the walk. 

It was a great walk of flowers too as I saw my first great willowherb of the year which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of, a beautiful flower I love seeing in summer and its my first of the year so this feels like a great moment. I’ll be interested to see if they’re out at home and if not how long it takes as its maybe a bit ahead for flowers up here. I also saw and photographed pineappleweed another I’d not yet seen at home this year but have seen a fair bit of this week and a purple poppy great flowers to see too. I also saw some lovely green alkanet my first for a little bit. On the walk and at the cottage Swift and House Martin seen once again were great sightings and I saw Woodpigeon well on the walk and I seem to recall Starlings flying over a common garden bird at home that I’d not seen here yet. I also admired the many roses at the cottage again tonight taking the seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of them. There were nice sky scenes tonight from the cottage. 

I don’t know whether I’ll have any photos or sightings to share/mention before we head home tomorrow so I’ll do my closing thoughts of the holiday now, what a fantastic week! It was so wonderful to spend time in a gorgeous, friendly, welcoming and wild part of the country in most glorious sunny and warm weather most of the time. At its core it allowed us a luxury of a second seabird spectacle experience this year which I loved, birds very close to my heart and some of my very favourites which was breathtaking. Birdwatching wise we also saw a very good supporting cast of star species on the days away with a few more year ticks than expected all the year ticks together including a bird I’d not seen for years, one it’s never a given I’ll see in a year and one that was crucial to my year as well as one amazing new species for us. The holiday was very useful for seeing butterflies too which was amazing and I enjoyed mammals, moths, flowers and more so much this holiday too. We got to take in such amazing scenery between the dramatic coast and vast moors and more in between. It was a precious relaxing time away and I loved it, it was another brilliant cottage to stay in also I was very happy to stay here. A key week in my summer and year for sure.

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23/06/2022-Blog two of two: Fen Bog Nature Reserve and call into Thornton Dale

We then moved onto here today back into the North York Moors, a stone’s throw from Goathland Viewpoint car park where we came on Sunday. It seems this was the place we actually meant to come to then to look for Large Heath butterflies so we had the wrong car park. Goathland was great that day though and we didn’t manage to see any Large Heaths here as they frequent the boggy areas and we hadn’t brought any boots this holiday but we got as far as we could along the right path so did give it a try. This reserve really impressed me as it is a brilliant mix of habitats; heather moorland, glorious long grass, bog and trees all set beautifully among the moors with lots of purple heather out which was so good to see again. So we took in some lovely views here again and it was just so good to be here, I took the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of views here today.

Funnily enough on arrival we saw one of the volunteers from the Bempton Cliffs boat trip yesterday who recognised us straight away, and in the grassland he had seen Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries another butterfly we had heard was at this reserve. And we saw a handful of these too, orange gems of wonder that sailed through the rich green grass in a perfect image of summer. It was a joy to take in this precious butterfly and the warmth it radiates, I love their stunning mosaic of colour on their underwings which we saw so well. I took the first two pictures in this photoset of these. We saw some further up on the walk and when back here before leaving too it was quite a luxury being able to see them from the car. This was a huge moment in my year as we have seen this species the past few years at Bentley Wood at home and had tried but not succeeded for them there twice this year already. I think we’d have been too late once home and we might have missed them anyway this year and it would have been a huge miss in my butterfly year. But we’ve seen it and got it ticked for the year so it’s nice to not have to worry about not seeing it, my butterfly year list like the last holiday in Pembrokeshire in April advances nicely whilst away and it’s great to explore butterflies in a different part of the country again and compare that to home. What a week I have had for fritillaries which I’ve had a strong year for.

It was a good walk for birds too as walking on in the heat and sunshine I spotted a Whinchat then saw another or maybe the same one, hearing it’s sharp call too. It was fantastic to see this bird with a firm eyestripe and delicious plumage. An exciting moment as they are a bird I do really admire it’s so good to secure one seen for another year it was my first of the year. It’s another smashing year tick this holiday and like the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary it’s a massive bonus for the holiday and will help me later in the year as we would have thrown weekend time at seeing them possibly specifically before their migration outwards in the autumn so whilst I’d love to see one down south too again this year it’s very helpful.

I was delighted to see a shining gem of a male Keeled Skimmer dragonfly in the bog admiring it for a while one of my favourite species I took the sixth picture in this photoset of this. After watching a train come by along the nearby railway which it was nice to see in the valley the other day and on the way in, a few more dragonflies of the species joined it. Soon after we saw a hunter of dragonflies in the air when a Hobby flew over, a nice second sighting of this one of my favourite birds this year.

There were a strong array of flowers/plants in the mix of habitat alongside the in flower heather including beautiful long heath speedwell plants one I have enjoyed learning this year, tormentil and heath bedstraw with more tormentil than I’d ever seen at once in one patch with heath bedstraw beside, lovely spotted orchid, a nice late cuckooflower probably the last I will see of any this year a star of my spring it has been an amazing year of them for me, thyme, bird’s-foot trefoil, plantain, cotton grass, daisy seen well, I seem to recall oxeye daisy, white clover and broad-leaved clover.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Whinchat of the year, two of my favourite butterflies the Large Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell, one of my favourite dragonflies the Keeled Skimmer, one of my favourite moths the Five-spot Burnet, one of my favourite birds the Hobby, Stonechat seen well too, Woodpigeon, probable Curlews flying the other side of the road seen when back at the car, Small Heath, snipefly a key part of the habitat that landed on me I’ve had a good few weeks for these and a nice moth I enjoyed seeing which I took the third picture in this photoset of.

Once again we stopped off at Thornton-le-Dale to let Missy cool off in the water and enjoyed ice cream here on a lovely day after I had a lolly earlier at Danes Dyke. I also enjoyed seeing Blackbird, Mallard, willowherb possibly broad-leaved willowherb which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of, foxgloves, more daisies and oxeye daisies and views along the water, of a waterfall and the church as shown in the tenth picture in this photoset and charming and happy vibed village here. There was smashing scenery on journeys today again too as we combined the main areas we have explored this holiday coast and the moors for another amazing day and we talked to lots of great people today too. I hope you all had a nice day.

Part 1 of today’s post is here: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/687882096244572160/23062022-blog-one-of-two-danes-dyke-and-bits