My new Garden on the Moor Film 2010

Sunday 14th march 2010
Over the last few days I've been up to the Garden on the Moor to film the introduction shots for the start of the film I've been shooting since last May, I can now start knocking the film into shape.

Walking new paths on our doorstep..... and the first Celendine of the year

Sunday 7th March 2010.

                              It's hard to believe that in the countryside on our own doorstep there are new walks to tread which open up new views of familiar landmarks. On todays walk of about 9 miles we followed paths onto unfamiliar hills and moorland even though we were never more than 5 miles from our homes. It's suprising how we just accept our local countryside  around Pendle Hill  because we've lived here all our lives, but on this walk on this sunny day in early spring we realise that you don't have to go far for a lovely days outing.

 

We found our first Lesser Celendine of the year

                                                          On the Pendle Way

 

A new view of Nelson with Blacko Tower and the distant Bouldsworth Hill

 

A different aspect of Pendle Hill from Wheathead Height

Ingleborough in the distance still snow capped

Pendle  across Twiston Moor

One of several deserted farmhouses

                                                                        Pendle Hill

 

Pendle Hill the more familiar view

 

  

Back through Aitken Wood 

Ice on the small steams sheltered from the sun

 

The finish of  the walk ....down through the Water Meetings and back to Barrowford with Bouldsworth hill in the background

                                                                               

The Garden on the Moor (late May and Oct 2005)

Friday 5th march 2010
I've started filming again up at the Garden on the Moor near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. This lovely garden is owned by John Williams of Land Farm and he has been developing this garden for almost 40 years I have uploaded to short sections from the earlier film I made in 2005. I am now remaking the film in the wider format of 16:9 and I will have finished filming in late April when I have finished the 12 months cycle that started last May.

Two seasons in one day....a walk of contrasts

Sunday Feb.28th 2010.
               We've been on our annual walk up Littondale  in the Yorkshire Dales today and we hoped we'd timed it right to see the Snowdrops at their best around the river banks and the churchyard in the village of Arncliffe. The first section of the walk followed the River Skirfare up to to Arncliffe with it's Medieval Church surrounded by the church grounds overlooking the river, along the banks of the river there were several pairs of Ostercatchers.On arrival in Arncliffe the the Snowdrops were on show but perhaps lacking figure compared to previous years but never the less a welcoming sight on this cold late winters day.
        From Arncliffe the path climbs steeply out of Littondale and rapidly gains altitude and it wasn't long before we reached the snowline at 1900 ft on top of Old Cote High Moor. In less than one hour we'd  left early spring behind and we were back in the depths of winter. From this high point on the ridge there were excellent views across Upper Wharfedale to the summits of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside which hadn't lost their snowcover since 17th Dec.2009.We then walked along the ridge slowly losing height as we decended back into Littondale near to the village of Hawkswick.

 

The banks of the River Skirfare 

  

  

  

  

 

Arncliffe Church

  

  

  

Arncliffe Bridge

  

Arncliffe 

  

Ascending Old  Cote High Moor

  

  

Looking towards Great Whernside 

 

Great Whernside's mantle of snow

  

  

The final decent back down into Hawkswick in Littondale.

                       
                  

Bob on time

Sat .Feb. 26th 2010. Yesterday was dire with morning rain turning to an afternoon of heavy wet snow. Looking through the window at the state of the garden my spirit was raised by the clumbsy landing of two Mallards on the pond and a shout from my wife "the ducks are back".There's nothing remarkable about two Mallards on a pond but looking back in my diary over the past few years their timing is uncannily accurate. This year they've come back on exactly the same date as last year and going further back in my diaries they're never been more than 4 days either side of this date .Whats the attraction? well it always coincides with the start of the frogs spawning in my pond so that's the next event to take place in our garden.

Just for the record

Thur. 25 Feb. 2010.
Yesterday the real thaw set in and we had the highest temp. 8c since the 17 th Dec. 2009. In the garden in a sheltered area facing south our first crocus is almost out it's only a week later than last year this is surprising considering how cold the winters been.

My Cine Camera was a Time Machine

Tuesday 23rd Feb. 2010.
Looking at some of the Blogs posted in the last few days there is the anticipation and excitement that Spring can't be too far away, so nest boxes are being put up in many gardens, some of them are quite sophisticated with built in video cameras.Way back in 1974 I built a special nest box and stuck it on the children's back bedroom window the glass acted as the back of the box, a sheet of rubber had to be stuck on the inside of the window to keep the box dark inside.To my surprise the Blue Tits nested in the box and raised 8 young. In those days there were no video cameras but I had a cine camera (Canon 814 super 8) and filmed the whole story involving the children, I called the film Guest House . The quality of the film is poor because it was copied from Cine onto VHS tape and then transferred again onto DV tape and lastly onto a DVD disc, but at least I have a record from 36 years back.
I've uploaded some very short clips from the original 14 minute film.