Wednesday 26 June 2019

Walking in the Footsteps

Im currently nursing an injury which I didn't want to agitate by fishing so instead I decided to go walking to a place I always said I would visit so no excuses, a 0430hrs alarm I was up and away on Sunday. 
The reason for such an early rise was that I wanted the place to myself as its a popular walk and to take my time & get some good photographs.

Arriving in Gunnerside, I got the walking boots on and headed for the hills.


This was the place I was heading for, Blakethwaite Dams, 3.5 miles up in the Yorkshire Dales with a elevation just under 1400ft from the car park.

Over 200 years old and built to control the water for the Lead mining industry below, it has stood the test of time well.










This was the first view I got of the dams, one of which has now been destroyed but the 2nd one is still standing strong as you can see from the two opening pictures.







Heading up the Gill to the Dams you weave your way through a thriving but very dangerous industry from the past, Lead Mining. A lot of building still preserved today to give a very small-insight to the work that went on all those years ago, a tough job in a tough place with very tough conditions to endure.







The view from the smelt mill down the Gill towards the Bunting Mine







The view back to the smelt mill looking up towards the dams


Today a part of the history of the area and mixed in amongst our industrial past is small snippets of elegant beauty such as these waterfalls.





























Heading down the Gill to the Bunting Mine.






























The 8 mile round about walk contained lots of interesting photographs, too many to put into one post but if you are ever in this neck of the woods and have a few hours to spare then I highly recommend visiting Gunnerside Gill.



















And with views like this is does the soul good.

4 comments:

  1. Photos good enough for a book about life in the Dales?.

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    Replies
    1. Im willing to give to an author, for a price...lol

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  2. Hi George,
    Growing up on the border of Teesside and North Yorkshire I love seeing industrial archaeology from the very early mills and mines to our more recent petrochemical sites. I have been to Killhope mine up in Weardale and around several of the old ironstone mines in East Cleveland but have never been up to Blakethwaite before. It looks fantastic, I might have to go up their with the kids in the summer holidays when the missus is at work.
    Thanks for sharing!!
    Alistair

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    1. well worth it Alistair, Gunnerside Gill from bottom to top stuffed with interesting relics from the past, I often wondered what was below my feet so googled it & found a fascinating array of video & pictures from websites and its still full of all sorts down there.

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