Boating past Mother Shipton’s Cave

Two girls row their way up the River Nidd at Knaresborough in North Yorkshite. To the left of this scene, behind the large tree, is Mother Shiptons Caves, a local attraction. Mother Shipton herself was a prophet who supposedly foretold various events including the Great Fire of London and the defeat of the Spanish Armada amongst others. She was born in the cave to which the area is now known.

The attraction is well known for its “petrifying well” where visitors over the years have hung objects beneath a flow of mineral-enriched water where they gradually turn to stone. All manner of objects are there, including children’s toys, ice-skates and even Queen Mary’s shoe, each gradually becomeing encrusted in mineral deposits as the years go by.

For a while the attraction was owned by the magician, Paul Daniels, a staple of television entertainment when I was younger. Mr Daniel’s is no longer with us and I’m unsure as to who owns the attraction these days.

Mr Paul Daniels
A performer of magic
On television

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 May 2021

Homes on a hill

I’ve had a long day full of phonecalls. Almost back-to-back all day long with no more than half-an-hour between each. As a result I feel like I’ve achieved little (even though the calls all served a purpose). To make it worse I’ve had a low-grade headache since I got up and, for a worrying moment, almost felt I was going to drop off to sleep during one of the calls!

But the working day has concluded now and it’s time to think of something to post on my blog which, today, is a small set of photographs of homes on a steep hill in Knaresborough.

Though gentle at first
The street soon increased incline
Taking us downwards

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 May 2021

Squeezed in between

This scene was photographed somewhere in Knaresborough, although I can’t remember precisely where (and my XA3 doesn’t do GPS tagging!). Anyway, I liked the way this house looked squashed between the two other buildings. The road-sign, wiring, and planter add a bit of interest too.

Down the narrow path
A house is squashed in between
Its foreground neighbours

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 May 2021

A butcher, a baker, but no candlestick maker

A couple more photographs from our damp, grey day in Knaresborough. The town centre isn’t particulalrly large but, like many market towns, it has an appealing selection of independent stores which are a refreshing change form the same branded chains you tend to find taking over larger towns and cities.

When in Knaresborough
We came across a pie shop
And treated ourselves

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 May 2021

Knaresborough viaduct

The railway viaduct at Knaresborough carries the line to Harrogate across the deep valley containing the River Nidd. It opened in 1851 and cost £9,803 (which equates to around £1.4m today – a figure that seems nonetheless quite low. I wonder how much labour and other costs would otherwise inflate a modern day similar construction?). The viaduct had originally been intended to open three years earlier but it collapsed shortly before completion necessitating a complete re-build.

Across the river
Carrying passengers to
Harrogate and on

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 May 2021

Boats on the River Nidd

A couple more frames of the expired Fuji Sensia, these made during a trip to the Yorkshire market town of Knaresborough. It’s a lovely town to visit, but the weather was less than great on the day we visited, with scatterings of rain and dull overcast skies most of the time we were there, although – wouldn’t you know it – it brightened up as soon as it was time to leave!

Anyway, there wil be quite a few more photos from Knaresborough appearing over the coming days, but most of them are black and white (which better suited the conditions, to be honest).

Red and green ladies
Lined up on the riverside
Waiting for oarsmen

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Fujichrome Sensia 100 (expired 2003).

Taken on 26 May 2021