Esk Valley

ALTHOUGH IT'S A SUMMER WEEKEND we follow footpaths all day without coming across another walker. From its mouth at Whitby the broad Esk Valley cuts south into the sandwich of Jurassic rocks that make up the North York Moors. The valley is mainly pasture, with some fields of barley, interspersed by small deciduous woods.

Some calves are out with the cows in the fields, while others are reared in the farmyard on straw with black plastic chalet accommodation for each calf. The lambs are well grown, the sheep waiting by the barns for shearing.

One lamb caught on the wrong side of the fence spring-jumps as it flees from us, trying to find its way back. It is giving us the same demonstration that antelopes give to lions to show that they're so fit it is not worth chasing them.

A Chaffinch sings a cheerful, chirrupy song from an Ash at the edge of one of the small woods, where an old paved track, part of the Esk Valley Way passes by. Further along a large fallen tree is almost hidden by Oyster Fungus.

A large brown dragonfly with thin yellow stripes flies along a lane and comes to rest on a hawthorn bush.

Back in our cottage garden a Goldfinch trills from the top of a Leylandii.

In the early evening three Linnets sing within a few yards of each other from a group of rose bushes by the railway.

Richard Bell,
wildlife illustrator
E-mail; 'richard@daelnet.co.uk'