Hunters Stone

Full Scale

Well ... so much for my rest day and a chance to catch up with some jobs at home and spend some time looking at journals here. At the end of last week the forecast for today was overcast and cold. It turned out to be a day of almost unbroken sunshine, albeit a little chilly in what was quite a fresh breeze. With snow still on the cards for a few days time I decided to make the most of another wonderful gift from the weather Gods.

I didn't get going until lunchtime, partly to let the air warm up, partly to indulge in a bit of reading (with the added luxury of sitting out on my balcony in the sun), but also so that I would still be out late in the day to catch the evening light. I enjoyed a sensational 78 mile ride on quiet roads, mostly through rolling countyside to the east of the Dales and my usual hunting ground. If you forgot the temperature it could have been an August day with hazy blue skies, baked-hard earth and tractors out in force in the fields. In just a week so many trees have come into bud and blossom. If felt like you could stop and watch Spring unfold before your eyes.

For fun, I'm going to list all the villages I passed through. I think it gives a bit of a flavour of the ride. These place names evoke such history for me: Ilkley - Askwith - Blubberhouses - Thruscross - Dacre - Summerbridge - Brimham Moor - Grantley - Kirkby Malzeard - Grewelthorpe - Masham - Halfpenny Houses - Thirn - Rookwith - Thornton Steward - Middleham - Coverham - Carlton - Horsehouse - Braidley - Park Rash - Kettlewell - Grassington - Burnsall - Bolton Abbey - Nesfield - Ilkley.

The evening light was again incredible and I've possibly spent a little too long tonight going through my pictures. It's been hard to choose, but in the end I've gone for this shot of the giant 20 foot high monolith known as the Hunters Stone, which sits at the very top of Coverdale, a bit over 1600ft in altitude. It works as a fine companion shot to yesterday's Cowper's Cross. You should be able to see a small cross incised on the lit face. The stone marks a remote stretch of an important early route used by monks and drovers travelling between Coverham Abbey and Kettlewell. It is believed that this stone was left over from the construction of Stonehenge, and hauled all the way across the country to be erected here at the top of this ancient mountain pass. What drove the people from those times to such superhuman feats? A local legend says that when the clock in Hunter's Hall, now called Coverhead Farm strikes twelve, the stone turns around. When you're up there by yourself it's almost possible to believe it!

I'm going to dedicate this blip to Cymbeline who appears to be a little challenged when it comes to scale! No room left for doubt today!!

It was a bit after 6pm by the time I got here and I still had 25 miles to ride home, so I didn't stick around to check out the legend. Behind the wall can be seen Great Whernside, one of my favourite Dales peaks. This point is just about a mile from the top of the climb up Park Rash, blipped a few weeks ago. This time I was descending. It's a thrilling ride. I'm happy to report that the legs were in good shape at the end of the ride, winding things up towards the end to get home just before dark. I've worked out that I've clocked up over a thousand miles in the last 5 weeks. I don't think I've ever before been this fit at the beginning of April.

Finally, thank you so much for your generosity with hearts and stars and comments yesterday. It made me very happy that the shot was received so well. I hope you'll forgive me for standing you up again in favour of another long bike ride! I did joke to a couple of people that I'm so deep in comment debt that I'm half expecting the blip bailiffs to come around!