Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #newtonwood, aggregated by home.social.
Standing on Nature for a Better Angle
The track in this photograph of the bluebells in the National Trust’s Newton Wood is a monument to the perfect social media post. We love nature so much that we are treading it into the ground. It is so disheartening.
Bluebells are sensitive souls. Their leaves are soft and succulent. They are generally intolerant o ...
https://www.fhithich.uk/2026/05/05/standing-on-nature-for-a-better-angle/
Ramsons—The Plant That Smells Like Trouble and Tastes Like Dinner
You will smell ‘em before you see ‘em. A whole wood reeking of garlic — this is wild garlic, or Ramsons, doing its thing for a couple of months each spring.
The Old English word “brmsa” gave its name to places still on the map today: Ramsbottom, Ramsey, Ramsd ...
The Humble Bluebell and the Heavyweight Rift
The bluebells in Newton Wood seem a bit thin on the ground. The coverage of these flowers is not as full as in previous years. It is still early days though. In a fortnight they may well be more vibrant.
Some people like the flowers. Others might remember the Scottish group called The Bluebells. Their track "Yo ...
https://www.fhithich.uk/2026/04/22/the-humble-bluebell-and-the-heavyweight-rift/
From Gold Chains To Pink Fur: Our Great Squirrel Blunder
Humans have an impressive ability to create a total dog’s breakfast of the natural world. We take a creature from the other side of the ocean and decide it would look nice in a park. Now we spend millions of pounds every year trying to fix the mess.
Whilst keeping our native red squ ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/03/10/from-gold-chains-to-pink-fur-our-great-squirrel-blunder/
The Hidden Life of Newton Wood
All was quiet in Newton Wood today. No leaves rustling, barely a bird bothering to sing. Colour drained away. Even the fungi looked as if they had clocked off. Appearances mislead. Fungi are like icebergs. What shows above ground, the mushrooms, is only the fruit. The real organism is the mycelium, a vast web beneath our boots, qui ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/01/26/the-hidden-life-of-newton-wood/
Newton Wood and the Afterlife of a Dying Ash
Just after dawn, Newton Wood sits under a light dusting of snow. The sky is a hard, clear blue. Bare deciduous trees stretch their thin arms upward, as if hoping for better weather later. Left of centre stands a prominent ash tree. Its trunk is tall and thick, brutally pruned and cut short. It looks less ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2026/01/04/newton-wood-and-the-afterlife-of-a-dying-ash/
Clearing the Past: The Lost Drumhouse of Newton Wood
A morning with the National Trust, cutting back the summer growth from around the brick and stone remains known as the Kip, at the Cliff Rigg end of Newton Wood.
The Kip is the remains of the head of a narrow-gauge tramway incline. Ore ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/08/01/clearing-the-past-the-lost-drumhouse-of-newton-wood/
#CliffRigg #NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #history #IndustrialArchaeology #IronstoneMining #NationalTrust
What Stripped the Trees? A Woodland Whodunnit
Not my usual kind of post, but here is a photo from Newton Wood showing two oak trees standing side by side. The one on the left looks as it should in mid-June: full canopy, dense green. The one on the right, though, is barely clothed—just a sparse fringe of leaves at the crown, the rest stripped to bare filigree.
...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/06/15/what-stripped-the-trees-a-woodland-whodunnit/
Yorkshire’s Pride: The Enduring Allure of Roseberry Topping
It has been some time since I inflicted a post about Roseberry Topping upon the world, the conical-shaped hill that looms over this northeastern corner of what is the historical county of Yorkshire, albeit a recycling of previous posts. Local pride be ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/04/30/yorkshires-pride-the-enduring-allure-of-roseberry-topping/
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #flora #folklore #NationalTrust
Roseberry’s Kissing Oaks
When two tree trunks or branches rub against one another long enough to wear away their bark and expose the cambium — the cellular plant tissue — they sometimes fuse into a single entity, forming what is charmingly called a natural graft. This process, termed “inosculation,” is derived from the Latin for “to kiss,” as the resulting shapes are said to re ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=36899
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #flora #NationalTrust
Bracken, Oaks, and their Folklore
Bracken—our most invasive ground cover, steadily browning itself to perfection. How marvellously it complements this oak woodland on Cockle Scar, on the west-facing slope of Roseberry. Who needs daffodils or bluebells when you can have a decaying fern carpeting your view?
And did you know that bracken is charmingly referred to as the ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=36497
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #flora #folklore #NationalTrust
Newton Wood’s Hidden Industrial Heritage
This morning's low cloud cover meant there was no chance of capturing any stunning shots of the Cleveland Hills, so I turned my attention to something closer to the ground.
Folk often ask me about this brick and concrete structure at the Cliff Rigg end of Newton Wood, recently cleared of bracken and brambles by the Nati ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=36205
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #IndustrialArchaeology #IronstoneMining #NationalTrust
Framing the Landscape — A Nine-Year Retrospective
Nine years. Nine long years in which the world has undergone remarkable transformations: Brexit, Covid, Ukraine, the rise and—let us hope—fall of Trump, and the conclusion of Tory turmoil.
Yet, some constants endure. For nine years, "Framing the Landscape," that quintessential piece of modern art, that obtrusive metallic eyesore placed in a natu ...
A Sea of Cotton on Newon Moor
One of the summer spectacles of acid bogs and wet heaths is the Common cottongrass, Eriophorum angustifolium. This plant, with its silky white seed-heads, creates a striking scene, whitening whole patches of bog.
Beyond this visual charm, Cottongrass is rather unremarkable and underutilised. Efforts to produce usable thread from the seed-plumes have failed due to their short fibr ...
The Silent Standoff — An Unexpected Thrill of a Roe Deer Encounter
I lack the patience for birding or hiding for hours in wait of a fleeting glimpse of wildlife. However, stumbling upon the sight of a bird or creature feels like a rare privilege.
Such was the case this morning when I spotted a yearling roe buck. Or rather, he spotted me. We engaged in a silent standoff unt ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=35422
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #CapreolusCapreolus #fauna #NationalTrust
The merry month of May
Bluebell season has undoubtedly arrived, yet the spectacle seems somewhat diminished compared to previous years. Perhaps it's premature to judge. If May proves to be as chilly as April, the following proverb may come to mind, though its exact significance eludes me.
A cold May and a windy,
Makes a barn full and a findy.
[osmap markers="NZ 57350 11855;Out and about …"] ...
Blackthorn’s Starry Flowers Precede the Bluebell Spectacle
The bluebell meadows in Newton Wood are on the verge of bursting forth in a hue of cerulean blue. However, it is not their time quite yet. The initial shoots can be seen, but presently it is the blackthorn that commands the spotlight of spring.
Masses of blossom, soft and disordered, the twisted thorny shrubs are ado ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=35243
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #flora #NationalTrust
Life finds a way
Am I on an arboreal theme this week?
A toppled tree trunk, adorned with vibrant green moss and saprophytic reddish-brown fungi. The presence of the latter suggests that the tree has been dead for some time. But is it truly lifeless?
Fungi, the decomposers in this woodland ecosystem, toil away, breaking down deceased trees and organic remnants. These processes are vital for the wood's well ...
Deep in Newton Wood—in search of Cold Well
On a rather damp morning, likely the dampest of this winter, I seized the opportunity to explore something that has lingered in my thoughts for quite some time. Attempting to do so last summer proved futile due to the impenetrable undergrowth.
Within Newton Wood lies a feature labelled as "Cold Well" on the 1st edition of the OS Six-inch map from 1856. Rema ...
Confronting Storm Gerrit and hunting Nessie in Newton Wood
On a day that could only be described as dire, I ventured out to confront the tempestuous forces of Storm Gerrit. With a strategic approach, I sought refuge primarily within the protective confines of Newton Woods.
In my last posting, but one, I mentioned 'pareidolia'. This is the tendency to see images of animals, faces, or other things in in ...
Oak boughs in a wild dance
The snow persists giving an almost monochrome image of Newton Wood, a predominately oak woodland. The sombre boughs stretch out endlessly, weaving intricate angles and twists, forming a chaotic yet captivating network that reaches both upward and downward.
It is a common belief that oak woodland is the original vegetation of much of lowland Britain before human influence took hold. ...
Shig-shags
While cutting back the bracken in Newton Wood today, I was taken by surprise when I stumbled upon what seemed to be miniature apples. Of course, these were not genuine apples, but rather galls created by insects as excrescences.
And as it dawned on me that they were attached to a small oak sapling instead of the hawthorn that towered over it, I reali ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=32209
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryCommon #fauna #flora #folklore #NationalTrust
The Delicate Greggles of Newton Wood
I make no apologies for yet another posting featuring the greggles of Newton Wood. In a mere couple of weeks, they will have surpassed their peak, and the woods will be stripped of their intoxicating hue of violet blue.
Thomas Hardy employed the term "greggles" in his book, The Mayor of Casterbridge, ingeniously portraying the jou ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=32117
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #flora #folklore #NationalTrust
From Sores to Toothaches: remedies with Wild Garlic
Another dreich morning with poor visibility. So my eyes were drawn to the abundance of flowers blooming in Newton Woods. Ramsons, also known as Wild Garlic, are plentiful in the damper areas of the wood. Personally, I find their display equally impressive as the Bluebells, although some may dislike their scent.
Throughout history, pl ...
Newton Wood’s Bluebells
May is an enchanting month, and one of the most exhilarating things about it is the appearance of bluebells in Newton Wood. These stunning blue flowers are a breathtaking sight and attract photographers from all over Teesside.
While the majority of bluebells are blue, this clump of white ones regularly bloom. These may be "albino" bluebells ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=32053
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #bluebells #flora #NationalTrust
“Oh, to be in England, now that April’s there”
Spring has sprung! The blackthorn is blossoming, trees buds are unfurling, and daffodils and primroses are painting the landscape in vibrant hues. And the best part? I spotted my first bluebell today!
But keep your wellies on. April isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Showers abound, and the woods and fields are riddled with deep pools and gloop ...
The graceful and capricious roe deer
I've had many close encounters with roe deer over the years. Many times have I disturbed them on my woodland runs and walks, just catching a glimpse as their bouncing white rumps quickly disappeared through the trees. Occasionally I've been lucky to get a closer look when the breeze has been In the right direction and they' ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=31875
#NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #Capreoluscapreolus #fauna #NationalTrust
The Oak — from shipbuilding to fairies
Newton Wood is a predominately oak woodland below Roseberry Topping. Oak is known as the "King" of trees, with his consort being beech, the "Queen" of the woods.
There are two types of oak trees found in Newton Wood: Sessile and Pedunculate. Sessile oak is the more prevalent, with the oldest being located in the Cliff Ridge Wood end.
Pedunculate oak trees prefer ...
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night”
Blackbirds are one of those enchanting creatures that we all seem to have a soft spot for. You can spot these feathered friends in all sorts of habitats, from woodlands to our gardens. Interestingly, blackbirds have been part of our cultural consciousness for centuries - just think of the famous nursery rhyme that dates back to medieval times! Legend ...
Roseberry Mine Tramway
What a difference when the sun comes out.
An otherwise dull walk around a regular route of mine taking in Capt. Cook's Monument and Roseberry, although I avoided the summits as it's the weekend.
And crossing the field at the top of Thief Lane, brilliant sunshine. To my right, Roseberry was still in dar ...
http://www.fhithich.uk/?p=31575
#GreatAyton #NewtonWood #NorthYorkMoors #RoseberryTopping #industrialarchaeology #ironstonemining #NarrowGaugeRailway