Where We Walked – @VictoriaCave @YorkshireDales #Walks #Photographs @Yorkshire Dales #MondayBlog

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Remember me saying in the last post about our visit to Catrigg Force – a small but impressive waterfall just east of the village of Stainforth? And that the first time we found it we’d actually planned to call to see it as the first part of a massively, more strenuous, longer walk – a longer walk, planned by the photographer? One where we could take in the landscape from the Victoria Cave in Ribblesdale? And I said, more to come on that another time? Well, this is it. The above is the last (nearly last) part of the track up to the cave

Another of my photographs when I stopped to take a breath on the path (path?!!) on the way up to the cave. The photographer was already there. Give him his due, he did come back to help me to the top.

And here it it, the limestone Victoria Cave, located east of Langcliffe in Ribblesdale and discovered by chance in 1837, the year of Queen Victoria’s coronation.

Until then the cave was unknown. Tinsmith Michael Horner (1813-1878) struggled through a small hole between rocks,searching for his dog and found the cave. Inside tound bones, coins and various metal objects on the sediment floor. Later, on the 28th June 1838, Joseph Jackson, a keen amateur archaeologist, investigated further. The Victorians were fascinated by ‘bone caves’ where there might be a possibility of finding evidence for the earliest humans and extinct animals. Some animal bones were actually found here. It’s thought that hyenas used the cave as a den and dragged bones that had been scavenged into it, including hippos, narrow-nosed rhino, elephants and spotted hyenas bones. After the last Ice Age the cave was used by hibernating brown bears. In amongst the animal bones of reindeer was an 11,000 year old antler harpoon point, the first evidence for people in the Yorkshire Dales. Some items from the cave are held at the Craven Museum in Skipton.

The roof of the cave has become increasingly unstable over the years and roof falls are possible. We didn’t go in!

This is another one of my photos (yes I do know it’s less inspiring than the photographer’s). But I spotted this from up high, from outside the cave – and thought it was a large teddy bear, or the skeleton of a teddy bear!! Of course, when we got closer… it was just a pile of rocks. Note to self – contact optician

Just before we set off on the downward trail, and with an eye on the clouds bubbling up in the distance, a photograph of the next five miles we needed to go.

And it’s here I will reveal a moment of a basic and elementary photographer’s mistake.

” One last photo before the rain sets in,” he says, scanning the vista. “I didn’t realise it had become so dark so quickly.”

I waited, didn’t say a word while he huffed and puffed, and glared at the sky. For quite a while Then I stated the obvious. ” Your lens cap is still on.”

Good job he has a brilliant sense of humour!!

We followed the trail past the rugged terrain of the Warrendale Knotts before descending the hillside on the way back to Settle.

Where we had a well- earned cup of tea and a scone.

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40 thoughts on “Where We Walked – @VictoriaCave @YorkshireDales #Walks #Photographs @Yorkshire Dales #MondayBlog”

    • Isn’t it just, Liz. It’s always interesting to discover the history behind places. Wherever we walk I always think about the millions of footsteps we’re walking in – who the people were, what they were like. We walk for pleasure – some of these trails were paths someone walked on for work, for trade, over moors, over hills, across land. Thank you for reading my posts on these walks.☺️

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  8. I SO look forward to these posts, Judith! The beauty of your countryside is always breathtaking, and for someone who lives on what is basically a big sand dune atop an ancient coral reef, the ROCKS are astounding!

    Loved the walls, the hills, and especially the cave, though I wouldn’t have ventured inside, either. BTW, it looks like there’s going to be a long line at the optician’s office. Sure looked like a big teddy to me. (Maybe it was just fossilized?)

    Thank you for another lovely visit to a part of the world I’ll probably never get to see in person. Here’s to a great rest of the week! 🤗❤️🤗

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    • That’a such a lovely thing to say, Marcia, thank you. If I could afford the postage, I’d send you a rock!!😊.Mind you, ancient coral reefs sound wonderful. Ah, the teddy bear – I was convinced. LOL – Seems many other people see what I saw.😂. Next week’s post will be a gentle last stroll again. Then, until we go back to Yorkshire in September, it will be back to the seaside coastal walks here in Pembrokeshire.🥰

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      • The “ancient coral reef” would be more interesting if you could actually see it, but it’s buried under the sandy peninsula that makes up Florida. Now, if you don’t mind swimming with things that might be larger than you are, you can find reefs in the ocean to enjoy. And broken bits of coral on the beach (which is as close to the ocean as I go). 😁

        I’m looking forward to next week’s post already, Judith! For now, have a great Thor’sDay! 😊❤️😊

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      • I don’t like swimming in the sea, Marcia – there are no sides, I like being able to see the sides – as in swimming pools!!😊It’s been a quiet Thor’s day so far, – sitting in the summerhouse, writng. First sunny day after a week of showers. 🥰🥰🥰

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  9. I’m glad you didn’t go into the cave. Who knows what lurks, lol. I’m still cracking up at – “Note to self – contact optician’, and the lens cap on and thinking it was dark. Lolol. 🙂 ❤ xx

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  11. Pingback: Smorgasbord Blogger Spotlight – 21st July 2023 – #History Traci Kenworth, #Insectbites Beetley Pete, #Review Harmony Kent, #Orchids Robbie Cheadle, #Prehistoric #Yorkshire Judith Barrow, #JapaneseArt Rebecca Budd, #Goodpeople Jill Dennison | S

  12. More great views, and I’m another who sees the teddy bear! (I also think that’s a giant hedgehog creeping in on the edge of the picture.) Loved the lens cap comment! xx

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