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Tuesday, September 7

H ……Hole of Horcum

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Whenever I am out and about I like to think what I can post for my weekly ABC Wednesday and as H approached it was perfect for the Hole of Horcum, an area of outstanding beauty not far away on the Whitby to Pickering road. We travel on this road almost weekly and I had been watching the changing colour of the Heather – knowing it is always at its best at the end of August/beginning of September! The photograph above is one I took in 2003 but the rest of the images were taken last week, 1st September.

 

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We found ourselves with a free afternoon and with the weather being good we decided to go out for a tootle on the motorbike. I knew exactly where I wanted Jon to take me and so we headed up towards the Hole of Horcum. Just as we parked in the carpark the action kicked off with an ambulance with its blue light flashing pulled alongside us.

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Apparantly a lady had collapsed right at the bottom of the valley and needed to be taken to hospital. The words “Air Ambulance” were mentioned so we knew a Helicopter was on its way! We sat patiently, enjoying an icecream and eventually the helicoptor arrived.

I took several photographs but I think the one below captured the moment! The lady was fine and I was well pleased with the extra H for my planned Hole of Horcum idea. We headed home and would you believe as we travelled through Danby a hedgehog crossed the road! The moment was witnessed by both Jon and myself but there was not time to photograph the incident!

 

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The Hole of Horcum is a massive natural amphitheatre that was carved out of the rock of the North Yorkshire Moors by the action of glacial ice flows - an interesting place in itself but also the location of much activity during the prehistoric period. It is situated at the western end of the ancient trackway known as the 'Old Wife's Way' which leads east towards Blakey Topping and it is also the location of several Bronze Age round barrows, dykes and settlement sites further to the southwest on Levisham Moor.
Gallows Dike consists of a 3 metre wide and roughly 2 metre deep ditch with eroded 4 metre wide banks on either side that runs roughly north-south over a small raised section of land close to a kink in the A169 road on Saltergate Moor. There are 3 round barrows close by and it is possible that as well as being burial monuments they could also have served as territorial markers - they are probably slightly later in date than the bank and ditches. There are also several cross dykes running northwest to southeast further to the southwest beyond the Hole of Horcum and these also have round barrows nearby or associated with them. A much damaged series of banks and ditches known as Horcum Dikes also run north-south along the east side of the glacial hollow.
To the southwest of Levisham Moor there are several burial mounds and further later Iron Age earthworks, there are also associated field systems and enclosed settlement areas, one of which showed evidence of being involved in iron making and thought to have been in use well into the Roman period.

47 comments:

  1. The heather looks magnificent. When I passed through that area in 1997, the heather wasn't yet in full bloom although you could just see a hint of it. Beautiful countryside. :D

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  2. Wow, more beautiful pictures, you live in such a picturesque area. Great timing for the helicopter pic, glad the patient is all ok too.
    Take care
    Sarah x

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  3. I just MUST visit that area again!

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  4. So how many H-words did you get? Hole of Horcum, helicopter, hedgehog, heather( which is beautiful!).

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  5. What a terrific post for the H Day, Denise! And such a beautiful place! Love the heather! And you also managed to capture LOTS of H words, too! How clever you are! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  6. ;) I love the picture with the helicopter! This place is breathtaking!
    Léia

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  7. Breathtaking scenery Denise and some excitement as well!

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  8. The heather is gorgeous in the distance.

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  9. Glorious scenery! You had an interesting afternoon. I haven't seen a hedgehog for years though we used to have them in the garden :-(

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  10. Wow...such dramatic photos and the extra and a story to match with the woman who fortunately was safe. It reminds me of "The Shire" where Hobbits live :)

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  11. Fascinating, Denise, and fortuitous, but those aren't H words. Had to laugh when you got to the hedgehog, because that photo would have been SUCH a bonus. I've never heard of the Hole of Horcum, but I love heather, and am always interested in reading about barrows and burial mounds. I've studied just enough archaeology and anthropology to make me an amateur amateur, but the subjects are enthralling. Thanks for today's post.
    Kay
    Alberta, Canada

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  12. it surely is a beautiful place, Denise :) you live near lots of wonderfully picturesque places..! :D

    My H Post

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  13. Those colours are fantastic! And it seems as if everyone was cooperating with you to get a nice H! (Although I am glad the lady was alright)

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  14. Beautiful pictures. I missed the heather bloom here, the weather was just awful.

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  15. You live in some amazing country Denise. the Heather is glorious and the scenery takes my breath away.
    How convenient to have the Heliocopter show up for your H post.

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  16. I was up that way last month - it's SO beautiful!

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  17. I esp love the first pic, that luxurious curve (separating properties?)

    Hi, chief!

    On behalf the ABC Wednesday team, thank you!- ROG

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  18. Breathtaking landskape :) I would really like to see it for real some day, thank you for sharing a bit of your world :)

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  19. Spectacular photos and fine narrative. It's so much fun to learn from your posts!

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  20. What a convenient place for an H post! And the helicopter is a plus; you got it just right!

    Barrows and dikes...I felt like I was in one of Tolkein's tales!

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  21. As soon as I saw the first photo I knew it was North Yorkshire - wish I was there rather than sitting in the rain dog minding ..

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  22. Fascinating geological/geographical text here, Denise. I love words like dyke, moors, barrows, ditches, burial mounds, territorial markers ... great stuff.

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  23. Lovely landscape and the Heather looks lovely also. I especially like the picture with the helicoper. Great shot for H day.

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  24. O what a lovely place this is - I knew someone who knew the farmer who lived in the bottom - don't know if the farm is still there. I do miss not being able to just take off into the hills.

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  25. How lovely to see the heather in bloom in your photos, it looks beautiful. We took in the Hole some years back when stopping at Pickering, bad timing, it was June.

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  26. Looks like a fairy-tale place to be. Thank you for introducing me to a place I did not know before. A great Wednesday for you.

    daily athens

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  27. What a gorgeous spot! A perfect spot for H - and a helicopter as well!

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  28. Wonderful capture of the letter H! Even better knowing the woman is fine.

    I can just imagine the hedgehog running across the road.

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  29. What a magnificent landscape!

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  30. What a beautiful landscape !! I had to google to find out where and what it was exactly, as I know very well the South of England but not at all the north !

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  31. Beautiful pictures.Love the picture with the helicopter.

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  32. 'Hole of Horcum', 'heather', 'helicopter' and 'hedgehog'!! What a good day for Hs you had on first of September! Lovely photos!

    We have both heather and hedgehogs here in Sweden. Many years ago one summer, I worked extra delivering newspapers early, early in the morning. At three or four in the morning I would often meet up with courting hedgehogs.

    Thank you for your kind words on my H-post! You are First Commenter and have received an extra link to your blog!

    Best wishes,
    Anna
    For the benefit of other readers:

    Anna's H-word-abcWed

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  33. What gorgeous landscape! I haven't visited this meme for a while nor posted for a variety of reasons, but I'm surprised at the improvements, and I love the portal. Great job. I'll be more regular in the future!! Thanks for all your work on our behalf!!!!

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  34. I can feel the breeze from here. this is an awesome view..

    Hope you can drop by
    My ABC Wednesday post here

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  35. The heather-clad valley is just as stunningly beautiful in its way as the red rocks of Utah, and at the same time, so much 'home', in terms of nationality, isn't it?

    How lucky for you (and unlucky for the poor lady) that the helicopter came along in time to be included! I'm so glad to hear she was OK.

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  36. Beautiful country.

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  37. Absolutely a stunning valley! What a treat to be so close to it to see the changes season to season!

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  38. I'm jealous! I miss that part of the world SO much. Though some of the places round here (we're in Dorset on holiday) are almost as beautiful.

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  39. I love the purple-ish hue!! that's just so beautiful
    and your action shot with the helicopter is worthy of a news person

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  40. The scenery looks wonderful :-)

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  41. WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Wat a grayte playce!!!!!




    (erm..... how do yu get thoze neet tabs at the top ov yor blog???)

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  42. I've heard of this place many times but don't think I've ever visited. How beautiful is Yorkshire!

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  43. Absolutely gorgeous! The name is deceptive; we expected something frightening.

    Darryl and Ruth : )

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Thank you for your comments, always nice to know somebody has taken the time to let me know what they think.