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Writer's pictureRitchard Allaway

10/10/21 - Today I Explored Some Wilderness

Today I wanted to head out into the wilderness, the wilderness being the North Yorkshire Moores. I did not really have any sort of plan except to just drive forty or so minutes to a vast location that I had driven through on many occasions several years prior.


As you are aware this summer I was unable to explore the outside world and so I 'invented' or more so, reconsidered what wilderness was within my own home. An exciting challenge but not quite the same as being out in the open world. Therefore with today, I just wanted to be out and feel my way through exploring a landscape that I have some knowledge with (and by some very little once taken off the road). I planned to take my DSLR and a gimbal, the latter borrowed from the Film and TV department at work. I thought that I might try to film some sections of the land and the gimbal would aid the movement of the camera as it navigates through the land.


There was definitely an ounce of excitement to being out and free to roam the Yorkshire landscape on a mild Sunday afternoon. That sense of Autumn was making its affirmation ever more as I wrapped up in a fleece and wooly hat and strong winds aggressively brushed past me. I headed up towards the Hole of Horcum but then changed my course to Hutton Le Hole, cutting through Castleton before deciding to stop just after and before Westerdale. I asked a group of walkers for some advice on whether or not I was 'allowed' to walk off the road and 'into' the fields. They didn't see any issue with it but inform me that there was a walk just before you entered Castleton. I decided to just pull up where I was and dive right in.


What I noticed was the beautiful silence that hung in the air. There was a stillness present , even with the wind moving through the shrubbery. It sent many relaxed and positive feelings through me, something I had very much missed and also craved for when being locked up during summer. With this I headed off the road and into the landscape walking for about five to ten minutes unto which I found a smooth rock and sat on it. I decided to take in my sight and what I was surrounded by as well as what I was within/apart of. I closed my eyes for several minutes and breathed deeply, thinking back to my days of practicing meditation and just inhaled what was with me... the movement of natural occurrences, wind rushing through the low and high grass, the odd rabbit hop/thump on the ground or the occasional sheep 'bahh'.. but other than that, nothing. Nothing was with me and a sense of relief filled my mind and body, an enjoyment of being in a place without human interference. A rare thing to have but one that was savoured and even though it could be said it was brief, it rewarded me with ineffable qualities.


I think today was initially about just getting myself out and about and within the wilderness. Nothing focussed or strenuous to my idea of what I should be doing, just go out and take my camera and see what comes from it.


Below I have uploaded a series of images that I took from today. Again nothing amazing, just as it is/was etc.. what I came across.






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