Almias Cliff

Today I spent some time at Almias Cliff; a small outcrop of rocks which are perched within the landscape and have far reaching views across landscape facing Nidderdale. Although a milder day when up on this exposed area the wind was strong and it felt a lot colder! Its good to be outside! The far reaching views highlight very much the mark of humanity:

Wind farm Knabs Ridge

Menwith Hill Listening Station

Ten Acre Reservoir

Pine Forests

Some of these structures on the landscape have been viewed as a negative intrusion. The scale of this wide reaching environment is so huge that really the golf balls (as the satellite dishes are know as in the area!) and the wind turbines add a character the views, a contrast against the organic landscape. They are however huge when up close to the structures. The wind turbines have an immense aura of power yet they appear graceful and a part of the natural flow of the elements. The satellite golf balls appear alien in comparison. There is also the undercurrent of the actual reason they are there, who and what are they actually listening in on?!!

Stile to Cliff

                                    

Cold and very windy the rocks offer shelter from one side and invigoration from the other!

The rock is sandstone and easy to manipulate allowing modern day graffitti to be made. We all need to make our physical mark in some form or another. I wonder who Naomi was?

                                    

It is now my turn to make a mark! There were hollowed out textures within the rock itself. They are too perfect in symmetry not be manmade, but compared to the modern day graffiti the marks are obviously of some age, smooth in texture having been worn down by the elements. How long ago did man make these marks? Using a piece of sandstone debris I drew within these forms; shading and following the rounded curve of the recesses.  How strange it is to be making these marks on top of manmade marks from a far distant past! The content of the sandstone is lighter than the weathered surround producing the natural tone of the main element at its core; sand. It felt a natural process and not in any way an intrusion on the cliff itself, organic matter against organic matter.