A new discovery - Juniper tree

In my 15 year absence from Whitby I was pleasantly surprised that the national park authorities were trying to track down all the specimens of the rare Juniper tree.

I remembered the specimen I came across many years ago whilst out walking. On contacting the National Park I was told it is an known specimen. If you want to look at it you'll have to find it.  Because they are so rare the location will remain a secret between me and the national park.

I also saw a male Stonechat close by. My memory isn't so hot on this as I cannot recall whether I've seen any stonechats on the  North York Moorw before).

(Subsequent to writing this post I've discovered two other junipers. I remember growing from seed and planting out around 20 years ago. Both are passed by thousands of people every week but neither was known to the national park!!)

Hentrietta Street - Whitby

If you're in Whitby look for this house. It's been like this as long as anyone can remember and is on Hentrietta St on the east side below St Mary's church.
Obviously the architect didn't design it like this. Perhaps the foundations were not up to the job, or as most people believe, its subsidence. The house is on the edge of the cliffs!!

What is it like living in the house? Do the peas roll off the plate? Is the bath deep at one end only?
(Actually the floors are level).

History in a gate post

Between Lealholm and Houlsyke in the North Yorkshire moors stands this very old gate post. As I've recently returned from living and working as a (sometimes) wall builder this post has a number of interests.

Firstly in Ireland only stone pillars are used to hang gates from. Very rare to see a single piece stone.

Secondly, we have the cut recesses for which wooden poles were placed (there are corresponding holes on the other post)

There are also two more modern iron gate hinges set into holes and fixed in place with lead.

Finally there is the modern galvanised gate.

To find one such pillar in this area is not unusual but this gate has both pillars in place. Something I have never seen before as most gates have been widened over the years as machinery has got larger.