Voluntary Ranger - North York Moors

The weekend's activities commenced with a run across the moors from Ellerbeck to our house in RHB - a total of around 17km.
Sunday was spent with another voluntary ranger at the NYM mobile display unit (MDU for those who want to be correct - 'The Caravan' for the rest of us). The commonest questions asked by the public?

• Have you any change for the car park?
• How did Robin Hood's Bay get it's name?
• Where's the town centre?

Not too challenging for anyone whose from these parts but nice to meet the public, especially the kids who I encourage to search for fossils in our 'fossil bucket'. "Yes that really is a fossil".

Running back to Whitby in the evening I heard a Garden Warbler singing in scrub near the railway line. To confirm my ID I desperately tried to get a view but it remained out of sight. A classic Garden Warbler.

And today I spent the day with full time ranger Matt Fitzgerald whilst we checked out the three 'black spots' for camping, fires and litter. These are Maybecks, Wheeldale bridge and Wheeldale ford. But no litter or fires as the coldish weather had put people off barbecues perhaps. So as Matt hadn't been up to Pinkney's bothy (see another post) we walked up to it only to discover upon reading the logbook (and later confirmed on the internet) that this bothy is to be removed. Not before time, as it was the subject of much littering and vandalism. I've stayed myself in this bothy many times, so it is with some sadness knowing that the next time I pass that way they'll be no more Pinkney's. The local gamekeeper was also fed up with removing the resulting litter and is no doubt quite happy.