Monday 25 July 2011

Too nice to stay in - Willance's Leap

There wasn't a cloud in the sky when I looked out the window this morning. Just tooooo nice to stay in.  I decided I wanted to be out, up high somewhere.

Peter has been away working, so I took a walk by myself up to Willance's leap.  Robert Willance is a local legend in Richmond because 400 yrs ago he and his horse jumped over a 200 foot cliff. - Read his story here.  As a result, there are a series of memorial stones up on the cliff edge.  There are loads of walks from and around Richmond, but this one is nice because you get up to the top of Whitcliffe Scar, where the views are stunning. It's just over 6 miles, all hill to start with, but worth it when you get up there. 
Greater Willowherb

I'm still learning about the wild life around me, and today.  I've learnt the name of one of the most common flowers on waste ground, Rosebay Willowherb.  I also got to see and learn the names of Greater Willowherb, Marjoram and Vipers Bugloss.  I use Marjoram in cooking, I never knew it looked like that?







You can just about see the memorial post.
The horse and rider jumped over this cliff!




I came back via the coast to coast path which runs along at the base of the cliff.  The coast to coasters don't get to see the fantastic views from the top, but they do get to look up at East Applegarth and see the memorial.

A lovely day for a lovely walk.