What the Romans did for us

well, maybe...

Today we took the opportunity to have a bit of drive on the way home from Malton. At this time of year the hedgerows are alive with activity, with swarms of little brown birds flocking about the road as we drove along. The actual verges and hedges are flowering abundantly - cow parsley, meadowsweet, a million kinds of grass, and bright blue patches of cranesbill. In the fields, there are scarlet swathes of poppies, and through the villages cascades of roses in the gardens. We wound along over innumerable humpback bridges of stone, brick, concrete and iron, all seemingly on blind 90 degree turns to the road. We crossed rills, becks, ditches and rivers, some more than once; this is a swampy land which remembers when it was Lake Pickering. One of the old names for our village was Kirby O' Carr (pronounced Ow-ker), "carr" being another word for marsh.

We enjoyed our drive, but we had a purpose beyond trying to explode with hayfever. We were looking for points where the local roads and footpaths followed the route of Wade's Causeway, with a vague plan to see if we could plot a walk along it one day.

Wade's Causeway runs from Amotherby to Whitby, passing over the River Rye at Newsham Bridge and driving north via the Roman camp at Cawthorne to the coast. Parts of the road can still be seen, especially on Wheeldale Moor, testament to an engineering prowess which built things fit to serve an eternal empire. The history of the Causeway is uncertain - the Romans clearly constructed a road, but it may have been on top of an older trackway, at least in parts.

Roman roads are known for one thing at least beyond the simple miracle of their endurance, and that is their straightness. English country roads, on the other hand, are not very straight, rolling drunkenly from place to place. However, the Romans were not daft, and knew they had to skirt some obstacles; they just tended to go from point to point in as straight a line as possible, although each point may not have been far apart. As a result our lanes and streets often coincide for stretches with their ancient routes.

If the Romans did reuse older tracks, then they were likely created by the giant Wade for his wife Bella, to help her move her livestock across the moors. Or so some say. Wade and Bella were local giants and built Pickering Castle (motte and bailey style) and Old Mulgrave Castle, as well as creating Blakey Topping. Stories about Wade can be traced back to very early roots, although never for certain, and Bella has been linked to the Celtic goddess Brigit (of our old friends, the Bridestones).

And so we live in an ancient landscape, which in places chooses to show its face to those who look.

Sunshine and showers

Traditionally that about sums it up for the British Summer, of course; and that is because it's true. We have been swinging wildly between blazing sun, followed by frequent sightings of lobster-coloured people, and cold, rainy days, with the concomitant hordes of blue-skinned masses. In fact, with the rollercoaster temperatures, our skins can change from the one to the other so quickly we may cause epileptic fits from the strobe effect.

One sunny day I was able to sit in the garden and count the bird varieties, from sparrow to sparrowhawk. Our swallows, for those interested, are doing very well in their nest over our kitchen window. Fortunately the mess they are making of the bottles and cans in the recycling box beneath them is fully biodegradable, so no problems there. The car is beginning to look like it's in camouflage kit though, with lots of whitish patches streaking across it. Ah, Nature red in tooth and claw!

All in all, a colourful time of the year.

The two main events to report, however, are less drenched in rustic charm, although provide the reader with a flavour of life in the country as she is lived, rather than as she is read about in glossy magazines.

Firstly, Google has updated our digital presence with a new satellite view of the village including all the latest building developments. Obviously we aren't able to express outrage about Street View encroachments yet, because we haven't been photographed. I'm sure lots of people are looking forward to being incandescent about it just as soon as Google finds us.

Secondly, we had lots of heavy drilling plant trundling through the village last week because of a new gas well starting up nearby. There are considerable gas reserves underneath our feet, being drilled out through nearby fields. We had a gas leak a couple of years back (very unusual) and had to call out various emergency services. I was particularly gratified to receive a thorough check-up for fume inhalation by some very pleasant firemen - but I digress...

So, we continue to play our part in the important endeavours of global mapping and exploitation of natural resources with full vim and vigour.

Meanwhile, I was thrilled to spot a bullfinch in the front garden. In case you thought I could resist putting up a photo, I couldn't. Here it is, hastily snapped through the window before it flew away. Very pretty, and hopefully sufficiently rural to restore the balance. Happy Solstice!

June Visitors

While I have been rambling on over the last few weeks about our gorgeous swallows, I have neglected to pay due attention to other summer visitors - the human tourists. These are now starting to appear in increasing numbers, livening up the area with their merry cries. Whatever one thinks of tourists - and they are a mixed blessing, which I try to bear in mind when touristing myself - there is no doubt that our roads become more dangerous as they fill up with caravans driven by people not used to towing large objects and unfamiliar with the vagaries of our local routes.

Sadly we have had a clutch of accidents already on or around Golden Hill near Malton, including fatalities. Dear friends, if you come to visit our lovely area please be aware that the roads at least show no kindness to visitors (or indeed to locals who fail to show the proper respect). If you are not used to the hills, the bends and the views, then take it easy. It isn't going anywhere, so you don't need to hurry.