A Windy Day

I really enjoy getting outside and going for walks, but I have a harder time than most tackling the longer and more strenuous trails. So I'm always on the lookout for places for Bill and I to go and enjoy, especially when the weather is nice. I had heard about an old quarry site that has been turned into an artistic lookout point on top of a hill in the middle of the Dales called the Coldstone Cuts. It's a lookout point as well as a jumping off point for walks that could be either long or short. A few weeks ago the weather was lovely in town, so I suggested we go out there and see what the day brings us. 

A bit windy

Alas, the weather was quite a bit different 5 miles out of town: quite blustery! Some would say closer to gale-force winds! The photos were all taken at the top of the lookout, so the wind is at maximum velocity and you can see it was indeed strong. However, I must point out that even walking up the hill to the lookout point was a challenge as the wind was against us and bitter cold. 

A bit cold

The wind was so strong, it kept almost whipping my glasses off my face! And when I smiled, I had to smile "hard" because otherwise the wind whipped my cheeks around like an old babushka was pinching and shaking them. Seriously. And I basically had dreadlocks by the time we made it back to the car. Not pretty.

Holding on for dear life!

It was hard to see with the wind lashing at our eyeballs, but the camera shows the view of the old quarry was interesting if not necessarily beautiful.

Coldstone Cuts quarry

The view of the Dales on the other side of the lookout had the winds at our back, so the view was a bit easier to appreciate. And it was much prettier, in my humble opinion!

Yorkshire Dales as seen from Coldstone Cuts

Walking back down to our car the wind was at our backs, which was great for our eyes but meant that we were literally blown down the steep, gravel path. After our harrowing, 30-minute (and less than a half-mile) walk, we decided we were done. 

Off to the pub for Sunday carvery we went - two orders of pot roast & Yorkshire puds (puddings), please! And, of course, a couple of pints.