St. Nicholas, North Grimston, Ryedale, North Yorkshire..

Pen and ink, sketch approx 14 x 10 inch.

As the weather was bright and sunny with a suggestion of ethereal haziness we decided to venture to Castle Howard via the undulating humpbacks of the East Riding Wolds. We passed many villages and noted, that at Wetwang, the Sledmere Road was closed. However our route took us past this road, through Wetwang, to Wharram Le Street, and to the steeply, sinuous, descending road to  North Grimston. Passing St. Nicholas we spotted a Red Kite, over the church, dancing on wide wings using working its forked tail to aid flight. We pulled over and stopped to look at it, though  disappointingly, it had vanished. We drove on to Castle Howard where we had some lunch before visiting the garden centre. George was enjoying his day as he had had lots of walks. On the way back we stopped at North Grimston. We pulled over to where we had stopped earlier, when looking for the Red kite. The view of the church, St.Nicholas, from this side road looked rather attractive and so I got out the sketchpad. I like the way the church sits, as if totally enclosed by trees. A year or two ago the path leading to the church had had some severe pruning done to trees which lined the path. This had needed to be done for some time as  they had been rather overgrown. It is good to see fresh growth now sprouting from the truncated crowns. Hopefully this sketch will feature in an exhibition next year featuring churches in particular. I will associate this sketch with RM who sponsored the day somewhat.

So, having done this we continued over the high wolds towards Wharram Le Street. Looking to our right, now a late misty afternoon with the sun dropping, we saw the serried rows of silhouettes,  the graded intensity,  indicating ranks of distant hills. It is rather amazing to think,  in times past Roman soldiers would have walked through here.

A typical watercolour perhaps.

Stopping at Wharram we visited the church there. Amazingly, it was our first visit. Access was via a delightful little woodland walk, the enclosed path emerging, snowdrops at our feet, to give a fine prospect, the view of the welcoming church of St. Mary. Norman architecture being discernible here and there. A definite subject to draw.... but that is for another time.