Kirby Underdale, East Yorkshire Wolds.

Plein air painting 12 x 10 inch, all done in one visit.

Kirby Underdale

After a later start I set off for the Wolds again. Necessity meant I had to detour via Kirkburn where I visited the wonderful Norman church. Here, outside, on trestle tables were a collection of plants for sale. As I looked at the plants a man turned up bearing more plants. We had a talk about the plants, one in particular, southernwood, an aromatic herb, which was supposed to be used for putting on floors in medieval times where it's fragrance would help mask unpleasant smells. So I bought one as a curiosity, my floors at home are okay.... Before I left he pointed out the deliberately overgrown fringes of the graveyard, an orchid in particular, one of five to be recorded here. Then off to Huggate and.... beyond,  I was aiming for a place called Painsthorpe as it sounded intriguing, yet found myself at Kirby Underdale. I had not been here before, it is a little paradise. Steep Wolds sectioned into small, hedge lined fields. Bright yellow buttercups dominated the lower fields which gave me my focus for the picture. A farm stood half way up a distant hill looking like something from a book about 'Perfect Locations for a Farm'. I set up and started painting as a lone buzzard circled high on broad lazy wings. A couple of walkers appeared and asked me where they were, they appeared lost though in fact, a road sign was to blame as it said Kirby Underdale was two and a half miles away - in fact, it was just a few yards further over the crest of the road. A loud noise heralded the arrival of a man riding a mower. He just appeared as if from nowhere, cut a little patch then disappeared. A white van passed bearing a logo saying Halifax Estates. This was to be significant, a public car park, local barn and another cottage also bore the same name. Must investigate. I finished the painting and noted the buzzard had now been joined by it's partner, the pair of them soaring in unison. I took George for a walk down a narrow steep road, intriguingly sign-posted for Hanging Grimston. I passed lots of cow parsley, still in abundance up here, though Hogwort is now very much in evidence and will dominate soon. I also saw yellow and blue vetch, crosswort, red clover and rattle. It is all rather wonderful and I am sorry not to have explored the area before now, just as well that I have decided to paint this series of paintings about the Wolds.