Holm Dale where a kestral drops like a stone.

4th March 2024

I remember a local farmer, Gary, who had told me about this view. The last time I had tried to paint it several cattle were in the valley and, as I had George with me I thought it expedient to leave. I had quite forgotten about it. Today I set off a little later and posted my book of sketches ( available from my online store, above ) to a friend near York. I found myself at Fridaythorpe and remembered the view. A short walk along a deeply rutted track brought me to the footpath signed to Holm Dale and, in the distance Horse Dale.

Walking across the top of the Dale next to a perimeter fence I saw a fluttering in the sky. It was a kestral flying in the hillside shade, only it's movement catching the weak sunlight on the tips of its wings made it visible. As I watched, it dropped, passing over the pale hillside, I thought it would land but it kept dropping until it caught something in the green grass at the bottom of the valley. It must have been hovering very high as the dive took some time. Another bird, big, broad wings, far off, soared and I realized it was a buzzard.

I set up and began painting but straight away I hit a snag. I did not bring any water. I expected after all the rain to find a puddle. So I started to roughly layout the main lines thinking to return another time... with water. A young person I had seen earlier, in the distance, for a moment I wondered if they had been a deer,  passed and chatted. Then a local farmer " this is all our land " came over in a RTV. Again we had a brief chat and I mentioned Gary, how he had told me of this view, and how he thought it was the most beautiful view in the area. The farmer agreed and told me he had just been talking to Gary.

I realized that the temperature had dropped and a strong wind was hampering me a little. All the time George sat quietly next to me. The wind increased and my hands became very cold so I started to pack up. Then a phone call, FSD had been helping an old friend and  me how it was going. I walked George back to the car returning home in time for his tea.

Available from my online store.