2018

NZ7319 : Gate along the Cleveland Way

taken 6 years ago, near to Easington, Redcar And Cleveland, England

Gate along the Cleveland Way
Gate along the Cleveland Way
On the western edge of the Loftus Alum Quarries.
Loftus Alum Quarries

The last remains of one of last ruins of the Loftus Alum Quarries. Soon this will go the way of other buildings and tumble the 300 foot into the North Sea. All that will be left is a sterile moonscape, mostly devoid of vegetation.

Just along the coast is the alum quarries of Boulby, together almost two miles of excavation 200 feet deep. A phenomenal amount of material removed. It took the best part of a hundred tons to produce one ton of alum crystals. Alum was an important chemical used in the fixing of dyes and in the tanning industry. It was a cure all for almost all types of illnesses and ailments. The process was complex, and full of intrigue and secrecy, involving eggs and urine. There was a Papal monopoly in the chemical until Henry VIII fell out with the Pope. Then the race was on to find a home source. Lingberry quarry, as it was known at the time, operated for about two centuries opening in the mid 1650s. Later the quarry took the name of the village of Lofthouse which was shortened to the present Loftus in late Victorian times.

The history is without doubt fascinating. The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of the fossils found in the shales, particularly ammonites. But, although heather and a few shrubs have found a footing higher up below the sandstone cap, the barren shale wasteland is just another fine example of the way man has and is still desecrating the planet.

The Cleveland Way

The Cleveland Way runs 110 miles (177 km) between Helmsley and the Brigg at Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park. Its highest point is at Urra Moor, 1,489 ft (454 m).

King Charles III England Coast Path (ECP)

The King Charles III England Coast Path (ECP) will take advantage of new public rights of access to the coast, to form a 2,800 mile long public path right around England's coasts.

Parts of the path were already open in 2016, and it was intended at that time that the whole path would be completed by 2020. At that time, the path was called the England Coast Path. It was renamed King Charles III England Coast Path in 2023, in honour of the King's coronation.

More information about the ECP is on the National Trails website: LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Mat Fascione and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Coastal Paths Long Distance Path: Cleveland Way England Coast Path Primary Subject: Gate other tags: Gate Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Loftus Alum Quarries [6] ·
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
NZ7319, 52 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Mat Fascione   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 9 August, 2018   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 17 March, 2019
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NZ 732 197 [100m precision]
WGS84: 54:34.0659N 0:52.0774W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NZ 732 197
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image Type (about): geograph 
This page has been viewed about 53 times
You are not logged in login | register