Postcards From Here and There

Camden Street Art

Camden is a popular area of London for visitors with its vibrant market, restaurants, bars and shops. The Regents Canal also passes through Camden and gives a slower and peaceful view of the city than the hustle and bustle of the streets above. Not surprisingly with so much to offer it can become a busy place, especially at weekends, so finding a quieter time to visit may be better for some. There is a lot of street art in Camden but the good news is that it is fairly well concentrated around Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road.

A good place to start is at Mornington Crescent tube station on the Northern Line. On leaving the station turn to the right and head in the direction of Camden Town following Camden High Street. The wall of the Koko club (currently closed for refurbishment) gives you some idea of what is to come.

The first stop is Miller Street which is on the left as you walk up Camden High Street and you will find a wealth of art to keep you interested.

While on this side of the street it is worth seeking out two sculptural pieces.

Urbansolid
Gregos

Crossing over Camden High Street you will find Plender Street and this work on the side of the Alexander The Great restaurant. It is by Italian street artist Alice Pasquini.

Continue up Camden High Street and turn right into Greenland Street and follow this with a left into Greenland Place before rejoining the high street via Greenland Road.

Continue up Camden High Street and pass Camden Town tube station. The Bucks Head public house on the junction with Buck Street has this piece by Aeroarts.

Head along Buck Street and then turn left into Stucley Place.

At the end of the street is the junction with Hawley Crescent where you will find this piece by Gnasher.

At the end of Hawley Crescent turn right back onto the main road and cross the Regents Canal. On the left hand side are Camden locks where you can join the crowds and while away a few minutes watching the canal boats.

The next stop is Castlehaven Road.

Hawley Street and Hawley Mews should be your next destination as here you will find a feast of street art.

The next piece, a collaboration between Himbad and Zumi, has been tagged but ii is still a remarkable work.

At the end of the mews you can see two pieces which are partly obscured by a small cabin. The insects are by Fanakapan whereas Batman and Robin climbing the wall is by SrX.

The colourful mural with parrots is by Graffiti Life and was quite difficult to photograph.

Hartland Road features a large piece by Dan Kitchener, tags now reduce its impact somewhat but it still remains an excellent piece.

Alongside it is a mural by Carmen de Sozer of iconic statuettes.

The final stop is one street further along towards Chalk Farm tube station. Harmood Street has two quite impressive and colourful murals.

This is by no means an exhaustive and complete account of the street art that can be seen in Camden but does show a wide range of work which can be easily seen with a walk between two tube stations. As with all areas the art on display changes frequently so as with all posts of this nature it is very much a snapshot in time.

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

The Ingleton waterfalls walk is perhaps one of the most popular and beautiful walks in the Yorkshire Dales. It is a circular walk, measuring a little under 5 miles in length, and follows two river valleys, The Twiss and The Doe. These two rivers meet just after Ingleton but before they reach the village they descend in height and flow through some narrow tree lined, limestone gorges with some spectacular waterfalls.

You should allow between three and four hours to complete the walk if you want to take your time, enjoy the scenery, take lots of photographs and have a refreshment break at Beezley Farm, which is about two thirds of the way round. The route is on well made paths but there are a large number of steps to go both up and down so it is quite strenuous in places. The steps and path can become wet and slippy at times so it is always advisable to wear appropriate foot wear such as walking boots/shoes.

The start of the walk is well signposted as you drive into the small village of Ingleton. Much of the walk takes place on private land so you have to pay an entrance fee on arrival. The fee currently is £7 per adult and £3 per child under the age of sixteen. The fee also includes parking and there are enough spaces for a large number of cars but it does get busy, especially in the summer months and at weekends. The is a café and toilet facilities at the entrance..

The train begins at the far end of the car park and ascends gently through Swilla Glen. The trees here create shade and atmosphere. With the sounds of the River Twiss running below it is a peaceful and meditative walk towards the first of the falls.

Pecca Falls is a series of five waterfalls which together give a combined drop of 30 metres. A viewing platform gives an excellent view of the twin falls.

Heading further up river the gorge narrows to form a rocky, narrow drop which is the Hollybush Spout.

There is an opportunity for a refreshment stop before you head to the third and most impressive waterfall on the trail. A small cabin sells light refreshments but there are no toilet facilities here.

From here the valley begins to open out and the trees thin out. A short walk through open country brings you to Thornton Force. To many this is a favourite point on the trail and people tend to congregate here and watch the falls. Thornton Force has the largest single drop on the trail with water cascading 14 metres over a limestone cliff and into a wide plunge pool.

As you head further up stream the River Twiss becomes a gentle, slow moving river. The peace of the beginning of the trail has been restored.

A footbridge will take you across the river, steps will then take you up to a lane which heads to Twistleton Hall.

Passing the Hall on your right the trail takes you to Beezleys Farm where you will find a small café with plenty of outdoor seating. There are also toilets here. From the farm a signposted footpath will take you to the narrowing valley of the River Doe.

Beezley Falls is the first set of waterfalls on the River Doe.

Beezley Falls includes Triple Spout, three waterfalls for the price on one!

Next up as you head down the valley is Rival Falls, a pair of small waterfalls.

If you are looking for something a little more dramatic and impressive then the Baxenghyll Gorge will not disappoint. Its steep sided and narrow and contains a number of falls. There is a viewing platform which lets you stand some 60 feet above the fast flowing river.

The final set of waterfalls are in the section of the valley called Twistleton Glen and are called the Snow Falls. No where near as dramatic as those in the gorge nevertheless they are a fine end to what is a superb walk.

From here the gorge opens out, passing an old, disused quarry, as you approach Ingleton. Ingleton is only a small village but there are cafés, pubs and restaurants. It is only a short walk from the village back to the car park and of one of the best walks in the Yorkshire Dales.

Malham

Malham is a small village in the Yorkshire Dales which is about 12 miles from the town of Skipton. It is a typical Dales village with a quiet, timeless feel about it. You get the impression that nothing happens very quickly here. The landscape is stunning with ancient dry stone walling that typifies this part of the Dales and a patchwork of fields and open moor.

The village itself is relatively small but can get incredibly busy in the summer and at weekends. It has cafés and two pubs for refreshment. There is a large parking area at the Malham National Park Centre where you can also pick up local information and ideas for walks.

Most visitors head towards Malham Cove which is a short walk along Cove Road out of the village and then a track to the base of the cove. Malham Cove is a 250 foot high limestone cliff. Before the last ice age a waterfall poured over the cliff which must have been a pretty impressive sight as the falls were believed to be higher than Niagara is today. It is home to nesting Peregrine Falcons as well as other bird life and viewings of nesting sites take place at certain times of the year from the grassy area below the cove

It is possible to take a more scenic route to the cove. Walk over the hump backed bridge and then take the lane to the left in front of the youth hostel. There is a well worn path that leads across the fields which ends at Malham Beck. Crossing a delightful, old, clapper bridge will bring you to the foot of the cove.

Malham Beck emerges from the base of the cove and flows for a mile or so until it joins Gordale Beck to become the River Aire. It was once believe that the Aire emerged from the cove but this has since been proved not to be the case.

Malham Beck emerges fro the base of Malham Cove

To the left of the cove is a path which leads to the top. It is quite a strenuous walk but well worth the effort. The path is well made and provides good footing but may become slippery when wet. There are places to stop, rest and take in the view on the way up.

The top of the cove is a geological feature known as limestone pavement which has formed over the centuries by a combination of erosion and weathering. The gaps between blocks are called grykes and they provide a habitat for plants, many of which are rare and only found in these unique habitats.

Also In the area and worth a visit if time permits.

Janets Foss. A small but delightful waterfall that can be reached by a very pleasant walk that can be undertaken from the top of the cove or by taking Gordale Lane from the village.
Gordale Scar. A gorge created during the last ice age.
Malham Tarn. A. glacial lake about 5 miles from the village.