The Dragon's Cache: Appreciating Aysgarth Falls

After missing out on visiting Leyburn, and having to crawl along behind a herd of cows for a mile or so, we stopped at Aysgarth Falls. The name is a misnomer, as the River Ure performs a gentle series of tumbles rather than one spectacular fall. It’s a spot of scenic beauty in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and on the day we visited, the parking lot was nearly full. As we walked along the trails, visiting each section of the falls, we constantly met up with others enjoying their day outside, exploring such a beautiful place. I just wish that my heart had been more into really visiting the place, for then I could have enjoyed our time there more.

This isn’t a complaint, just the reality of travel. At home, I can decide when to visit a given place, based on such factors as the weather, my schedule, and whether or not I feel like visiting it on a particular day. But on vacation, you’ve got a limited amount of time in that one area. While we knew we’d probably return to England, the country has so many interesting places to visit. We didn’t know when, or if, we’d return to the Dales. Yet my heart wasn’t really into this stop. As I mentioned previously, we hadn’t packed shorts, and the sudden warm weather had taken us by surprise. The whole time I was there, I found myself looking forward to lunch, even though I’d had a big breakfast, and wasn’t particularly hungry. Most of all, I yearned to continue on to Askrigg, which posed as the fictional Darrowby in the “All Creatures Great and Small” TV series. Yet descriptions in guidebooks had drawn my wife there, and she had been so accommodating of my interests on this vacation. So this was one stop on which I tagged along, my shirt and jeans clinging to my legs, and feeling lethargic in the unexpected heat.

When one has nice photographs to share, little description is necessary. And you can see, it is a beautiful place. So for now, I think I’ll get out of the way, and let each picture tell you its story. More tomorrow.