Auckland Deer Park
We visited Auckland Deer Park behind Auckland Castle on a sunny day, hoping to spot some of the deer that live in the park.
The park is surrounded by open countryside, with plenty of space to wander around and enjoy the views. We also came across the old deer house, which sits among the grounds.
Unfortunately, despite the name of the place, the deer weren't keen on posing for my camera that day, so I didn't manage to get any photographs of them!
Aysgill Force, Cotter Force and Aysgarth Falls
After visiting Gayle Mill, we followed the path out into the countryside towards Aysgill Force. The route took us through the fields before descending towards the waterfall, which appeared through the trees at the end of the path.
We then headed towards Cotter Force; a small waterfall tucked away in the countryside. Despite visiting on a weekend, we didn't pass a single other person, so it felt like we had the place entirely to ourselves. There was a bench where we could sit and take in the view, although I climbed out over the rocks to get a closer look at the waterfall.
Cotter Force was another quiet little spot that I really enjoyed photographing. Our final waterfall of the trip was a quick stop at Aysgarth Falls on the way home, which was also the sixth waterfall we'd visited during our trip to the Yorkshire Dales.
A Day in Hawes
We spent the second day of our Yorkshire Dales trip exploring Hawes and the surrounding countryside.
We started with a wander around the little hamlet of Gayle, just outside Hawes, where we came across Gayle Mill. The mill was closed when we visited, but it was still a lovely spot to explore, and it also marked the start of the walk towards Aysgill Force, which I'll share in another post.
We also stopped at the Wensleydale Creamery, but because of the restrictions at the time, there weren't any cheese-making demonstrations or tastings, but we were able to watch a video showing the process and look around the factory.
Afterwards, we sat outside with a tea and scone, surrounded by views across the Dales. And, of course, we couldn't leave without buying some Wensleydale cheese to take home!
Stainforth Force
Stainforth Force was another waterfall we discovered during our trip to the Yorkshire Dales.
We stopped in the village of Stainforth and followed the short path down to the River Ribble. The waterfall was lovely to see, but unfortunately, we were a little too early in the year to see the salmon that can sometimes be spotted leaping up the falls.
I did, however, spot a wagtail, which gave me something else to photograph.
