September Issue
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The tree theme continues this month with Brian Walker’s informative series tracing the history of trees and forests (page 5), while Caroline Riley begins a monthly miscellany on trees, beginning with the hawthorn (page 16). Anne Press identifies hedgerow foods that are good for us – and sheep too! (page 11), while Marshall Best praises the benefits of a cover crop, Phacelia, seen growing around Loftus this summer – a green manure that looks beautiful and supports biodiversity.
   September is ‘mindful month’ in the National Park with activities to boost your wellbeing, from yoga to forest bathing (page 47). Walking is one of the best ways to improve health . . . John and Joan Roberts lead walks from Beyond Boundaries in Commondale and describe a short walk around the village (page 20/1); Marshall Best maps a circular field and woodland boundary walk near Loftus (page 23).
   In the ‘people’ features this month, Carol Stainsby charts the history of the Downe & Outs Jazz band from Castleton (page 24) and Eileen Till celebrates a recent performance of Whitby clog dancers and musicians, raising money for Retina UK (page 29). Don’t miss an opportunity to join Eileen’s clog dancers and learn some dance steps (page 28). Emma Stothard launches a new ‘Silver Darling’ jewellery collection with W. Hamond of Whitby, inspired by Whitby’s fishing heritage (page 31) . . . while Paul Jones-King from Chapter One Loftus brings news of local author Helen Scarlett’s Victorian chiller set around Preston Hall in Teesside (page 36).

Buying the Magazine 


Printed copies of the monthly Esk Valley News magazine (£1.50) or the Special Edition book All About Trees (£3.50) are available at local shops/cafes listed below, or you can order printed or digital copies from our online store. ​

September Skylights

The Autumnal Equinox   By astronomical convention autumn officially commences in the northern hemisphere on the date of the Autumnal Equinox, when from our perspective, the Sun re-crosses the celestial equator and tracks southwards again, arcing ever lower in the sky. The date of the equinox this year falls on 22 September, when neither of Earth’s poles is inclined towards our nearest star and all locations on the globe will experience roughly equal hours of daylight and darkness. The northern hemisphere will continue to tilt away from the Sun with evenings drawing in once again as we head through autumn and into winter.   [Read more from Mark Dawson ]
Community magazine covering the Esk Valley, North York Moors and Whitby coastal area
'A very well produced magazine teeming with local information.' – Nicholas Rhea, whose books inspired the TV series Heartbeat
'... a slice of life in the Esk Valley, Whitby and North York Moors National Park'
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Esk Valley, Whitby, North York Moors Events & Activities.
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Local Support Groups

Stronger Together Whitby District
Stronger Together Danby, Ainthorpe & Fryup
Stronger Together Castleton
Glaisdale Community Group
Ley Hall Lealholm
Goathland Village News

Other Support for Vulnerable People:
Esk Moors Caring Ltd – 01287 669357
Debbie Swales, Revival North Yorkshire – 07970 955407  

All About Trees: Special Issue

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What a wonderful response to our bumper summer issue All About Trees! Thank you to all contributors and readers, shops and cafes who supported this little experiment. We are so pleased and excited with the result that we’re raring to create more special editions. Please let us know if you’d like to get involved or have ideas for topics. 

For more information about our special issue, All About Trees, published July–August 2021, click here.


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​PICK OF THE PAST

Shackleton Bridge, Danby

‘Shackleton Bridge, Danby’, John Freeman’s beautiful painting on the cover of the October 2020 issue, is from his book Meander Down the Esk – which continues to sell well!  The picture also appears in local historian Alastair Laurence’s new book Danby: Three Views of a History, now on sale and full of fascinating facts about the people of Danby Castle and surrounding farms, the ministers of Danby and the development of Ainthorpe. 

​Memories of a Wartime Signaller 

​The most impressive contribution to the recent D-Day 75th Anniversary celebrations were those of the surprisingly large number of survivors. Their personal memories gave reality and validity to the whole event. Few readers of Valley News may have realised that Glaisdale has its own survivor in the person of Mary Heron, who was a fully trained Signaller during the War. In Glaisdale she is chiefly known for her farming at Bank House and for the ‘Glaisdale Singers’, the choir she created and conducted for some thirty years.  Her wartime stories are serialised in the July–September 2019 issues of the magazine.

Land of Iron

A three-part series published in Esk Valley News magazine introduces readers to an exciting project in the Esk Valley and North York Moors National Park to preserve the Victorian ironstone landscape. From 1830 to 1930 the area was a thriving hub of mining industry. 'This Exploited Land of Iron' aims to record, conserve and improve the historic and natural beauty of remains that are slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Alice's Adventures in Whitby

Lewis Carroll’s famous book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first published on 4 July 1865. Born Charles Lutwidge Dogson, Lewis Carroll visited Whitby in 1854 as a 22-year-old student of Christ Church College, Oxford. He stayed at number five East Terrace (now La Rosa Hotel) and lodged there on another six occasions, the last time being in 1871. On one of his visits he was seen sitting on a rock on the beach telling stories to young listeners. It is thought that ideas for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and his poem ‘The Walrus And The Carpenter’ (in the sequel book Through The Looking Glass) were inspired by his walks around the town and along Whitby beach. 

Exhibition Highlight 

John Freeman’s exhibition marking 50 years as a professional artist in Whitby (1969–2019) was held at the Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby in November and December 2019. John estimates that over 50 years he has created more images of this area (original and print form) than any other living artist, an estimated 20,000 in total. 

Whitby & District War Memorial Cottage Hospital 

As plans progress for the refurbishment and part-demolition of Whitby Hospital, Joyce Stangoe of the Whitby Civic Society reminds us that the first hospital on the site was built as a War Memorial following the First World War, funded by donations from the people of Whitby and surrounding villages. Can you help in a project to gather information on the hospital’s history and people lost through war?  ​

Lythe's Link to Beethoven

Two hundred years ago, in the Spring of 1818, a Broadwood grand piano arrived at the home of Beethoven in a village near Vienna. It was a gift from Broadwood & Sons of London.
   Today, the Broadwood company continues to make, tune and repair pianos at its rural craft workshops in Lythe near Whitby. The firm has held a Warrant for the supply and maintenance of pianos to the various Royal Households since the reign of George II, and can name among its illustrious customers the composers Haydn, Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams.
​   Present-day directors of the company, which is an independent enterprise, include three members of the Laurence family, whose ancestors worked for many generations in a technical capacity in John Broadwood & Sons’ Soho factory. 
   We are fortunate to have such an illustrious company on our doorsteps offering skills honed over generations in piano tuning and manufacture.  
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