Cow Hill

Hill, Mountain in Yorkshire

England

Cow Hill

Aerial View of Humber Mudflats Taken from about 400 feet, the photo shows the intricate creeks in the mud. It would be very difficult to access this spot on foot! — Aerial View of Humber Mudflats Credit: Andy Beecroft

Cow Hill is a prominent geographical feature located in the county of Yorkshire, England. Situated in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Cow Hill is a relatively small hill with an elevation of approximately 447 meters (1,467 feet) above sea level. Despite its modest height, the hill offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, making it a popular destination for hikers and nature enthusiasts.

The hill derives its name from the historical association with the local farming industry, as it was once used as grazing land for cows. The terrain of Cow Hill is characterized by gentle slopes, covered in lush green grass and scattered with limestone outcrops. It is a prime example of the stunning natural beauty that Yorkshire has to offer, with its rolling hills and sweeping valleys.

The summit of Cow Hill provides an ideal vantage point to admire the picturesque countryside, including the nearby River Wharfe and the charming village of Grassington. On a clear day, visitors can also catch a glimpse of other prominent landmarks in the distance, such as the towering Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent mountains.

The area surrounding Cow Hill is rich in biodiversity, boasting a variety of flora and fauna. It is home to several species of birds, including peregrine falcons and curlews, as well as various wildflowers that bloom throughout the seasons.

Overall, Cow Hill is a tranquil and beautiful place that showcases the natural splendor of the Yorkshire Dales, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the idyllic countryside and enjoy the serenity of this picturesque hill.

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Cow Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.710101/-0.20178254 or Grid Reference TA1825. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Aerial View of Humber Mudflats

Taken from about 400 feet, the photo shows the intricate creeks in the mud. It would be very difficult to access this spot on foot!

Andy Beecroft

Virtually There...

Just a few feet into the water here is the top right hand corner of TA1624 and just wasn't reachable. The low tide at this point was at 1.2m, but there's a better one in July (during the day - there will be very low ones in the night) that will be 0.5m lower than this one so the river bed should be exposed then. I will attempt to bag it then!

Andy Beecroft

Auster Grange

David Brown

Hidden Land

I tried taking a 'land' photograph in this square on 4th. February this year at a low tide. I couldn't get to the north eastern corner by about 10m on that occasion due to the water covering it and therefore secure a full Geograph status photo. Today had an exceptionally low tide at 14:40 (0.7m below the February one) and I had put this date in my diary over 5 months ago to get within the square! There have been a couple of similar very low tides during this time, but they were in the middle of the night. Theoretically, according to the map, there shouldn't be any 'land' within TA1624 to 'bag' as it only shows the mean low tide mark. In reality, the land in places stretched over 100m beyond the square's eastern border! The King George Dock North Sea Ferry berth can be seen on the horizon.

Andy Beecroft

Here's the Proof!

I actually got to stand on solid ground in the TA1624 square! Today had an exceptionally low tide at 14:40 and I was able to get here after my failed 4th. February attempt. The GPS showing an altitude of -16ft concurs with the very low tide!

Andy Beecroft

Muddy Humber Bank Pool

Taken well within the square (although the figure in the distance is just outside of it), the exceptionally low tide at 14:40 revealed rarely seen land.

Andy Beecroft

Looking Back on the Lighthouses

Standing in a rarely accessible position (due to the normal estuary water levels), I was able to look back at the two shoreline Paull Strays Lighthouses due to the exceptionally low tide at 14:40. The 'beach' has a superficial consistency of pulverised concrete but no doubt a geologist would tell me otherwise!

Andy Beecroft

Fishing from the Spit

The spit is only exposed at low tides. As I've said before on Geograph, in all of the many visits I've made to this riverside over many years, I've never seen any angler catch anything. I was told recently though, that some sizeable cod have been caught here within the last few months. The North Sea Ferry 'Pride of Rotterdam' can be seen at its berth on the River Humber next to King George Dock. It will sail at about 18:00 this evening back to Holland.

Andy Beecroft

Beached Tree

This tree will have originated from the side of the River Humber or one of its several substantial upstream tributaries. It will have been deposited in the Paull Strays tidal lagoon at a very high tide - the lagoon seldom fills to any real depth these days as it's now heavily silted up.

Andy Beecroft

Monster in the Humber: looking across to Cherry Cobb Sands, aerial 2023

Presumably a sandbank.

Chris

Thorngumbald Low Lighthouse, Paull

Colin Park

Thorngumbald High Lighthouse, Paull

Colin Park

Paull - St Andrew's Church

Colin Park

Flooded Farmland

These flooded fields produced good crops last year, but are unlikely to yield much this year. I spoke to the farmer who farms this land and he says that even if he wanted to re-sow the crops, there are no seeds available now. This is just a small portion of flooded arable land in the Holderness flatlands. The photograph was taken from a drone from 100m up.

Andy Beecroft