I’ve done quite a few autumnal shoots around Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale over the last few years and on every visit to Guisecliff Wood it had either still been green or all the trees were already bare, so this year I made a visit a little earlier in the autumn than I would normally pick for the best autumn colours elsewhere…

I walked from Pateley Bridge along the River Nidd and past the old Glasshouses Mill Pond which was surrounded by autumn colour and the boat house made a nice subject reflected in the still water.

There is an interesting old summerhouse near the mill pond built as part of the Castlestead estate in 1860 by George Metcalfe, then owner of Glasshouses Mill, which also looked nice surrounded by early autumn trees.

At Glasshouses I crossed the river and headed up towards the imposing Guise Cliff ahead and into the woodland.  I spent some time around Guisecliff Tarn which was very still and quiet and the overcast light was great for reflections in the water.  The woods are quite dense here with lots of gnarled old oak tress so I spent some time trying to get images amongst the quite complex landscape.

There are some impressive gritstone rocks at one end of the tarn, covered in moss and lichen and surrounded by nice autumn colour in the trees and the bracken starting to die back.

Heading through the woods I emerged on the top of Guise Cliff and walked along the Nidderdale Way to a viewpoint over the dale showing nice autumn colours in the trees below.

Further along the path arrives at Two Stoops (or Yorke’s Folly).  This area is always a favourite in late summer when the heather is in full bloom, but the dying heather and bracken made a lovely autumnal display to round off the shoot before descending back through Bewerley to Pateley Bridge.

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