The last hundred years or so the Franklins have lived in and around Keighley in West Yorkshire. My grandmother came from a village in the Worth Valley called Oxenhope and my Grandfather hailed from Utley on the edge of Keighley. I have never lived in this part of the world but it is my spiritual home and I love the surrounding dales deeply. I have walked many of them over the years.
Elsie Ruth Annie
My Granmother
Perhaps my very favourite place in all the World is Malham. These days it is a popular tourist destination and has to have a huge car park but I remember it when only Dalesmen knew of it. These photos were taken during Easter 2000.
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| Malham Cove is a spectacular location. A river flows from its base. | Gordale scar is a collapsed cavern. The scramble top the top is tough but worthwhile though sadly, erosion has now made it frowned upon by National Park authorities. |
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Above the Cove you can see some superb limestone pavement. This is an increasingly rare phenomena as so much has been removed for sale in garden centres. Most surviving pavements are now protected. If you see any in garden centres - don't buy it! |
Malham geology - these links take you to a couple of maps I drew as a student.
Before the Second World War my father walked these hills and stayed at the Malham youth hostel and when I first courted my wife we walked all over the area. The beer in the area is good too, ranging from Theakstons to Timothy Taylors.
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This is Aysgarth Falls, some distance North of Malham. There is a good youth hostel here and lovely walking - "All Creatures Great and Small" was filmed nearby. Needless to say the pubs are excellent in the nearby villages. | Click on this text to go to the YHA home page. |