From Ruins to Rain in the Dales: A Challenging Afternoon in North Yorkshire

This afternoon was a bit of a mixed bag. With some unexpected free time and no firm plans, I took the opportunity to head down into North Yorkshire, hoping to uncover a few new spots and maybe revisit some familiar ones. As they say, fail to prepare, prepare to fail—and while it wasn’t a complete disaster, today certainly came with its challenges.

The trip started with a stop at the impressive ruins of Ravensworth Castle, before I carried on into the edges of the Yorkshire Dales, aiming for the always-photogenic Old Gang Smelt Mill. Unfortunately, on arrival, I was met with closed footpaths and security, as the area is currently being used as a filming location for a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights. That put a bit of a spanner in the works, so I turned my attention to Arkengarthdale, a rugged and beautiful corner of the Dales that always seems to have something interesting tucked away.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring what I could on foot, battling patches of rain and shifting light, but still managing to find and capture abandoned mines, industrial remnants, and old farm buildings set into the hillside. Each location told its own story of hard work and resilience—though the weather definitely made me work for the shots today.

Let’s take a look at where I ended up…

Ravensworth Castle – North Yorkshire

Ravensworth Castle is an evocative and imposing ruin nestled just north of Richmond in North Yorkshire. Originally constructed in the 14th century, it was built by Henry, 1st Baron FitzHugh, as a fortified manor house. The castle featured a central tower house, with an outer bailey enclosed by defensive walls, towers, and a gatehouse. Over time, the FitzHugh family became powerful figures in the region, and Ravensworth served not only as a defensive stronghold but also as a symbol of their status and influence. The site passed through various noble families, including the Nevilles, before gradually falling into decline. By the 17th century, much of the castle had been dismantled or left to ruin, and today only parts of the tower and curtain walls remain—yet even in ruin, it still commands attention across the surrounding fields.

From above, Ravensworth Castle is both dramatic and haunting, its crumbling walls rising from an open green landscape, stark against the flat farmland around it. The remnants of the central keep and sections of the outer wall are clearly visible from the air, outlining the original footprint of the structure. The contrast between the dark stone and the surrounding grassland gives the site a cinematic feel, particularly when viewed in angled afternoon light. Aerial photography also reveals how the castle was strategically positioned, offering commanding views across the local countryside—reminders of its original purpose as a seat of control. Despite its ruined state, Ravensworth still has a strong presence, and seeing it from above only enhances the sense of history embedded in the landscape.

CB Smelting Mill Remains – Arkengarthdale

The CB Smelting Mill remains are a lesser-known but important piece of Arkengarthdale’s rich lead mining history. The “CB” likely refers to the Company of Blackett, a prominent name in northern lead mining during the 18th and 19th centuries. Smelt mills like this were crucial to the lead industry, where raw ore brought down from the surrounding mines was heated in large hearths to separate the lead from waste material. These processes left behind distinctive remains, such as stone flues, wheel pits, and heavy foundations, often built near water sources to power bellows and ore crushers. Though time has reduced the CB Smelting Mill to little more than fragments and earth-covered outlines, it still tells the story of a once-thriving industrial site that was integral to the dale’s economy.

From the air, the CB Smelting Mill site blends almost seamlessly into the rugged terrain, its features softened by time and the slow encroachment of nature. But with the right light and angle, the tell-tale shapes of walls, processing floors, and spoil heaps emerge, sketching a faint but compelling picture of the site’s past. The long shadows of late afternoonhelped highlight the contours of the ground, revealing subtle details invisible from the path below. Capturing the site this way gives a new perspective on its scale and layout, showing how it was shaped by both function and geography. Though the ruins may be humble, they’re a vital piece of Arkengarthdale’s industrial puzzle, standing quietly as a testament to the people who once worked this land.

Faggergill Mine – Arkengarthdale

Faggergill Mine lies in the rugged hills of Arkengarthdale, part of the northern Yorkshire Dales' once-bustling lead mining district. The mine was part of a wider network of workings in the area, where lead ore extraction formed the backbone of the local economy throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. While little of the infrastructure remains today, Faggergill would once have included shafts, processing areas, and miners’ lodges, supporting a small but industrious community. Today, the most recognisable remnant is the old mine shop, a stone building now repurposed as a shooters’ hut, a nod to the land’s transition from industry to moorland sporting estate. Scattered across the site are extensive spoil heaps, clear indicators of the scale of extraction that once took place here.

By the time I reached the site on foot—after a mile-long walk through steadily darkening skies—the rain had begun to fall, forcing me to capture what I could, quickly. Despite the conditions, the mine shop stood out, its solid stone walls weathering the elements just as they have done for over a century. From above, the curving spoil heaps and subtle outlines of old workings began to emerge, their patterns telling a story of past labour and geological disruption. The wet stone and heather-covered hills added a muted drama to the shots, with the overcast light bringing out the contrasts and textures in the ground. Though the weather made things tricky, the atmosphere suited the location perfectly—bleak, beautiful, and steeped in the echoes of hard work long since passed.

High Faggergill Byre – Arkengarthdale

Perched quietly on the hillside above Arkengarthdale, the High Faggergill Byre is a small, stone-built structure, likely once used as a livestock shelter or storage space for a nearby farmstead. These types of byres were essential in upland farming life, providing protection for cattle or sheep during harsh winters, or a dry space for storing fodder and tools. Its modest size and sturdy construction reflect the practical needs of traditional Dales farming, where resources were few and resilience was essential. While the building now stands unused and open to the elements, it still bears the marks of its working past, with its thick walls and low entrance telling of a time when this landscape was actively managed by hand and hoof.

From the air, the High Faggergill Byre is a lone figure in a wild and open landscape, sitting just below the ridgeline with the moor stretching out beyond. The building’s shape and position suggest its relationship to the now-vanished farm it once supported, and the aerial view helps to place it within that broader agricultural context. The contrast between the angular man-made structure and the organic flow of the hills and drystone walls makes it an eye-catching feature from above. Capturing it under moody skies and changing light, the shots revealed its quiet sense of isolation and endurance—a simple byre that once served a vital role, now standing as a humble but poignant reminder of upland farming traditions.

High Faggergill Lime Kilns – Arkengarthdale

Tucked into the slope near the old byre, the High Faggergill Lime Kilns are a fascinating glimpse into the everyday industry of upland farm life. These small, traditional kilns would have been used by local farmers to burn limestone, producing quicklime—a vital material used to improve acidic soils, whitewash buildings, and sometimes even for mortar and disinfectant purposes. The presence of lime kilns on-site suggests a self-sufficient farming operation, where the land not only supported livestock but also provided the raw materials to make it more productive. Likely dating to the 18th or 19th century, these kilns represent the kind of low-scale but essential rural industry that helped sustain isolated farms in the Yorkshire Dales.

From above, the High Faggergill Lime Kilns appear as weathered stone chambers, half-sunken into the hillside and partially obscured by turf and scree. The aerial perspective helps bring their shape and structure into focus—revealing the arched firebox openings and the remnants of the charging platform above. Surrounded by rugged moorland and the faint outlines of old field boundaries, the kilns feel deeply embedded in the landscape. The light breaking through the clouds during the capture helped pick out the textures in the stonework and the layering of the surrounding hillside, giving a strong sense of the kilns’ placement and purpose. Quiet now, but once burning hot, these kilns are a reminder of how farmers adapted their environment with ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Wrapping Up the Day

Today’s outing was a reminder that even when plans don’t go quite as expected, there’s still plenty to discover—especially in a place like Arkengarthdale, where history clings to every hillside. What started as a spontaneous journey south into North Yorkshire quickly turned into a bit of a detour, thanks to film crews and closed footpaths at Old Gang Smelt Mill (turns out Wuthering Heights is getting a new adaptation!). But while I didn’t capture what I originally set out to, the afternoon was far from wasted.

From the imposing ruins of Ravensworth Castle to the weather-worn remains of Faggergill Mine and the quiet, stoic presence of byres, kilns, and smelt mill foundations, the day turned into a trek through the forgotten fragments of upland life. Even with the on-and-off rain and the scramble for locations, there was something satisfying about finding meaning in the margins—those places that aren’t on the map as tourist highlights, but still have stories to tell through their stones, scars, and setting.

It might not have been a smooth or straightforward adventure, but it was a day full of character, atmosphere, and unexpected gems—and those are often the best ones.