Keep Out!

A first visit to Skinningrove for us on the NE coast just south of Saltburn on a very grey day. We saw the sun very briefly this morning and I mean briefly - a mere flash as I opened the curtains. Skinningrove was an important iron works in the 19 century and the cliffs are formed of the slag waste that was poured straight out of the foundry and over the original cliff and down towards the sea.

The pier is an industrial legacy and there are old photographs of quite large boats being moored here ready to take the iron-ore away from the site. This pier is now in a derelict state but is a popular venue with fishermen and regarded as one of the best land based sea-fishing sites in the country. There have been various moves to try and get it restored without success. It was partly built with the slag from the ironworks and apparently during the 2nd World War some sappers tried to blow it up to prevent any use being made by invading German forces. All they succeeded in doing was knocking out a small chink!

I've got my eye on a long exposure seascape here but the tide was in the wrong place at the time we were there. Maybe another visit tomorrow.