Our Bloggers

Seb Mankelow – Ranger

Key parts to my role… ‘My patch’ is mainly the outlying Trust properties across the north east of the Yorkshire Dales, specifically Hudswell Woods in Swaledale and the in-hand woodland at Braithwaite Hall, Coverdale. I organise and undertake the maintenance of these sites with assistance from the Ranger Team. I also work with our dedicated volunteers and help with our busy events program. Part of my role also involves working with the local community, schools, tenant farmers, and partner organisations to help promote and conserve the woodland and meadows for all to enjoy.

My favourite part of the job… The diversity and contrast of day-to-day work. I enjoy feeling properly tired at the end of a good days walling; chatting to passing visitors about the work we do or interesting birds in the area; or catching up with regular walkers (and their dogs) at Hudswell Woods. Working outside in all weathers in the Yorkshire Dales is also very special, I greatly value feeling connected to our environment.

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales Team… I have juggled a variety of activities: environmental/ecology contract work, leading overseas trekking holidays, two degrees, researching agricultural change and irrigation development in the Indian Himalaya, gardening, camera assistant, even a few years of Industrial Roped Access.

My favourite National Trust property… I’m not sure I have a favourite yet. I really enjoy the gardens at Glendurgan in Cornwall, Rhossili and the South Gower Coast in Wales is also pretty special. On a sunny spring morning the countryside properties in the Lake District are hard to beat.

My favourite place to take a picture in the Yorkshire Dales… Looking down the dale from the deer shed above Redmire Wood, Upper Wharfedale.

Favorite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit… Chocolate or jam sponge with thick middle icing.

Peter Welsh – Ecologist and Wildlife Engagement Officer

What the key parts to my role are… The most important parts of my job are firstly to keep a close eye on the wildlife on our land in the Dales, working with our rangers and tenant farmers to make sure we restore and enhance nature where we can and secondly to engage with and enthuse members, local people and visitors about the nature and ecology.

My favourite part of the job… It’s difficult to choose one favourite part, so I have cut it down to three – getting out and enjoying the amazing nature on our estate; talking about it to people who are interested; and working with a great team.

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales Team… I trained as a botanist and ecologist and have worked most of my career with the government’s nature conservation organisation (now called Natural England), first in Oxfordshire then in Cumbria and for the last 20 years or so in Yorkshire.  I ended up managing lots of staff and big budgets for agri-environmental schemes and it has been a refreshing change to get back on the ground and in touch with nature and people there.

My favourite National trust property… The Yorkshire Dales of course, second favourite is the Lake District, but there are also lots of fantastic houses. . .

My favourite place to take a picture in the Yorkshire Dales… Looking across Malham Tarn on a clear frosty morning.

Favorite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit… I’ve always been particularly keen on chocolate éclairs!

Tom French – Apprentice Builder

What the key parts of my role are… The main aspects of my role are the maintenance and repairs to the various different properties held by the National Trust. These range from small field barns and farmhouses, to a number of holiday cottages up for let all year round.

My favourite part of the job is… This is a very rewarding job with some historic buildings within our portfolio and cracking views every day, even if the weather isn’t always kind.

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales Team… Before I joined the Yorkshire Dales Team I worked in a local butchers alongside various other building jobs across the area. Born and bred in the Yorkshire Dales I’ve lived up here all my life.

My favourite National trust property is… My favourite NT property is the Yorkshire Dales, the vast countryside, farms, stock and wildlife. Not to mention its in the UK’s best county too!

My favourite place to take a picture in the Yorkshire Dales… I don’t have a favourite, but the views from the top of Malham moor down the Aire Valley are brilliant, so it’s either that or the views in a similar direction from Embsay Crag or Crookrise.

Favorite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit… Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake

Cassie Williams – Ranger

What the key parts of my role are…One of the key parts of my role is conserving the Yorkshire Dales through undertaking practical countryside management so you will most likely spot me building a fence or repairing a section of dry stone wall. Another key element of my role is to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience when you visit the dales.

My favourite part of the job is…The variety of activities I undertake. One day I can be building and hanging a gate for one of our tenant farmers and the next day I can be assisting with our extended school visits to the property.

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales Team… I worked as a Trainee Reserve Officer for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and then worked for the Forestry Commission as a Shadow Ranger.

My favourite National trust property is…Aside from the Yorkshire Dales my favourite property has to be Godrevy. This stretch of sandy beach around St Ives bay is a regularly visited holiday spot of mine and is perfect for learning to surf; if you look carefully you might spot a young seal swimming alongside you.

My favourite place to take a picture in the Yorkshire Dales… Is in Upper Wharfedale just above Hubberhome, there is an old cairn atop of the hill and on a clear day you can see all the way down the valley to Kettlewell.  The picture below was taken in the snow early this month.

Favorite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit… My top two favourites are chocolate fudge cake and chocolate chip shortbread.

Peter Katic – Ranger

My favourite National Trust property is.. My favourite is an area of open countryside, Wasdale in the Lake District. It’s got the grandest mountains of Great Gable and Scafell Pike, which rise up from the valley floor with it’s jigsaw pattern of small dry-stone walled fields at the valley head and the magnificent Screes that tower over the lake itself.

My favourite place to take a picture is.. in the Dales, from Kidstones Pass as you enter Wharfedale from Bishopdale. I like it for it’s terraced landscape effect with the small hamlet of Cray in the valley bottom. An time of year it’s great but winter and spring are when it is at it’s most atmospheric.

Favourite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit… sticky toffee pudding.

Roisin Black – Ranger

My favourite part of the job is… I love how varied the job is, I do so many different things that it really keeps you on your toes.  I really enjoy working with the National Trust team in the Yorkshire Dales.  The team is full of people who are passionate about what they do and we have a good time working together.  Having said all that I think my absolute favourite part of the job is that every day I find something that makes me smile or say “wow”, whether it is new lambs running in the field or a great view or something else, I get at least one of those moments every day.  I’m very lucky.

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales Team  When I was 10 me and my favourite teddy had packed our bag and where ready to leave my home in Belfast to go and join Green Peace in their latest protest, I think my mum and dad knew I was destined to be a Ranger at that moment!  My mum and dad did manage to talk me out of leaving home and over the years have helped me figure out what it was I want to do.  I started by getting a Geography degree at Queens University in Belfast and then a Masters in Ecology and Environmental Management in Liverpool.  While doing my degrees I volunteered with the Mourne Heritage Trust, a number of ecology firms doing surveys and worked for a short time for the Department of the environment in Northern Ireland.  I then left Northern Ireland and went to train for a year in dry stone walling and traditional conservation skills with Northumberland National Park.  After that I worked for just over 2 years with Lancashire Wildlife Trust which was hard work but great fun, partly because of the team I worked with but mainly because I got to drive big diggers and dumper trucks!  And now I am here…..

My favourite National Trust property is.. While I dearly love the Yorkshire Dales my favourite property has to be the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland.  It is an amazing place.  It not only appeals to the geology geek within but I think it is such a beautiful place with myth and legend in the landscape.

My favourite place to take a picture is..  My favourite place is at Highfolds looking across the limestone pavement towards Great Close and beyond.

My favourite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit is.. Anything with chocolate or my granny’s jam buns.

Richard Kirby – Ranger

What the key parts of my role are …. As Rangers we perform many tasks. We help with all the events. Last year I even supervised a Vogue photo shoot! We help with monitoring on the Estate. I mostly work with Cassie and Roisin around the Yorkshire Dales and Seb at Hudswell Woods. Our main role is to support Peter and Tony with practical conservation. Maintaining the various habitats; as well as repairing the walls, fences and paths we are responsible for. As some of the other members of the team are new, I can show them the around the Estate and the local area, introduce them to the Tenants and make sure they feel at home. I help Liz, the Academy Ranger with her training.

My favourite part of the job is……The variety of work we do. If we are doing a boring job one week I know that we are likely to do something more interesting another week. I also enjoy working with the rest of the Ranger team as even when the weather is bad we put on waterproofs and keep each other going; and as Roisin says we work hard and have fun!

Life before joining the Yorkshire Dales team…. I have worked for the Countryside Warden Service around Keighley and Haworth (Worth Valley) area. I worked for the National Trust in the Yorkshire Dales on Employment Training Schemes doing both building work and estate work and I worked as a volunteer at Malham Tarn and in Upper Wharfedale while studying at Craven College, I did a lot of the same jobs that I do now. I was then taken on to be part of the Estate Team as an Estate Worker / Warden for about 8 years. Then last year I became a Ranger. I was brought up in Langcliffe and Settle and went to Primary School with one of the tenant farmers. While at Settle High School I did work experience with the National Park Wardens at Malham and Clapham, I also helped out at local farms. On and off I have done estate work for most of my life.

My favourite National Trust property is….. I suppose I should say the Yorkshire Dales as it’s where I work and I was brought up here. But I like the area around St. Patrick’s Chapel on the Heysham Coast, because it is different to here. I don’t often go to the seaside, so it makes a change to look at the Power Station and watch Ferries going in and out. Or watch the sea on a stormy day. To make Peter happy the Lake District is quite nice as well!

My favourite place to take a picture is….. I think almost anywhere in the Dales is a good place to take a picture, but a good place to take a picture from is by Capon Hall looking towards Great Close (especially at dawn). Moor End above Kettlewell is also a good place.

My favourite type of cake/pudding/gateaux/biscuit is.. I think any cake that my sister or Roisin has made is my favourite. But I do like Black Forest Gateaux, with extra cream.