Meet the elements at Elmet

The panoramic views from Elmet Farmhouse are spectacular in all seasons and whatever the weather. These photographs record the ever-changing colours of the landscape and the remarkable light effects at different times of day and various times of year.

The artist W.M. Turner would have loved this spot with its dramatic ravines and big skies. The views from Elmet Farmhouse are like Turner paintings in 3D.

In winter, snow transforms the rolling countryside into a glittering white wonderland. When spring arrives, the sun bounces off the vivid green meadows on the shoulders of the hills. In June buttercups and sorrel infuse the fields with a dichroic tinge of yellow and red.

After the hay has been cut in summer, the meadows briefly turn straw-coloured before greening up again as new grass starts to grow. Then, in August, the moors turn a vivid shade of purple as the heather comes into bloom. 

In autumn, the woods in the valleys take on glorious golden and russet hues. After the trees have shed their leaves in November, their feathery silhouettes fringe the meadows along the tree line at the top of the wood. Even in December there are flashes of colour as the low winter light illuminates the tussocky grasses and rocky outcrops on the distant hills.

River of Mist

If you’re lucky you might see the magical River of Mist during your stay, a remarkable phenomenon unique to this area. Usually it forms early in the morning as the sun rises and fog starts to lift, but sometimes it appears later in the day after heavy rain.

Moisture is trapped in the steep-sided wooded valleys. Swathes of mist swirl around clinging to the hills, with Stoodley Pike and Heptonstall church peeping through on the tops.

There is nothing quite like the magical River of Mist – and Elmet Farmhouse gives you a bird’s eye view.

© Text and images copyright Lesley Jackson