11 moody images that show the Yorkshire Moors in all their glory
Photographers capture the drama and intrigue of the Yorkshire Moors throughout the seasons...
The Yorkshire Moors have long captivated photographers, offering diverse terrain, historic landmarks and dramatic seasonal shifts, from the purple heather-covered hills of late summer to starker landscapes lit by a low winter sun.
With the much-anticipated Emerald Fennell adaptation of Wuthering Heights landing in mid-February, the global spotlight is on this corner of Yorkshire. Brontë’s depiction of the English countryside offers an alternative take to pretty country gardens, finding beauty in the wilder, untamed side of nature.
"Yorkshire is equated with the Gothic due to its drama," photographer Faye Kenny-Broom tells County Living. "The light that changes from one minute to the next — rain, light breaking through the clouds, brooding black skies. Yorkshire stirs emotions, particularly melancholy. Grand old buildings also add drama and mystery through their storied histories."
The photographer adds: "Yorkshire is not conventionally pretty, but it’s the ruggedness and wildness that give it a dark and brooding feel; an antidote to picture-perfect love stories."
In an ode to the Yorkshire countryside and the windswept moors that provide the backdrop for Brontë’s tragic love story, we’ve rounded up some of the most striking photographs of the area and asked UK photographers about what makes the Yorkshire Moors such a unique place to capture.
Winskill Stones
Winskill Stones Nature Reserve is famous for its distinctive limestone terrain on the moorlands above the villages of the Yorkshire Dales. This powerful photograph shows the moody skies of the north of England.
"I strive to capture the scenery in natural light, rather than relying on software," photographer Adam Burton tells us. "This involves being out in the landscape time and time again, usually in the early or late hours of the day, praying to the weather gods to illuminate the scenery."
Lower Trig Point
This photograph of Baildon Moor in West Yorkshire perfectly encapsulates the ancient feel of Yorkshire's moorlands.
"I look at the light, I read the energy, I think about how I want it to feel (or how it makes me feel) and then try to capture this," photographer Faye Kenny-Broom says. "Famous to locals, Lower Trig Point is a popular spot for sitting at sunset to admire views over the valley."
North Yorkshire Moors
The colours of the Yorkshire Moors range from muted browns and greens in the autumn months to rich purple heather hues in late summer. Photographer Faye Kenny-Broom captures the deep, brooding tones of the North Yorkshire Moorlands with this atmospheric image.
"In Yorkshire, there's a feeling of peace and scale and being grounded, which is really comforting in today’s world where everything is now, now, now and faster, faster, faster," the photographer explains.
North Yorkshire Moors
A recurrent motif within photography of the Yorkshire Moors is weather-beaten trees, often Hawthorn or Ash, their shape manipulated by strong winds. In literature, twisted and distorted trees have become synonymous with the Gothic, reflecting the characters' turbulent mental states.
Photographer Adam Gray captures a slanted tree in the morning light, providing a beautiful contrast between light and dark.
Cleveland Hills
The Cleveland Hills are well known as one of the most beautiful spots in the Yorkshire countryside, offering breathtaking views across the North York Moors National Park and beyond, with dramatic sea views to the east.
This striking image from photographer Nick Hill shows the Cleveland Hills at their most dramatic, the sky awash with pink and orange.
North Yorkshire Moors National Park
Hilltops blanketed in rich purple heather provide some of the most beautiful scenes for photographers documenting the Yorkshire countryside. Around a third of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park is covered in heather, a hardy plant that still thrives in the moorland's cooler, harsher conditions.
This photograph by Chris McLoughlin showcases the dramatic colour palette of late summer, with light breaking through moody skies over the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.
West Yorkshire Moors
Faye Kenny-Broom captures the early morning light in winter on the West Yorkshire Moors near the village of Keighley.
Keighley is considered the gateway to Brontë Country, serving as the main transport link for those travelling to Haworth, where the Brontë sisters worked and lived. Yet this peaceful image shows how desolate it soon becomes once you venture out of the villages and towns into the moorland.
North Yorkshire Moors
Photographer Alexander W Helin captures the morning light over a mountain on the North Yorkshire Moors, with a single person walking towards the peak to show its vast scale. The dramatic scenery of the North Yorkshire Moors provides the backdrop to some of the most beloved hiking routes in the north of England, comprising more than 1,400 miles of public footpaths.
Twistleton Scar End
Twistleton Scar End is a geological wonder, with its otherworldly limestone pavements carved by glacial action and erosion. Adam Burton captured this unique landscape as winter light casts an ethereal glow.
"Beautiful, magical light that follows periods of rain and can transform a landscape into something simply incredible," the photographer told us.
Penistone Hill Country Park
Faye Kenny-Broom captures Penistone Hill Country Park in the depths of winter; the perfect location for a frosty dog walk. Penistone Hill Country Park is a stunning 72-hectare moorland just outside Haworth, part of the wider landscape thought to have inspired Wuthering Heights.
"I was born and grew up in Bradford, and although people might not necessarily equate Bradford with beauty, we have Haworth, Ilkley, Saltaire, Otley, the towns along the canal, beautiful walking routes and gorgeous woodland... all in the near distance," the photographer explains.
North Yorkshire Moors
Photographer Chris McLoughlin has captured a rural lane in the North Yorkshire Moors illuminated by the night sky. The North Yorkshire Moors have a distinctly different atmosphere at night, the high concentration of stars creating a magical setting. As an official International Dark Sky Reserve, it's an incredible stargazing spot where hikers and campers can spot thousands of stars in the vast, open sky, as well as the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy.
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