Coldstones Cut - the man-made landmark with stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales

On a perfect spring day like this, there are few places in the country that can rival the Yorkshire Dales – and this stunning photograph captures it perfectly as the sun sinks on the horizon.

For those of you that don’t recognise this corner of the Dales it is Coldstones Cut, which overlooks a nearby quarry at Greenhow Hill high above Pateley Bridge with spectacular views out across Nidderdale.

It’s actually a giant sculpture created by the artist Andrew Sabin that opened in 2010 and quickly became a popular spot. It’s easy to see why. It is a huge construction designed so that visitors can freely walk through it and explore the sculpture while also enjoying some breathtaking vistas.

That said, it’s easier, cheaper and nearly as rewarding, to park your car and make the short uphill trek in order to see this impressive creation – a winding, climbing, branching structure built out of huge limestone blocks – up close and personal.

Located just two miles outside Pateley Bridge, it’s part artwork and part building project and cleverly taps into the history of the surrounding landscape.

Commissioned by Nidderdale visual arts, Sabin was inspired by the area’s rich industrial past.

Part of its appeal, though, is that you don’t need any prior knowledge to appreciate the scale and splendour of these ‘streets’ and the various winding paths leading to the viewing platform.

Coldstones Cut sits nearly 1,400 feet above sea level and on a clear day it’s possible to see York Minster in the distance, and over towards parts of West Yorkshire.

Before the lockdown it was a popular visitor attraction and it no doubt will be once again.

Until that time, we’ll just have to make do with stunning photographs like this one and marvel at this piece of man-made brilliance.

Technical details: Nikon D4 camera, 24-70mm lens, 1/320th second @ f11, ISO400.

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