A Strid Wood Engagement Shoot at Bolton Abbey: Cows, Old Stone and a Sunset Kiss
Some engagement shoots start with a location. Charlotte and George’s started with cows. Charlotte loves them and Verity is slightly scared of them. By the end of the evening, the two of them were silhouetted against a deep blue and orange sky with a cow standing either side.
Strid Wood: ancient oak woodland on the Bolton Abbey Estate
Strid Wood hugs the banks of the River Wharfe on the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales, just up from Bolton Abbey itself. It’s an ancient woodland and one of the largest remnants of sessile oak in the Dales, first opened to the public in 1810 by the 6th Duke of Devonshire and the Rev. William Carr. Colour-coded nature trails follow surfaced paths through the trees, and bluebells flower there in late April and early May, followed by wild garlic.
At its heart is the Strid itself, where the Wharfe suddenly narrows and forces its way through a channel in the rock at great pressure. It’s beautiful, but genuinely dangerous: lives have been lost there, and the estate asks everyone to stay well back from the edge.
It’s a fantastic walk, taking in some lovely views of the river, and it’s a short drive from where Verity and I got married, almost two years before this shoot.
Cows, cycling and a peaceful evening walk
We love getting to know our couples. It’s one of the best things about our job, and it really helps us blend in on the day when couples feel relaxed around us. When Charlotte and George popped round to visit us the year before, we spent hours and hours chatting. We covered everything from the wedding to Charlotte’s true love, cows, and George’s love of cycling.
So when we were looking at locations for their engagement shoot, it pretty much went without saying that it had to include somewhere with cows, much to Verity’s disappointment!
We didn’t actually realise the wood would be closed at sunset, but it did mean we had a lovely, peaceful walk. The evening light came through the trees in a soft gold haze. An old ruined stone tower with battlements made the backdrop as Charlotte, in a bright patterned top with her hair braided back, threw her arms round George, who was all smiles. Then, as the sky turned deep blue and orange, we found the cows, and the two of them kissed on the skyline with one standing either side.
Talking about anything but the wedding
Much like when Charlotte and George first popped over to visit, most of our time was spent talking about things that had nothing to do with the wedding. That’s always a sure sign that things will go brilliantly on the day itself, because we know we’ll be photographing an awesome bride and groom.
Why we love an engagement shoot at Strid Wood
If you’re thinking about Bolton Abbey for your own engagement shoot, here’s our honest take:
- Make it about you. Charlotte loves cows, so we found some. The more personal the shoot, the more the photos feel like yours.
- Check the opening times. We didn’t realise the wood closed at sunset. It worked out, but check before planning a golden-hour shoot.
- Stay well back from the Strid. The river there is beautiful but dangerous, so keep photos to the paths and the safer banks.
- Come for the bluebells. Late April and early May bring bluebells under the oaks, followed by wild garlic.
Planning an engagement shoot in the Yorkshire Dales?
We love an excuse to get out into the Dales. Browse our Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to plan your own shoot, cows optional.
See also: Wedding at Charlotte & George – Oakwell Hall.
