Winner announced in our Inntravel and Gazette & Herald photography competition

Martin, who lives in Scarborough, was delighted to win the prize of a four-day walking holiday in Northumberland, courtesy of ‘slow holiday’ specialist Inntravel of Whitwell-on-the-Hill.

And he was even more thrilled to have beaten his father John’s entry.

Martin said he took up photography as a result of his father’s interest in the subject, and he readily accepts it has become an obsession – which his wife Samantha is reportedly less than happy about.

Martin said: “Winning the holiday is fantastic. We never had a honeymoon and Samantha has never let me forget that. So at last now we are having a holiday just the two of us without the children. She says its her reward for putting up with me dragging them all over with me to take pictures.”

Of his winning picture, Martin said: “It was a lucky shot, really. We’d actually got lost and were trying to get back to the road. We’d been past the lime kilns and I saw this sheep looking at us as if we had no right to be there.

“We walked up the slope towards it and it didn’t budge, so I took a shot, then moved closer by a couple of steps, then took another shot, and did that a few more times. It just kept looking at me, then suddenly it turned tail and ran.”

Simon Wrench, Inntravel’s head of marketing, who was a judge of the competition alongside Sarah Hyde, Gazette editor, and Frank Dwyer, award-winning Gazette photographer, said: “It has been incredibly difficult to judge this competition. I was amazed at not only the quality of the images but also the subject matter – beautiful farmland, stately homes, historic buildings and ruined abbeys, the Moors, steam trains, shows, animals, snow, fabulous sunrises and sunsets, big skies, rivers, celebrations, events, family occasions and, of course, people – plenty to make us smile.

“It really should remind us to be thankful for those things that surround us on a daily basis; that we should not take them for granted and, instead, treasure them on a daily basis.

“It is exactly these sort of moments that we encourage people to experience on an Inntravel holiday and then they have such jewels to treasure for ever.”

Of Martin’s picture, Simon said: “The lighting and composition of this photograph is stunning. It conveys the drama of the moors and our area’s agricultural life beautifully and captures a special moment brilliantly.”

Sarah Hyde said: “When we launched this competition it was to celebrate the fact that the Gazette is now full-colour with first-rate print quality, combined with taking a fresh look at the glorious Ryedale scenery and sights.

“All the entries we received were of superb quality and the shortlisted entries we published in last week’s paper summed up what we set out to achieve.”

What The judges said about their other favourites

'The priceless expression on the girl’s face – a lovely moment that will strike a chord with many during our fabulous shows'
Photographer: Susan Kime

'With sheep on frosted ground and the gallops behind captured in the light of a setting sun, this is quintessential Ryedale and a moment of beauty'
Photographer: Jonathan Tyson

'The morning sun, the clouds, the mist and the resulting effect make for an arresting view of this iconic building'
Photographer: Richard Egan

'A really stylish composition that really invites the viewer to get out and stride across the moors'
Photographer: Richard Burdon