Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.

Sunrise in Malhamdale

These photos of the spinney at Eshton were take nearly a month ago on an early morning drive up to The Lake District. I had wanted to set off a bit earlier and get up to The Lakes before the sun rose but it wasn't to be. As luck would have it though, the turn off for Malham was on my way so it was only a short detour to my journey and I was well rewarded.

It was a cold and frosty morning and the low sun gave some brilliant shadows, so much so that even the local sheep seemed impressed by it all or maybe they were just surprised and shocked that there was some idiot taking photos at that time of day!

Within minutes of me taking these photos the frost had melted and the moment gone.

Sunrising in Malhamdale

Looking towards Flasby Fell

Malhamdale Sunrise

Eshton Trees

Malhamdale

Eshton Sunrise

Winter photography in Wharfedale

Saying winter arrived was a bit of an exaggeration as there was only a couple of inches of snow in the fields and the roads were all clear. I know everyone says we don't have the winters and snow like we used to have but its true, we don't. I'll grant you that last year was bad when the Beast From The East raised its ugly head but that was just a one off occurrence.

My day was another day when I wish I'd have taken a zoom lens with me. I would have loved to have got some close-ups of those three trees in the enclosure but unfortunately I only had my 24-70mm lens. The 70-300mm would have been ideal and also it would have given me the opportunity to get some close ups of the trees on Barden Fell too.

For the most part it was a cloudy day but the sun did break through later in the afternoon when I was up near Kettlewell. This gave some good light but even so, I still prefer the shots I took earlier in the day near Appletreewick. There's a certain simplicity and minimalism to them which I really like, especially the ones I took of the clump of trees and dry stone wall.

In future when I go out for a drive, I think my best bet will be to have both lenses in the car so I can chop and change when the need arises. If I had been going for a walk then I would have had my photography rucksack with me which would have had both lenses in anyway.

It's very frustrating thinking that you have missed out on a opportunity through your own bad decision making.

Howgill, Wharfedale

Barden Fell Plantation

Barden Fell

Enclosure

Disappearing Act

Near Appletreewick

S Bend

Trees near Appletreewick

Break in the wall

Close up on nature

Stangs Lane, Appletreewick

The River Wharfe at Kettlewell

Lambing time approaches

Wharfedale trees

A magical and surreal Ogden Clough

The weather wasn't too good and deteriorated even further the nearer I got to Ogden Water. It had been a still morning and I had hoped for the low cloud to lift and for the sun to maybe break through. This would have given me some great light to work with plus a chance for some reflection shots but it wasn't to be.

Actually it would have been so easy not to go out at all and just stay at home and have a lazy day but sometimes its good to push yourself and work in more challenging conditions. If the photos work then its a bonus, if they don't then you haven't really lost anything; plus you will hopefully learn from your mistakes for the next time. Also, good or bad, you are getting a bit of exercise and keeping the grey matter ticking over at the same.

I've been in the Clough many times and in all sorts of weather. Today though, the snow turned it in to a rather magical and surreal place which gave it an atmosphere I have never experienced on my previous visits. With it being so cold and never getting any sun, all the snow was sticking to the branches of the and leaves on the trees, rocks and grasses; this made it as near to being a winter wonderland as you could get. I'm not too sure about all of the compositions though. Some are good, some are not so good and some are poor but, as in anything you do in life, you only learn by trial and error.

Before going back to the car, I walked up on to the golf course which was a total white out and bloody freezing. It can be a pretty bleak place even in the middle of summer as most of the holes are over 1000ft above sea level but when the snow and mist are down, its hard to imagine that there is a golf course there at all.

Anyway I took a few random shots up there and then beat a hasty retreat back down to the car. In ten minutes I was back home, the heating was on, a warm cuppa was in my hand and I was sat there feeling chuffed at having made the effort and got out. My only reservation was that I didn't take a zoom lens with me which meant I couldn't pick out closer and more intimate scenes so that is something to consider in future.