Sunday Jan 10, 2010 at 18:17

Resurfacing

Stormy St. Abbs (click image for larger view)

It’s been a while. Since my last post here I’ve been back to the UK twice, once for a very enjoyable wedding in London and again for a couple of weeks at Christmas and New Year with family. Opportunities for photography have been limited, unfortunately, however I did get out briefly around New Year.

Alice and I had the pleasure of spending New Year (or, I should say, Hogmanay) with friends in Edinburgh. On the drive up from Newcastle where we were staying we took a brief diversion to St. Abbs Head, a prominent location on the Berwickshire coastline.

As many of you will have heard, the UK has been in the grip of one of the most severe winters in years for the past three weeks. On Dec 30th when the image above was taken, temperatures were slightly milder (just above freezing), but a strong wind was blowing from the northeast, bringing with it some high seas on north eastern coastlines. Some hints of some really great light here, but we sadly didn’t have time to linger to see how it would develop.

Skiddaw from Derwent Water (click image for larger view)

After New Year, we drove over to the Lake District for a brief overnight stay in Keswick. Last time I’d been here was in October 2004 as part of our honeymoon. With the recent snows, all the mountains were covered white, something I don’t think I’d ever seen before.

I was intrigued to see what impression the peaks of the Lake District would make after three years living next to the Colorado Rockies (54 peaks over 14,000 feet; compare England’s highest – Scafell Pike at 3,209 feet). Despite their fractional size, the setting of these peaks, surrounding snaking sculpted glacial valleys, allows them to tower above visitors. There’s no doubting you’re in the company of real mountains.

One location I’ve long wanted to visit (having driven straight past the signs countless times as a child) was Castlerigg Stone Circle. Located close to Keswick, the well-loved contours of Blencathra form a stunning backdrop to what is one of the largest and best-preserved neolithic sites in the area.

Blencathra rises up behind Castlerigg Stone Circle (click image for larger view)

I hadn’t expected to catch it covered in snow. Dawn was perfectly clear, so no great skies to shoot. However, when the sun cleared the ridge around 9:25am, the stones lit beautifully. The only thing more you could wish for would be fresh snow free of visitors’ footprints. Oh well, maybe in twenty years next time there’s a winter like this one.

Posted in Locations

Stephen · Sunday, January 10, 2010, 18:17 · Permalink

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