Light and Shade Amongst the Trees

Posted on 31/10/201331/10/2013 by Alastair

On my walk through the woods at Cwm Green on the Gower in South Wales, I felt like I was walking through ancient woodland. I cannot say how long the trees have been there but I know, from the evidence, that they are managed – there was even a footpath, thought not very well defined in places.

The woods are on hilly ground and so there were times when I was deep in the shadowy depths, and others when the effect of the sunlight making its way between the trunks or shining on autumn leaves in the canopy was . . . (searching for a word here) . . . emotional!

The first image I have posted today is one of those few occasions when I felt that a black and white panoramic crop was the best representation of the scene. The last photo is looking out of the woods and across the fields to Parc-Le-Breos House, a fantastic bed and breakfast hotel in whose grounds the woods are situated.

You can use the new Donate button below to help StillWalks. Pay how much you want and receive a high quality download of this week’s featured StillWalks video – “Woodland Walk” which is from Penllergaer Woods near Swansea, South wales. Click the image below to watch the video.

The Rolling Out of Autumn

Posted on 29/10/201329/10/2013 by Alastair

Autumn comes at different times in different places, even within a relatively small geographic radius. A few weeks ago I was at Cwm Green on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales and, as you can see in the second photo, the trees are just starting to change colour.

I am hoping that the recent strong winds we have been getting here will not shorten the process of falling leaves too much as there are a couple of places I would like to catch for a StillWalks production during this process.

This week’s photos and sounds (lots of pheasants) are from my early morning walk at Cwm Green although the featured StillWalks video this week is from another nearby woodland.

The pheasants and many other sounds can be heard below.

Botanic Gardens, Swansea – Textures and Patterns

Posted on 25/10/201325/10/2013 by Alastair

It seems I have a Swansea Parks theme this week! Following my visit to Cwmdonkin Park, I went down to the Botanic Gardens in Singleton Park. I had gone there to attend a Walking Forum meeting but arrived early. I had my camera with me and so took a few shots of some of the flowers in their various stages for the current season.

I am embarrassed to say I do not know the names of these particular plants – embarrassed because I probably could have made a note of them in the gardens at the time. Also because I have not been able to identify them since as I don’t have enough visual information. The photos are all details of the heads and not the foliage or the rest of the plant, making it difficult to see the context in which the plant is growing.

Being more interested in the patterns and textures than the plant identification at the time of photography, it is not the first time I have not considered that I may be curious about this later on or, indeed, require it for a blog post such as this.

If anyone can identify these two plants, I would be very grateful.

You can use the new Donate button below to help StillWalks. Pay how much you want and receive a high quality download of this week’s featured StillWalks video – “Autumn Lakeside Walk” from Gnoll Park, Neath, South Wales. Click the image below to watch the video.

Cwmdonkin Water

Posted on 23/10/201323/10/2013 by Alastair

Cwmdonkin Flowers

Posted on 22/10/201322/10/2013 by Alastair

I know Cwmdonkin Park in Swansea has had some development work done in it recently but I do not know if that work included the flower beds. I wonder what flowers were there when Swansea’s poet, Dylan Thomas, used and wrote about the place.

Echinacea

Cwmdonkin Park Recce, Swansea

Posted on 21/10/201321/10/2013 by Alastair

Last week I had an unexpected walk around Cwmdonkin Park in Swansea. The park is well known for its association with Swansea’s very own poet Dylan Thomas and it has recently had some work carried out in it with a grant from European funds.

It was a good time to be there as this work had been completed and the colours were changing with the season. The sun was shining and if it hadn’t been for the noise pollution of a park worker blowing leaves away with a noisy machine, it would have been perfect. The noise (which eventually stopped) did not stop me getting a number of photos on my iPhone and I will be posting these here through the week.

This weeks featured StillWalks video can be viewed at the bottom of this post and last week’s video will revert to the sample version.

Autumn Lakeside

Posted on 20/10/201320/10/2013 by Alastair

Some advance images from next week’s featured StillWalks video – “Autumn Lakeside Walk” from Gnoll Park, Neath, South Wales.

This is the last day for this week’s featured video “Quarry Walk – Autumn Rain”. You can see this at the bottom of this post.

You can use the new Donate button below to help StillWalks. Pay how much you want and receive a high quality download of this week’s featured StillWalks video. Click the image below to watch the video.

Old Industry

Posted on 19/10/201319/10/2013 by Alastair

Behind the new apartments and Discovery Centre in the Millennium Coastal Park at Llanelli, there is another discovery to be made. Llanelli has recently been seeing some significant developments and they are good to see.

However, just because something is old and unused does not mean it has no interest. Walking back towards the Discovery Centre, the remains of industry in the area can be seen and I was drawn over to take a closer look. All photos taken on my iPhone.