riverside trees

My Walk this Week 136 – London Embankment

My walk this week is along the London Embankment from Tate Britain to Tate Modern. The route is a melting pot of people from everywhere and a multitude of sounds ranging from the lapping of the River Thames following the passage of river boats, to music and talking and footsteps and skateboards and birds and more and more.

disappearing steps

But the soundscape was not cacophonous, the streets and walk-ways were (mostly) not overcrowded. While I was amazed at the place, the people, the buildings, the river activity, I was not overwhelmed or oppressed by them. Continue reading

Fen grasses

Back at the Bramble Beginning – Reviewing the Walk

Looking back from the bramble beginning by the road on my walk this week along the Tennant Canal near Swansea, South Wales, I can see and hear again some of the varied natural and industrial features of this environment that I enjoy so much.

return to the road

I first discovered the beauty of this place on a guided walk with a bird specialist who worked his magic at identifying and translating all the birds and, seemingly, their conversations. The ability the human brain has for focusing our senses in different ways is remarkable but there is no questionContinue reading

Canal Crossings

Canal Crossings and A Reeding List

The shapes and forms, colours and textures, light and shade of todays images from my walk this week along the Tennant Canal in Swansea, reflect both the weather conditions and the time of year. The various structures crossing the canal provided me with different views of the water and the reeds along the banks had thinned somewhat and reminded me of a list – a list of leaves or indeed, a reeding list!

Canal Containment

I love the “containment” of water reflections created by the shadows of the low railway bridge and the jigsaw of colourful stones mirrored by the canal’s still surface.Continue reading

Dark Mirror

Dark Still Mirror and Expanding Ripples

My walk this week took me under and over a number of structures spanning the Tennant Canal – railway track, vehicle track, road, motorway, footbridge and gantry. Underneath these the sound changed and the dark mirror that was the still water of the canal was broken by expanding ripples as drips dripped from the structures above.

expanding ripples

Walking over the gantry and footbridge gave me a slightly elevated view of the of the woodland reflections in the dark water. That does not mean the water was dark, in fact it was beautifully clear.Continue reading

Monochrome

River Ouse York – Reviewing the Walk

Back near the start of my walk this week in York, I came out of the trees towards the urban landscape. Having enjoyed my walk along the banks of the River Ouse, albeit a wet one, I felt that this and one or two other shots along my way deserved a monochrome treatment.

Monochrome Mast

I am not sure of my reasoning for producing them as black and white images, they just seemed to work better for me in this format. You can see them along with selected colour shots from my walk below as well as my soundscape for the walk and a video clip of the rowers I passed first on my way into town and then again on my way back.

Continue reading

Blue Bridge, York

Over and On the River – Bridges and Rowers in York

My walk this week took me down the River Ouse to Skeldergate Bridge in the city of York. After climbing up to the bridge from the east bank of the river I first crossed over the bridge and then the road to descend and go under the bridge and continue my walk back along the west bank.

River Ouse from Skeldergate

Along my way into town I passed a team of four rowers practicing their craft on the Ouse and heading out in the direction of the Millennium Bridge where I had first crossed the river.Continue reading

Passing Underneath

The puddle below tells the story of the weather and the long horned cows underneath the M4 motorway bridge know that story as well as the farmer and I do. Having constructed a coral for his cattle the farmer has given some convenient shelter to these mothers with their calves and allowed me to walk without fear of being pronged by one of those sharp looking objects.

The railway bridge which also crosses this footpath is made of older material than concrete and the various colours of the stone used create a fascinating pattern within pattern in the construction of the bridge. You will have to watch the video at the end of the week to see more.

Under the motorway

puddle reflection

colourful railway bridge stone