Following the Wind – Reviewing the Walk

water falling over weir

On this walk I was following the wind and focused more on that than anything else. The soundscape below along with the images will hopefully help you to accompany me on this walk during that day of Storm Doris.

I ended the documentation of the walk at the weir on the Afon Dulais river where the roar of water collected by the river overnight overwhelmed any amount of noise the wind was making.

Continue reading

Stepping Stones and Wind in Pylons

stepping stones

Descending on my walk this week into the base of the valley, proof of other (helpful) walkers is evident from the arrangement of  stepping stones through an expansive puddle. From here I climbed up a steep hillside track to arrive on the opposite side of the valley and a return to the double rows of electricity pylons.

Continue reading

Rising Wind

hilltop view of 11 arched bridge

Rising slightly higher on my third walk up above the valley I began to get better views across the estuary. As this was the day of Storm Doris (Doris Day!), the wind was also rising or at least it sounded like it was.

The trees clustered round the phone mast on the top of Goppa hill are mostly coniferous and I have noted in the past that a different sound is created by the wind blowing through these rather than deciduous, broad leaved trees.

Continue reading

My Walk this Week – Valley Walks 3, Storm Doris

Trees in wind

My walk this week is the third of my walks on consecutive days in my local valley, Cwm Dulais. Where the previous day was misty, this walk was windy – in fact I did this walk on the day of Storm Doris. We did not have the strength of wind that some other parts of the country received but it was notable all the same.

The most interesting aspect of the walk was the sound and how it changed at different stages of the walk – see (listen) below.

Continue reading

Valley Walk 2 – Reviewing the Walk

hillside lane

Nearing the end of my walk this week, the second of my walks up Cwm Dulais on consecutive days, I am reminded how different this walk was to the one on the previous day (posted last week). I did not do any field recording on this occasion and so the soundscape below does not reflect the misty atmosphere. However, I didn’t want to leave without an aural experience so I have included an edit of another recent walk in the same place but on a much brighter day.

So remember, if you are listening to the sound file at the same time as viewing the images, the two environmental atmospheres are quite different.

Continue reading

Abandoned Doorway to . . . Reviewing the Walk

Coming to the end of my walk this week in the local valley of Cwm Dulais, I reached this abandoned rusty metal doorway in an old wall. It must be well known locally but I am not certain of what it used to be the entrance to – I think I am going to have to do some local historical investigation . . . next stop, the local library.

Abandoned doorway

Continue reading

Architecture and Art in Cardiff City – Reviewing the Walk

Looking through the entrance archway of Cardiff City Hall towards the end of my walk this week and the National Museum of Wales, I have completed my circuit of the rectangle of classical, brutalist and functional architecture that makes up this cultural and educational sector at the approach to the city centre.

Completing the walk in the museum itself and the Artes Mundi exhibition (already visited three times), I can only recommend a visit to the show before it ends on 26th February.

Continue reading