My Walk this Week and the Influence of Angle

Posted on 04/09/201701/09/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week is one I have taken many times but as always, the conditions are different every time. On this occasion it was the angle from which I was viewing things that had a strong the influence on my photography of the walk.

For instance, it may be obvious to many of you what the image above shows, but as I passed by on Swansea Bay’s wonderful expansive beach, for some reason I thought to myself, “That’s a funny thing to draw in shells on the beach” – I thought it looked like a boot! (I know, don’t ask! Lol). Continue reading→

Project Recce Walk – Cliff Path to Caswell Bay

Posted on 01/09/201724/08/2017 by Alastair

The path on this third section of our recce walk for a schools project in the Autumn runs along the steep cliff edge between Pwll Du and Caswell Bay on South Gower. Along the sometimes hair-raising path there were wonderful views of a beautifully coloured sea.

It was warm and bright at this stage of our walk and the flora and fauna were taking advantage of it with beetles, lizards and wildflowers showing themselves while others enjoyed the breeze and calm surface of the water. Continue reading→

Project Recce Walk – Pwlldu Bay Stones

Posted on 30/08/201723/08/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week reveals another area of the South Gower coast I had not visited before – Pwlldu (or Pwll Du). Approaching the bay from Bishopston Valley meant I couldn’t see the sea until I was on top of the huge bank of stones originally deposited there as waste from quarrying nearby.

Having taken longer than expected to navigate the rough terrain and muddy footpath in Bishopston Valley, we sat down on the stones in the sunshine fro eat our sandwiches before exploring the bay a little and throwing stones into the lagoon which has formed at the mouth of Bishopston Pill as a result of the banks of stones. Details about these unusual banks of stone can be found on Jessica’s Nature Blog.

Is there a creature in that dark lagoon creating those expanding ripples or is it just the effect of our splashing stones?

Pwlldu Bay

Pwlldu Bay stones

South Gower

Pwlldu Bay Gower

colour in the seascape

Pwlldu lagoon

expanding circles

splash 1

splash 2

crack in the rocks

My Walk this Week – Project Recce Walk, Bishopston Valley

Posted on 28/08/201723/08/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week follows one of the routes we will be taking on a schools project this Autumn. A recce had to be made and a risk assessment done and in Bishopston Valley on the South Gower coast there are plenty of risks, particularly when it has been wet.

But nothing ventured, nothing gained and the young 13 and 14 year olds we will be taking along this exciting footpath will hopefully enjoy the challenge. Continue reading→

Cwmdu Walk Part 3 – Reviewing the Walk

Posted on 26/08/201718/08/2017 by Alastair

Back where I started by the farm and spinning/weaving workshop where my daughter was learning how to use a spinning wheel and on time for the end of her day at All In a Spin.

The three stages of this walk – up the valley (Cwm Sorgwm), across the top (Mynydd Llangorse), and down into the valley again will be edited as a StillWalks video. As the existing selected images and soundscapes would make the video last about 20 minutes, I will have to re-edit and select these to bring the video length down to about 9 or 10 minutes. Continue reading→

For the Love of Gates

Posted on 25/08/201718/08/2017 by Alastair

On this last section of the third part of my walk above Cwmdu in Wales I had the enjoyment of going back through the gates I had passed through on my ascent of the valley – Cwm Sorgwm which lies between the Brecon Beacons and The Black Mountains.

I am sure there must be psychological significance to my enjoyment of gates (symbolic opportunities perhaps?), but one thing seems sure – Continue reading→

The Density of Bracken

Posted on 23/08/201718/08/2017 by Alastair

The density of the bracken on the steep hillside down which I was climbing cautiously, is common on the open commons of the Welsh landscape. While bright green in the Spring and Summer, it changes the hills to bright red in the Autumn when the light is right.

We are having August weather this year as if we were already in Autumn and the bracken is now beginning to change colour. However, it was still bright and thick on this walk back at the end of June. My poor knees were aching from the steep descent (I much prefer climbing) and I had to sit down to give them a break half way down the slope. Continue reading→

My Walk this Week – Cwmdu Walk Part 3

Posted on 21/08/201718/08/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week shows the third and final section of my walk near Cwmdu which lies between the Brecon Beacons and The Black Mountains in Wales. The route, shortened due to lack of time as a result of StillWalks production work along the way, provided me with a steep descent back to the valley floor.

Although the footpath was dry, it was still slippery with stones as will be evident in the soundscape to be posted later in the week. The hillside being steep meant that I had some great views Continue reading→

Tag Archives: landscape