Well Laden

Posted on 09/03/201609/03/2016 by Alastair

My winter walk round Lower Lliw Reservoir from a couple of years ago patterns I am not used to seeing. Snow always transforms the landscape but I am more used to seeing it as sheets or blankets of white on fields. More often than not it has melted off the branches of trees before I am in a place to appreciate it. That being the case, I was really excited by the patterns and textures revealed in the woods surrounding the reservoir. I wonder when I will next see this scene?

The first photo can also be seen in Leanne Cole’s Photography blog post Monochrome Madness MM 2-48 – even though it’s not actually in monochrome!

My Walk this Week – Winter Times Past

Posted on 07/03/201607/03/2016 by Alastair

This week I am looking back at a production walk I have presented before, which means you may recognise the photos I post this week. I’m not simply reusing the posts I wrote back then, but using new words with the photos to describe my memories of the walk.

This Winter we have had no snow to speak of at all – the five minute dusting I ran into on top of Graig Fawr on last weeks walk was the sum total of the snow we have had in our immediate vicinity this year. So before we fully engage with Spring and while the temperatures are still low, I thought it would be timely to take a look at what I think of as a proper winter walk.

Lliw Lower Reservoir is a popular place for people visit for a few different walks, all of which, naturally, circumnavigate either the lower reservoir or extend to the upper reservoir. My walk this week took me round the lower one where the footpath is tarmac on the eastern side and then a muddy narrow track back down the western side. However, none of those surfaces can be seen on this walk as the snow and ice were lying thick from start to finish.

Stepping Down to The Waterside

Posted on 02/02/201602/02/2016 by Alastair

The first part of my short walk around the old reservoir, now a lake at The Waterside, was wet underfoot – hardly surprising given all the rain we have had this winter. The dampness is, of course, ideal conditions for moss to grow and these steps down the the lakeside are covered in the stuff.

But I love these steps and the fact that they are being taken over by nature to the point where, from certain angles, they are so well camouflaged as to be almost completely hidden. The rise above the lake from which the steps descend gives an excellent opportunity to enjoy reflections in the water.

On Friday this week (5th Feb) StillWalks will be at The Waterside running presentations about the StillWalks package for businesses and organisations. If anyone is interested in coming along to this regular open day at The Waterside, please check out the website above and contact us in advance.

Wet Footsteps

If viewing this in an email, to see the sound player you will need to visit the blog – please click the post title to view the full post.

Details and Vistas

Posted on 26/01/201626/01/2016 by Alastair

My short walk this week at Blaenige, near Cynwyl Elfed in Carmarthenshire was a mixture of snow, sunshine, wind and a brief spot of rain – in other words, typical for this part of the world. I had to take it carefully down the steep track but on the way I found some great views over the landscape as well as some attractive details in my closer surroundings.

My Walk this Week 18 – First Snow

Posted on 25/01/201625/01/2016 by Alastair

This winter has been so mild it came as a bit of surprise to find myself driving carefully through snow on my way to a meeting in Carmarthenshire. The meeting was at Blaenige, the home of MLR UK with whom I have been working for a while now to develop a StillWalks business package. The meeting finished in good time, and as I had brought most of my kit with me, I took the opportunity to go for a short walk down one of the steep hillside tracks through the farmland and woods.

There wasn’t a lot of snow and it was already melting during my walk but considering I hadn’t expected to see any this year, it wasn’t unwelcome and as the sky was partially blue, my walk this week, though short, was quite exhilarating.

One aspect of the walk which is changed with the snow is the environmental sound. Below I have included three sound clips of my footsteps in the changing snow. How much difference can you hear in them.

Crunchy Snow

Deeper Snow

Wet Snow

If viewing this in an email, to see the sound player you will need to visit the blog – please click the post title to view the full post.

Suburban Night Walk and Reviewing the Week 53

Posted on 17/01/201617/01/2016 by Alastair

The location of this walk and the time of year (a mild winter in Middlesbrough) is the same as the pervious week’s daytime walk, but the sense of it is quite different at night. Once again this is not a StillWalks video, but I hope you can still enjoy listening to the soundscape while viewing the images.

Click the play button below and then the first thumbnail image to view the photos in sequence.

Night Walk Soundscape

If viewing this in an email, to see the sound player you will need to visit the blog – please click the post title to view the full post.

Colour and a Ghostly Light

Posted on 16/01/201616/01/2016 by Alastair

The colour in these night lights and their reflections in the water of Hemlington lake is clear, but whatever colour may be in the branch below as it stretches into the night under a desaturating street lamp, is lost almost entirely – I find it quite ghostly.

Light and Dark

Posted on 14/01/201614/01/2016 by Alastair

The view of and colours in the night sky over Middlesbrough changed as I walked around the other, unlit side of Hemlington Lake. The shapes and silhouettes of trees enhanced the reflected colour on the clouds and proved there was light to be seen. However, the footpath on this side of the lake was very dark and it was only because I know the path well that I had no problems seeing where I should walk.

As I came round this side of the lake I disturbed some of the birds roosting in the vegetation at the lake side. So at this point in my night walk, there was a little more sound than perhaps there should have been.

Night Birds