These graves look like they have an excellent view of the event – whatever that may be! They make me think of a concert in the park where everyone brings a picnic and enjoys the event from deck chairs. In Britain they would have brought umbrellas as well 🙂
Cathays Cemetery in Cardiff has many aspects to it.
The Audience
Some hide away
Some prefer to be more private and hide away amongst the greenery.
This cemetery has it all, even a “downtown” area with sky scrapers!
Downtown at the cemetery
Bishop John Cuthbert Hedley was quite a guy if you judge by the stature of his tomb in Cathays Cemetery. I wonder if he would get such a piece of architecture these days? (see Monday’s post, “When was the last time . . . “)
The Tomb of the Bishop John Cuthbert Hedley
The Tomb of the Bishop
Taking an aimless walk on a sunny Sunday last weekend, I ended up at our local station where the patterns, colours and perspective of the track prompted me to use my camera – which I had casually taken along with me . . . just in case!
Gates and Railway
Gates and Railway
Gates and Railway
Railway Platform
Railway Station
Ferris wheels seem to pop up in every UK city on regular basis. The first one is in York but the second shot was taken on Boxing Day in Belfast a few years ago and the third in Swansea in 2012.
These are the last shots from my recce walk in York last February and the subject matter is not likely to feature in the final StillWalk video which I am working on now. First of all, the ferris wheel was not there in June when I did the production day, and secondly, it wasn’t on my walk route anyway – neither was the windmill, I just liked the structure.
The windmill is Holgate Windmill and it was strange and unexpected to see it suddenly appear through the trees and amongst the surrounding house roofs.
Ferris Wheel, York
Ferris Wheel, Belfast
Ferris Wheel Swansea
Holgate Windmill, York
Windmill, York
I have featured the underside of bridges before (here) – this is Bishopsgate Bridge in York again. The patterns created by the structure of different bridges are fascinating and this one is totally different to those in that previous blog post.
Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York
Fascinating Patterns
Through Bishopsgate Bridge, York
Another step along the route of the planned StillWalk in York. This was in February 2012 – the production day was in June and nearly didn’t take place due to bad weather!
We are a week into 2013 now so a belated Happy New Year to all.
Whilst away over the New Year I took a few photos that I hope to use in the near future. They help to show that if we were not around anymore, it would not take long for nature to recover from our antics on this planet. Sometimes (in late Spring usually) I think I’d only have to blink and the bushes and trees would pounce – these images are, perhaps, preparation for that pounce!
Suburbanature 1
Suburbanature 2
Suburbanature 3
Suburbanature 4
Speaking of what we do as humans, some of what has been produced can be seen at MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, where I saw two great exhibitions – Jannis Kounellis’ Work Unwrapped and Liliane Lijn: Cosmic Dramas – both well worth a visit if you are in the area.
I had a great day in Singleton Park, Swansea this week where I and about 20 others enjoyed a day of training in the delivery of the John Muir Award (see pics below). John Muir’s environmental philosophy and the award criteria fits perfectly with the ethos of StillWalks.
Appreciation and understanding of the natural environment is at the top of the agenda with StillWalks as are other features such as stress relief, health and wellbeing – these elements are also a part of the John Muir philosophy.
Town and Country – StillWalks, however, does not exclusively feature the natural environment and wild places. Indeed, the urban environment is of as much relevance to StillWalks as the countryside – and in fact this is the case with the John Muir Award as well. The young and the old, school children, teachers, families and individuals are all encouraged to look at and listen to, explore, discover and appreciate the wild places within urban areas as much as those in our countryside.
And the news is – StillWalks is going to be carrying out a project with schools and communities over the Autumn and Spring called Sights and Sounds of the Countryside. The project will tie in closely with John Muir Award work also being delivered to schools by Tim Orrell and Swansea Nature Conservation Team (hence the training day). StillWalks has successfully applied for funding for the Sights and Sounds project from Swansea’s Countryside Connections, Sustainable Development Fund and Literature Wales to work with an artist and writers to produce a collection of videos similar to those made on the Josef Herman project.
The training day was interesting, useful and great fun. Fortunately it was good weather and we were able to get out and about in the park for some fun and games.
