Been a while

Sorry.
Weather has been awful and I've been suffering from Vertigo - okay that's my excuses for not blogging out of the way.
Gale force winds today interspersed with torrential rain so not terribly promising for photography.
But, the clouds were moving quickly so I had the idea of doing a long exposure at Sycamore Gap, trying to get the tree sharp with movement in the clouds.
I thought that if I could get a gap in the rain I might get some shots so I headed off to Steel Rigg.

Light on the land at Steel Rigg

View over Peel Crags towards Hotbank Farm

For a change I went straight up the steps at Peel Crags, probably my least favourite climb up, at one point the steps are about 10" wide, not good if you have big feet like me!

On top you could really feel the force of the wind, I'd read there would be gusts of 40mph and I could believe it.

I was blown over twice as I went up and down steps on the various parts, no coincidence that the steps are in the gaps and the wind was swirling around there.

I was suprised at just how many people were walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, those walking east to west were walking directly into the wind, many of them had waterproof covers over their rucksacs and these were acting like mini parachutes. Hard to walk in the wind never mind having a drag factor as well.

Hadrian's Wall on Peel Crags

Walkers on Highshields Crag

From Castle Gap west to Winshields Crag

Sycamore Gap

So eventually I arrived at Sycamore Gap, I tried the long exposure but the wind was shaking the tripod and the filter holder on the camera lens too much.

I stood for a while waiting for light to hit the gap, I wanted the dark storm clouds behind if possible. I also hoped for a rainbow, but then I hope to win the lottery every week and I don't get that either :)

Had lots of blue sky and fluffy white cloud shots but eventually my patience was rewarded, with the light lasting for about 10 seconds, just long enough to take a photograph.

As I stood there with my tripod several people sidled up to me with their cameras, obviously believing I know where the best viewpoint was - a tripod doesn't mean I know what I'm doing much of the time.

Walked back on the lower path, foolishly thinking I'd get some shelter from the wind, on a wide open plain the wind came right at me, so fierce that the bags under my eyes were flapping. I kid you not.

I'll end with a plea to please put the catches on the gates, doesn't matter if they were off when you went through, Hadrian's Wall crosses farm land and animals pass through open gates. Thankyou

To the heights

Well when the alarm went off at 3.25 and I looked out of the window I could see mists over Walltown Crags.
Today's destination was Winshields Crag, the highest point on the Hadrian's Wall Path at 1132 ft, strangely enough it's not a particularly strenuous climb and it has some magnificent views in all directions.
I always think it's a shame that so many people walking the Wall from East to West are so 'heads down let's get this over with' that they forget to turn around every now and again and enjoy the scenery.
Masses of mist at Cawfields yet when I got to Steel Rigg there was just a tiny wisp on Crag Lough.

Dawn at Steel Rigg

I headed up the footpath on Winshields Crag, it's been kept cropped by walkers and of course the ever present sheep so it's a nice surface to walk on. It's also dry, going through the longer hay fields, full of dew soaks the feet.



Heading up Winshields Crag

At the top there's a trig point, it's badly in need of a coat of paint but I suppose trig points are obsolete now with satellite mapping and GPS.

The mists over Sewingshields Crag were pretty impressive, the smaller hill on the right of the picture is Kings Hill where I blogged from last.

Morning mists over Sewingshields Crag

The sun started to come up way to the north of my position and with it came mists from Greenlee Lough, a nature reserve maintained by Northumberland National Parks Authority.

I've heard that on Sunday there was an Osprey fishing on the Lough, I don't know if it's a regular visitor or just passing through but I shall be going there hoping to see the bird in action.

Greenlee Lough hidden by mists

Another morning of bright light with next to no cloud to diffuse the sun, it seems I can't get enough of those rays though.

I'm using the new Nikon D7000 for these shots, it's a very suprising camera, the exposure is awesome and I'm finding that I don't need to use my ND Grad filters at all. I was waiting for the D300s upgrade but then of course the earthquake in Japan threw all plans out of the window and I decided to buy the D7000 in the interim.

If this is anything to go by the D300s replacement will be amazing.

View from the top of Winshields Crag to the east over Crag Lough

And another of those 'Golden Hour' shots to finish off with.

 From Winshields Crag

On the wooden fence next to the trig point is a small brass plaque in memory of a young man called Darryl

(Daz to his friends) who died fighting in Afghanistan aged 26 so today's blog is dedicated to him.

as always the photo's here are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Misty morning

June is here and that brings those misty mornings I love.
It's unpredictable, some places it's impenetrable and everything can change in seconds.
I started out at Steel Rigg, I had some friends coming to spend the day with us so I couldn't go too far, I'm lucky that I can get up at 3.30am and be home again by 6am.
I was helped by the fact that there was no cloud so I knew it would quickly become too bright for my lens.
I was using the Nikon D7000 and I'm starting to really like this camera, it has it's quirks but it also has some really useful features.
Not much blurb just a set of photographs, in the order they were taken, starting at Steel Rigg with a quick stop at Cawfields Quarry on my way home.

 Three lambs and the view south over Bardon Mill

For a change the sheep stayed within camera range. Some dawn colour in the sky.

Mists rising from Crag Lough and the marshy land below the crags

Sun rising over Hound Hill to the north of Hadrian's Wall, the cows started bellowing to great the day.

You can see how far over the sun rises at this time of the year

Sun's up and it's time for breakfast

Let there be light

This is what they mean when they talk about 'The Golden Hour' that lovely warm light you get within an hour of sunrise. Light catching the Hadrian's Wall Path as it crosses Steel Rigg.

Cawfields Quarry, taken as I headed home.

As always the photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Great Balls of fire

Up early and out for a sunrise.
No cloud to speak of so I knew it wasn't going to be a long outing, once the sun clears the haze of the horizon it gets too bright for the camera.
Although it was cold there was no mist, other than a tiny bit in the Tyne Valley so I thought I'd go up onto Winshields Crag, this is the highest point on Hadrian's Wall so the views in all directions are great.
Sheep and lambs were still sleeping as I started my climb, one of the gentler slopes to my mind.
The sky was beautiful, lots of colours as often happens pre-dawn.

On the way up Winshields, 5.15am on the last day of April

Looking over Steel Rigg and Crag Lough to Hotbank Farm

Looking over Hadrian's Wall to the east, the golden glow appears as the sun prepares to break the horizon

Sun is just peaking through to the left of Sewingshields Crag

Natures Golden Globe, with the Greenlee Lough and Broomlee Lough showing in the early morning light.

On the way back down as the sun becomes too bright for my camera, I love seeing the way it lights up the land and the colours it brings to the sky. If this was a painting it would seem too gaudy.

Bradley Farm tups enjoying the rest. These are the rams of the flock taking a well earned rest after fathering the lambs. They are only used for two years on any one flock as once their 'daughters' become stock ewe's they're sold on.

Back to Steel Rigg and the Blackfaced sheep of Hotbank Farm, these sheep jump over the dry stone walls, obviously thinking the grass is greener on the other side and, their tiny lambs soon learn to jump with them. The way the dry stone walls are constructed means there are hoof holds although their antics do help to keep our teams of local dry stone wallers busy.

I have to apologise for my lack of skills with Photoshop (I use Elements 9), no matter how hard I try I just can't do more than the very basic adjustments. My images would, no doubt, benefit from some gentle (and I stress gentle) HDR work but I'm just not able to do that.

I try to get the images right in camera, using ND grad filters but sometimes the extremes of contrast are just too much for the camera to cope with.

I hope by showing these images I can inspire a talented photographer to get out onto our beautiful crags and do them justice in the way they deserve.

As always the images used on the blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

If you are planning a trip to Northumberland I urge you to get hold of the superb publication by Northumberland National Parks available as a download

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Sunshine and sycamore trees

I noticed the sycamore tree in our garden was looking very fresh and spring like with the new green leaves.
I was asked some time ago if I could provide four images of Sycamore Gap, one for each season and I had one for two for each month let alone each season.
I have probably more than enough photographs of the iconic tree but it never harms to update and anyway I wanted to see if I could pin point a spot to take photographs of the Wheatear that are nesting somewhere around Sycamore Gap.
When I arrived the sky was clear and blue, not always a boon for photographs then clouds started to cross the sky behind the tree making things a lot more interesting.

Sycamore Gap with a fresh green spring foliage

There were masses of visitors and with each wave that arrived at Sycamore Gap there'd be a corresponding wave of Wheatears but my eyes aren't that good and while I could see them sitting on rocks I couldn't pinpoint any one favourite perch.

Castle Gap busy with visitors

Eventually I gave up for today and wandered back, I did see the Wheatears, Jackdaws, Rooks, Skylarks, Curlew, Rock Pippets and Jack Snipe so the area is great for spotting birds.

Busy day on Peel Crags, some visitors were ill equiped for the rugged terrain, it's really not the place to be walking in mules.

Hadrian's Wall at Steel Rigg

This is one of the sections of Turved Wall, rebuilt by workers under the direction of John Clayton, the man who bought up great stretches of Hadrian's Wall to preserve it and it's thanks to him that there's so much left for us to enjoy today. Becasue the Wall was rebuilyt it's not terribly stable, Walking on it is not only disrespectful of an ancient monument it can also be dangerous.
No doubt this coming weekend will be busy on the Hadrian's Wall Path and if you are one of those visitors I urge you to go to the Northumberland National Parks, award winning Visitor centre at Once Brewed and pick up a copy of the 2011 Visitor Guide it's excellent with all sorts of information and walks, like the new Tipault Burn Walk to enjoy.

Lastly, one shot of the Bluebells in the Poltross Wood in Gilsland, my yearly records for the past 8 years we've lived here show the Gilsland Bluebells peaking on the 12th of May, as you can see this year they're early.

As always the photographs used in this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and may not be used without written permission.

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Waiting for the misty mornings

Kicking off today's blog by going straight to a picture taken at Steel Rigg. I long for a good misty morning sunrise just like this one which was taken last September. I chose this because the sun should be rising in about the same place now as it heads towards the summer  positions.

This photograph was taken about 5 minutes from the car park at Steel Rigg, as this season starts I'm hoping to get some photographs, with just this type of conditions, from Castle Gap up on the Hadrian's Wall Path with views over Hotbank Farm.
It's amazing how the mist rises as the sun comes up, you can see the difference between the first shot and this one, the next photograph has even more mist, then as suddenly as it arrives it goes.
I've seen it looking just like waves crashing over the Crags, so dramatic, sometimes you just stand and watch in awe, forgetting to press the shutter.

A moment frozen in time by the camera.
I'm hoping Sunday morning will be worth getting up for, I need an early morning fix, I'm fed up with this cough.

I was lucky enough to win a Wacom Intuos4 tablet in the large (A4 size) and airbrush pen to go with it.
Unfortunately my computer skills means it's completely wasted on me. It in an unopened box if anyone is interested in it can you get in touch please?

Early morning haze

The alarm rang at 5.20am and I rose to find a clear sky above fog, so I went back to bed, as you do.
But I did get up early and decided to have a trip out to Steel Rigg just to see if I'd missed much.
I was suprised to find a couple of cars already in the car park then I realised, it was the weekend so, people who have to go out to work would be making the most of this fine weekend weather.
It was a strange morning, the sun was a big golden ball but the land was sort of hazy.
Not exactly mist but certainly not clear and the sky just looked grey and uninteresting.
As I was there I took some photographs, but you can get an idea of just how bad it was when I say my total shutter count barely made it into double figures, and it's not unusual for me to have 600 photographs to wade through. I do tend to take the machine gunner approach thinking if I fire enough I'm bound to get at least one hit.
As I was heading back to my car two young men with camera gear came down Peel Crags, they'd been quite pleased with the sunrise ( just as well considering they'd got up at 4.20am to make the journey to Hadrian's Wall) and were heading off to Crammel Linn waterfall.

Steel Rigg and Hadrian's Wall in the early morning haze.

Hadrian's Wall with the crags beyond.

Saw two partridges, which was a plus and several of the Hotbank Farm Black Faced ewe's who'd jumped the field wall to get to the roadside grass, so it's not just us who always thinks the grass will be greener on the other side :)
The day went downhill rapidly from then on, so today I've spent the day gardening with plenty of coffee breaks so I feel rested and basked in sunshine.

Peel Crags and that tree

It seems to be taking me ages to shake this cold bug I've picked up and when the weather is bad I sit at home feeling sorry for myself.

A chink of blue in the grey cloud and I'm picking up my gear and heading off along the Wall, the cloud was changing so quickly that it was hard to decide where to go but eventually I settled for Steel Rigg.

The climb up to Peel Crags is one I hate, no make that HATE! the steps are all sizes and if you have big feet like me and you're carrying a lot of gear, like me, then balance is a precarious thing.
I arrived at the top and all the blue sky had disappeared, typical.
Still I did feel better for the fresh air so I kept on going and taking pictures along the way.
Waste of time as I well know, if there's no "light" there's no picture, it doesn't have to be sunlight just that sort of brightness that makes a world of difference.

Of course I was telling myself that I could Blog that Hadrian's Wall is beautiful no matter what the weather, and it really is, but a bit of light makes it just that little bit better.

A little bit of light over Steel Rigg

To add to my woes the footpath men have been out reseeding the worn bits of the Hadrian's Wall Path and then sticking little green posts in with a white label telling people what they're doing, very photogenic!

The HW Path does take a battering, especially during the wet winter months, all our feet carving great gouges out of the grass, as we tramp along enjoying the view.

The two guys, who look after the outside part of the path, do a sterling job of keeping it fit for use.

The line of green sticks climbs up the path above Castle Gap

Sunlight appears just catching the top of Highshields Crag ( taken a few steps away from the last photo but looking east)

Amazing number of people out walking along the path on Saturday considering the way the Tourism people were worrying about how their funding and lack of advertising would affect visitor numbers this year. I think it will be a good year for business along the Wall, I even heard a few foreign accents (including Scottish )

The Sycamore Tree in Sycamore Gap as you see it coming down from Castle Gap

Just as I arrived at Sycamore Gap the light disappeared so I set up my tripod and waited for it to come back, and waited , and waited. People passed me by apologising for 'spoiling' my shot and I explained I was "waiting for the light" and I thought that could be the story of my life.

Eventually just as I had dismantled my set up the light came again and, fortunately, it waited for me to take the shot before going off again.

The man in the picture climbing to the top of Highshields Crag was telling his companion loads of interesting facts about the Wall, they came back past me just after I heard him saying that the Wall in Sycamore Gap was a great place to see exactly how thick Hadrian's Wall would actually have been.

When he got to me he asked me if I knew what sort of tree it was and I wish I'd got a picture of his face as I said 'Sycamore Tree' and he realised how daft the question was, happens to us all sometimes.

All photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Hadrian's Wall : Winshields Crag part 2

I promised yesterday that I'd upload the photographs looking east, and here they are.
It's worth mentioning that you are walking through fields on this bit of the Hadrian's Wall Path and soon there will be lots of lambs. If you have your dog with you, please, keep it on a lead.

The view east from the highest point on Hadrian's Wall, Winshields Crag

The just mist wasn't clearing, but in the sunshine it was beautiful, larks singing and a hawk circling above my head.

Walkers come out of the mist

A couple who had walked from Housesteads appeared through the mist, they stopped to take off their coats it was so warm. They are walking the Pennine Way in segments, this path has a dual purpose, both Hadrian's Wall Path and part of the Pennine Way.

From Winshields Crag to Highshields Crag

Two high parts of the Hadrian's Wall Path and vastly different weather conditions, sort of sums up how unpredictable this part of Northumberland is.

Always wear clothing in layers so you're always prepared.

Coming to Steel Rigg with the Bradley Farm ewe's waiting for their lambs to arrive.

And back to Steel Rigg

Met a man called John Miles in the car park, he wrote a book about birdwatching in Dumfries and Galloway, the Solway bits of  Hadrian's Wall.

He just said he'd written a book and was now doing another with updates, good old Google gave me the information.

It's currently out of print but I shall track a copy down!

Good job he didn't mention what it was about when we met or he'd still be there  answering my questions :)

You just never know who you're going to meet.

If you double click the pictures you can view them at a larger size.

All photographs on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Hadrian's Wall : Winshields Crag

Early morning mists started to clear as I made my way along the Military Road.
I'd checked the Northumberland National Parks Webcams and was hoping that the views would be interesting from the highest point at Winshields Crag.
Parking in the Steel Rigg car park I crossed the road to start the gentle climb up to the trig point, turning around I could see the mist gathering behind me, obscuring views that had been visible only seconds before.

I actually love that, scenes change quite dramatically, Mother Nature performing a dance like those ladies, with the huge fans, used to do in the Folies Bergere.

View from the trig point looking over towards Greenlee Lough

Mist was coming at me from all angles view west from the trig point on Winshields Crag

The view disappeared down towards Steel Rigg so I wandered west along the Hadrian's Wall Path towards Caw Gap, I'm quite fond of this particular view although it's awkward to photograph.

Using a wide angle lens to get all of the twists and turns in gives you masses of foreground that's just grass, zoom in and you get the Wall cutting across the picture. Never mind, it does allow you to follow the ups and downs to be tackled when "walking the Wall".

From Winshields Crag to Cawfields Crag, the house you can see in the right of the picture is Burnhead B&B imagine the views at sunrise and sunset from those windows.

Hoping the mist had lifted a little I wandered back the way I'd come, it was a really lovely day to be out, I heard Skylarks and a Kestrel, it felt spring like. People were beginning to appear on the walk and I stopped several times to chat.

View to the trig point approaching it from west to east

When I got back to the top the mist was still swirling, so I sat on a handy rock and just enjoyed the day.

As I took loads of pictures I've decided to spare you any more today and I'll upload  more from this outing tomorrow.

All photographs used on this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.