Ynys Llanddwyn, Anglesey, North Wales, Spring
Newborough beach and Ynys Llanddwyn is a magical place.
Newborough beach and Ynys Llanddwyn is a magical place.
Located at the southern corner of Anglesey island (Ynys Môn), Newborough comprises of 2,000 acres of Corsican pine woodland, planted between 1947 and 1965 to stabilise the shifting sand dunes of Newborough Warren. Emerging from the forest, you enter the expansive sands of Newborough beach with crystal clear views across the Menai Strait to the Snowdonia/Yr Eryri mountains.
At low tide you can access a small rocky island off the beach, known as Ynys Llanddwyn. The island has historical attachments to St. Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers. Ynys Llanddwyn translates to “The island of the church of St. Dwynwen”. It contains the ruins of St Dwynwen’s church, a giant cross on the island’s summit, and the iconic Tŵr Mawr lighthouse.
We couldn’t have picked a more beautiful evening to revisit this ethereal place.
All photos taken on my Sony a7ii using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 prime lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom for iPad, edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
With the tide out, the already expansive beach at Newborough seemed even bigger. Long channels of pools provided nice compositions involving the mountains of Yr Eryri.
Looking back east along the beach, the sun beautifully lights up the dunes of Newborough Warren, whilst dramatic clouds break up above the mountains of Yr Eryri.
We enjoyed a gentle meander along the beach, slowly but surely heading our way towards Ynys Llanddwyn. Up on the crags, you can see where the tide would separate the island from the beach.
Ynys Llanddwyn is chock-full of rare flora, so it’s generally advised to keep to the dedicated paths, which I made a composition of. In the distance you can just make out the island’s cross and Tŵr Mawr lighthouse.
There are two crosses on Ynys Llanddwyn, this is the Celtic one. Strong side light elevates the scene and highlights some of the Yr Eryri mountains that are crowned with clouds.
A magical moment. Evening golden side light drenches the island and its lighthouse, Tŵr Mawr. In the distance, the Yr Eryri mountains are capped with their own little clouds. A moment I’ll never forget.
Near the smaller tower on the southeastern tip of Ynys Llanddwyn, some volcanic rock formations provide a lovely composition against the endless waters of Caernarfon Bay.
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Force Falls & Levens Hall Deer Park, Cumbria, Summer
A gorgeous evening on the horizon. What to do? Where to go?
A gorgeous evening on the horizon. What to do? Where to go?
Lisabet often has brilliant ideas and this no exception: park up alongside Force Falls and follow the path all the way into and around Levens Hall Deer Park and back.
Crackin’ idea.
The last time we wandered around the park was back in January this year, or month or so after Storm Arwen wreaked havoc across the UK. Now, in summer, the trees are regenerating and the land is beginning to recover.
Also, it was nice to see all the black fallow deer (Dama dama) and Bagot goats enjoying the warm summer evening light.
Photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–f3.8 lens. RAW files converted with Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, and finished in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Force Falls & Levens Hall Deer Park, Cumbria, Summer by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The northern section of Force Falls, a series of impressive and powerful cascades along the River Kent.
After following the path underneath the A591, you soon start crossing open fields towards the Deer Park.
I enjoyed finding and making this simple composition. Flowers, tree, and sun.
By the time the River Kent reaches the Deer Park, it widens out and lazily meanders its way towards the sea at Morecambe Bay.
Siblings have fun playing in the river as the low summer sunset catches the glowing grass.
The way towards the Oak Avenue.
A bucolic English scene adorned in beautiful golden light.
One of many of the black fallow deer that call the Deer Park their home. We spotted some young fawns as well. Very skittish creatures.
Oak Avenue in gorgeous evening light.
My lovely Lisabet, soaking in nature’s restorative powers.
Pastel pink lenticular clouds begin forming above Kendal as we head back to Force Falls.
A lovely evening.
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Allonby Bay, Cumbria, Spring
We’re taking a week’s break in Western Cumbria.
We're taking a week's break in Western Cumbria.
After arriving at the accommodation near Wigton, meeting the owners, and settling in, we decided an evening stroll at nearby Allonby Bay was in order.
Allonby's a small coastal village on the western coast of Cumbria, roughly halfway between Maryport and Silloth. It's an unassuming place, once home to a small fishing fleet. Nowadays, knowing tourists can come off the main roads to find this little treasure near the Solway coast and its amazing views across the Solway Firth towards the Galloway mountains in Scotland.
Photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Images developed using RNI Films' Agfa RSX II 200 film profile.
Across the sea, as the sun was setting, Criffel hill is clearly seen as it looms over the Scottish coast.
A winding channel snakes out from Allonby towards the bay.
Crepuscular rays emerge from the heavens and cast golden light on the sea.
One of my favourite compositions of the evening.
Looking south down Allonby Bay, the golden clouds serving as a wonderful leading line.
Little pools in the rippling sand made for beautiful reflections of light and colour.
Finally, the setting sun came out from behind the clouds strong enough to pull out the textures in the rippling sand.
As the sun started to disappear behind the clouds, we navigated away from the sands and back to the village. The coastline near the village is bordered by these reeds, which I needed to make a composition of.
The reeds were also home to some beautiful flowers that we didn't expect to see.
A gorgeous start to our break.
Barkbooth Lot, Lake District, Spring
Welcome back to Barkbooth Lot!
Welcome back to Barkbooth Lot!
We're starting to see those beautiful bluebells appearing in woodlands across Cumbria now, so over the weekend we enjoyed a wander around our new favourite bluebell spot, Barkbooth Lot.
There's another good three weeks or so before all the bluebells are fully out and in their prime, but the sights were still glorious. Plus, it were a bonny day. Why not get out and enjoy it?
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using two of my prime lenses: a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Images developed using RNI Films' Portra 400 film emulation.
The way into the woodland is clear and immediately we can see that the bluebells were out.
The late afternoon light was absolutely crackin'.
A survivor from Storm Arwen. Lots of other trees weren't so lucky.
Fantastic shapes, like two dancers in the sunlight.
Two trees share a trail of bluebells between them.
There's so many more bluebells to come in the next couple of weeks.
This way for more bluebells.
Ferns unfurling. A sign that summer is coming.
Some of the casualties from Storm Arwen.
Down at the gentle beck, gurgling its way through the woodland.
Forest bathing is a true healing salve for the soul.
A remnant from an older storm.
Probably one of my favourite shots from the whole walk.
Torn in half. The sheer force of Storm Arwen.
Out onto the fell side of Barkbooth Lot, the Lyth Valley fells in the distance.
Pandemic Peregrinations: Serpentine Woods, Spring, Cumbria
Step 1 of the government’s Spring COVID-19 Response Plan is in action.
Step 1 of the government’s Spring COVID-19 Response Plan is in action.
Students have gone back to school and in theory by the 29th of March people will be allowed to meet outdoors in bigger groups.
The UK has also recently passed the vaccine milestone of 25 million people.
There is a… careful optimism in the air. The weather appears to be brightening and drying up, and the days are getting longer.
I know, personally, that I’m feeling a growing urge to be in the outdoors and for longer.
Thankfully, and fortunately, Lisabet and I have been able to plan some holidaying and exploring within the UK for 2021 (finger’s crossed). We’re looking at the Northumberland coast in the summer, and two areas of Scotland in the autumn.
Let’s hope all goes well with the vaccination programme and easing of restrictions.
In the meantime, here’s some photos of a recent post-work wander Lisabet and I enjoyed, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of Serpentine Woods, above Kendal. Can’t wait until this place is filled with wild garlic blossom.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using a Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. Developed using RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.
This bookshop hasn’t been in operation here since 2013, but this wonderful signage is still attached to the building.
Heading up Finkle Street with the setting sun creating a lovely warm glow on the horizon. The name of the street comes from the Old Norse vinkl, meaning “elbow”. Appropriate.
As we start to head up Beast Banks, I look back for a shot of Kendal Town Hall as it catches some golden light.
Part way up Beast Banks, I took another look back down for one of my favourite views in Kendal.
Kendal has proper lovely buildings.
On the entrance to Serpentine Woods we found this lovely patch of flowers in the shade and thought, “Bluebells? Already?!” Turns out, probably not. Google thinks they’re alpine squill, Scilla bifolia.
There was a time when I was overly concerned with achieving maximum exposure in my photos, attempting to capture as much highlight and shadow information as possible. Then later, a variety of complex editing and blending methods would be used to eke out as much dynamic range in an image as possible. These days, I’m much content to let a blown out highlight remain so, especially when shooting right into the sun. It’s the sun, of course it’s bright.
Serpentine Woods is filled with charming little scenes like this.
I love that soft light you get in the woods, especially when the last of the day’s light is dipping below the horizon.
One of my favourite little spots in Serpentine Woods: the Unnecessary Gate.
One of the aforementioned sculptures: a ladybird on the edge of a bench.
Once you pop out of the top of Serpentine Woods, an old bench invites you to rest and take in the view across Kendal towards the Eastern Lake District fells. Lisabet happily did so.
Vines weaving over a tree trunk like a novice knitter.
Not entirely sure what this sculpture is supposed to represent…
A lovely little sculpture of a rat perched on some limestone as we leave Serpentine Woods.
Back out the woods, we branch off Beast Banks towards Garth Row, passing by this view of Kendal near Castle Howe.
It’ll be a fine day when the Brewery Arts Centre is back open again.
Deepdale, Lake District, Winter
Winter has arrived.
Winter has arrived.
We’ve been watching as temperatures in Cumbria have steadily dropped from the tens to near freezing point.
By around the 3rd December snow started to fall across the high fells of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, followed by some ground level snow on the 4th.
Lisabet and I ventured straight into the Lakes on the Saturday to see if we could get some snowy mountain action whilst the snow was still around.
A lot of it had melted in the dale bottoms, resulting in some delightful cascades and waterfalls, but we were happy to see a fair bit of snow still clinging to the higher peaks of the Lake District.
We hiked into Deepdale, a small tributary valley off Patterdale, just north of Kirkstone Pass. The nice thing about Deepdale is you’ll rarely find a lot of people there. The not-so-nice thing is that the hiking can be laborious, as there’s not much of a path through the valley and there’s a fair bit of bog to navigate.
But what awaits you at the head of Deepdale is the magnificent hulking form of Greenhow End, a beautiful fell.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using both my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 and Laowa 9mm f/2.8 lenses. Photos shot using a customised Pro Negative Standard film profile.
Booting up. Love that anticipation and excitement when you’re getting ready for a hike, thinking about what scenes and light awaits you.
There were plenty of Herdwicks around the valley bottoms, fattening up for the winter. Probably all now pregnant, too.
Deepdale is quite a desolate and featureless valley, save for the wonderful crags at its head. There are a few glacial erratics lying about, though, that you can play with compositionally. I found this large boulder with a clear crack running through it, which I used in this focus-stacked photo to point towards Greenhow End.
Another group of rocks and boulders housed this little pool that I framed in another composition towards Greenhow End. A single frame shot at f/22 with my ultra-wide 9mm Laowa lens.
A tighter composition of the magnificent Greenhow End, with some gorgeous late-afternoon winter sun light.
I found another large boulder with some interesting moss, lichen, and trackline markings.
Another boulder I found had this very interesting crack running right through that, from certain angles, sort of reminded me of PacMan…
Heading back out of the valley I found more interesting arrangements of boulders to utilise compositionally, also positioning Deepdale Beck as a leading line towards Angletarn Pikes.
A tighter 35mm composition of Angletarn Pikes allows me to also features some of the old barns and farm houses of Wall End.
My lovely Lisabet, capturing a composition of one of her favourite stone bridges.
Herdwicks have such characterful faces.