Holy Island/Ynys Gybi, Anglesey, North Wales, Spring
After getting some delicious mountain action, it was time to head back to the coast.
After getting some delicious mountain action, it was time to head back to the coast.
Anglesey is the largest island in Wales, and the 7th largest in Britain, separated from the North Wales by the narrow Menai Strait.
If you travel across the island all the way to its northwestern tip, you can cross the Cymyran Strait onto a much smaller island called Ynys Gybi, or “Holy Island” in English.
Ynys Gybi features a rocky coastline full of cliffs and rises to 220m/722ft at Holyhead Mountain. Much like Inception, there are an additional two islands off Ynys Gybi: North Stack and South Stack.
Our hiking for the day involved checking out Rhoscolyn Headland, then onwards to revisit the epic South Stack and its lighthouse.
The day was full of low cloud and a dramatic mood.
Photos taken on my Sony a7ii using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom lens. RAWs developed in Lightroom for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Holy Island/Ynys Gybi, Anglesey, North Wales, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Unbeknown to us, Rhoscolyn Head is world-renowned for its fascinating geology. As an amateur “rock nerd” myself, I was delighted with what I found. Here, I found a cliff edge covered in wildflowers, looming over Porth Gwalch.
Fascinating shards of rock like plates of armour line this cliff as a strand of light escapes the thick cloud cover.
Rhoscolyn Head is known for its exposures of the South Stack formation of rocks. These are Cambro-Ordovician metasedimentary rocks, which demonstrate unusual foldings at certain places, such as here.
The day was moody, thick with cloud and moisture, and this added to the dramatic scenes we explored at Rhoscolyn Head.
A resident of Ynys Gybi we did not expect to see! Goats.
Rhoscolyn Head is also known for two sea arches that have been carved out of the cliffs over the course of millennia. After sighting this one from above, we scrambled down the cliff side for a closer look. This is Bwa Gwyn, “the white arch”.
Further along the headland we find the vast gaping maw of Bwa Du, “the black arch”. In the far distances, on the left, is Holyhead Mountain, the highest point on Ynys Gybi at a gentle (220 m/720 ft)
The other side of Bwa Du, with the sun desperately trying to break through the dark cloud cover.
At Gromlech, this lovely little cottage enjoys extensive views across the Irish Sea and onto these folded metasedimentary rocks below. Pure drama.
After circumambulating around Rhoscolyn Headland, we drove further up the coastline of Ynys Gybi to revisit a favourite of ours: South Stack. This is a tiny rocky island just off the cliffs of Ynys Gybi, and is home to a picturesque lighthouse. Access is via steep and winding steps that navigate down the sheer cliff face. Every now and then, you get incredible views across the cliffs as you head down the steps.
South Stack lighthouse, shot from higher up the steps. The lighthouse was constructed in 1809 and finally automated in 1983. To begin with, the sole means to traverse to the island was via a basket hung from a hemp rope. Subsequently, in 1828 an iron suspension bridge was constructed, which was then replaced in 1964 by a steel cable truss bridge. Nevertheless, in 1983 it became necessary to close the bridge to the public due to safety issues. Finally, after an aluminium bridge was built, the lighthouse was reopened for public access in 1997. At present, it has become a favoured tourist attraction, drawing many thousands of visitors annually.
Further south from the lighthouse, one can take the path from the RSPCB building down the cliff to Ellin’s Tower, then enjoy a wander along the cliff tops there. A sheer from near Ellin’s Tower gave me this dramatic composition looking back at South Stack and its lighthouse.
Elin’s Tower and, further, South Stack Lighthouse in the distance, with gorse (Ulex europaeus) flowering everywhere. Unusually, gorse in the spring has the strong scent of coconut. Elin's Tower is a Victorian stone tower. This castellated architectural extravagance, initially employed as a summer residence, was constructed between 1820 and 1850 for the prominent Stanley family of Penrhos. It derives its name from Elin (anglicised as "Ellen"), the Welsh spouse of the 19th-century statesman William Owen Stanley.
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Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia, North Wales, Spring
The morning of my 40th birthday.
The morning of my 40th birthday.
We got up before the sun, devoured breakfast, and head straight into the heart of Yr Eryri for one of my favourite areas in the whole of North Wales: the Ogwen Valley.
Dyffryn Ogwen separates two mountain ranges: the Glyderau and the Carneddau. In the Glyderau you can find my favourite peak in all of Wales: Tryfan. She rises 3,010 ft and is often cited as one of the most recognisable mountains in Britain. My favourite compositions of Tryfan involve shooting it from the various falls and cascades of Afon Lloer across the valley.
As an additional bonus, we then enjoyed the Cwm Idwal circuit, taking in one of the most spectacular hanging valleys I know.
The light and weather could not have been kinder.
What a way to see in my 40th year on this planet.
All photos taken on my Sony a7ii using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 and Rokinon 14mm f2.8. RAWs developed in Lightroom for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia, North Wales, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
I finally got the composition of Tryfan I’ve been after for years. Tryfan at sunrise, with the cascades of Afon Lloer leading the way down the flanks of Pen yr Ole Wen.
Heading back down to the valley floor, a dry stone wall gives me another lovely composition involving Tryfan.
Beyond Tryfan, we climbed up the trail to take the Cwm Idwal circuit. I were very much hoping the light and conditions to be right enough so that the rising sun would illuminate the Idwal Slabs high above the tarn. Here, Castell y Geifr catches the rising sun above Cwm Idwal.
As we pottered about the shore of Llyn Idwal seeking out more compositions, what I hoped for finally happened. The Idwal Slabs, those towering cliffs of crag, starting catching the light. So I lined up this composition.
A tighter composition focusing on the Idwal Slabs. Arguably, Cwm Idwal’s most recognisable feature is the Devil’s Kitchen, or Twll Du (“black hole”) in Welsh. This is a large crack in the cliffs of Cwm Idwal, inside which flows a multi-drop waterfall. The light angle was just right.
As we circumambulated Llyn Idwal clockwise, I kept my gaze locked high on the crags above, watching the light change. As one of the many falls was lit up, I shot this moody photo.
The Cwm Idwal circuit is largely paved, making the going easy. As we neared the apex of the trail, another scene of delicious light demanded by attention.
Walking along the western section of the trail away from the Idwal Slabs, the profile of Pen yr Ole Wen (978m/3,209ft) comes into view. Here, I spot two giant slabs of rock that provide a nice foreground interest as Pen yr Ole Wen gets some lovely morning light.
A glacial erratic nearly blocks the trail. It also gives a lovely foreground interest against the emerging morning light drenching Pen yr Ole Wen.
Nearly at the start of the Llyn Idwal circuit, the tarn is calm and flat enough to give a lovely reflection of Wales’ 7th highest mountain.
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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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Aber Falls, Snowdonia, Spring
Much like South Wales, North Wales and Snowdonia has its fair share of waterfalls.
Much like South Wales, North Wales and Snowdonia has its fair share of waterfalls.
One such waterfall we’ve never visited before, and was relatively close to where we’re staying for the week, is Aber Falls, just south of the village of Abergwyngregyn.
For most people, this involves a very simple walk from the Nature Reserve car park to the falls. But there is a second waterfall, less visited, that we decided to check out too.
The late afternoon/early evening gave us glorious light to work with, and the scale of the waterfalls were a sight to behold.
Photos taken on my Sony a7ii using a Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 prime lenses. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
The falls are very popular. Accompanying us on the walk to Aber Falls were a large group of overseas students enjoying the delights of Wales. The falls can be seen from miles away.
We made it to Aber Falls in no time and began scrambling around the boulders, seeking compositions of this 120ft waterfall plunging into its pool.
Of course, we weren’t the only ones at the falls, so patience was required to shoot photos when people left the frame. Additionally, I shot many exposures to really push the limits of how slow I could get the shutter speed whilst handheld. The Sony a7ii served me well.
Further along the head of the valley one can find another, less-visited, waterfall. This is Rhaeadr-bach or Rhaeadr Fach, which essentially means “smaller waterfall”, with Aber Falls technically named Rhaeadr-fawr, or “bigger waterfall”. This smaller waterfall had hollowed out a perfect little raised pool before dropping further into the river.
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Conwy, North Wales, Spring
Conwy is a historical treasure trove.
Conwy is a historical treasure trove.
Situated above the river of the same name, Conwy is a walled town with most of those structures surviving to the present day. The town is perhaps best known for its castle, which was built along with the walls in the late 13th century.
We enjoyed getting lost around the myriad of small streets in the town, but eventually climbed up the town walls and followed the circular trail on top of the walls, which mostly surround the town. The walk offers unparalleled views of the town, the castle, and the estuary beyond.
Add a hazy day with localised and shifting spot lighting, you’ve got conditions set up for some gorgeous photos.
All photos taken on my Sony a7ii using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 lens. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
At the junction with Upper Gate Street, I zoomed in on this composition of Upper Gate tower, standing imperiously above the street’s housing.
The section of the walls heading towards the Quayside allow for fantastic views across Conwy’s rooftops towards the imposing 13th century Conwy Castle.
Approaching the Postern Gate, a view straight down Castle Street being lit by the brightening day proved irresistible.
At Lower Gate this beautiful house provided the perfect foreground subject to complement the light show happening across the Deganwy hills.
Heading down from the Watchtower, I find another composition that—to me—sums up Conwy nicely.
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Ingleton Falls, Yorkshire Dales, Spring
My first set of images made with my new Sony a7II.
My first set of images made with my new Sony a7II.
A wee bit of backstory is needed.
My 40th birthday is fast approaching (if you’re at all curious, it’s on the 25th April). That’s right, the Big Four Oh.
My Dad had got wind of the notion that, ultimately, if I could ever upgrade my camera it would be to one with a bigger sensor and in-built image stabilisation.
Cue a week or so ago and Dad arrives at my house with a Sony a7II. In mint condition. Cognisant that I had a Laowa 9mm ultra-wide lens that wouldn’t properly work on a full-frame body, Dad had also sorted me out with a new equivalent ultra-wide for the Sony: a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC. And a new adaptor so I could continue to use my 1980s Vivitar lenses.
In other words, he’s pretty awesome.
A few days later, we had a day out together and decided on Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales and its gorgeous Waterfalls Trail. Time to properly test out the Sony and its image stabilisation capabilities.
It did not disappoint. My ultra-wide at ISO100 and f/8 was able to get down to 1/10sec exposure with no camera shake. Amazing.
All images taken on my Sony a7II using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom, Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f/2.8–4.0 zoom, and Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide prime lenses. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
The first composition on the trail that catches my eye, I quickly attach my Rokinon 14mm ultra-wide and start getting to grips with my new Sony and how it works.
The first of the major falls on the trail, Pecca Twin Falls. With my 14mm ultra-wide at ISO100 and f8, I was able to get an exposure down to 1/10sec with no camera shake, allowing for water motion. Fantastic.
The trail continues alongside and above the falls. We were by no means alone; Ingleton Falls trail was very busy that day.
The top section of Pecca Falls is a tight squeeze, but I still walked away extremely happy with how this turned out.
Arguably the main “show piece” of the entire trail: Thornton Force. I realised it’d been a while since I’d done the Ingleton Falls trail because the landscape had changed. For a start, a second waterfall was cascading down the left. Additionally, it was quite easy to crawl along a ledge to get behind the curtain of water, but those rocks seemed to have washed away.
This year’s lambs, happily dosing and mucking about in the warm spring sun.
Ingleborough’s flat top catching the light, rising high above the valley floor and its inhabitants.