I have been working away recently and did not have time to post this before I left for Ireland.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Bill Bellis after a fall on Am Basteir on 26th June. I met Bill through mutual friends a few years ago and had the pleasure of his company on some great walking and scrambling weekends in the Lake District.
With deepest sympathy to Bill's family. He will be missed.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Friday, 12 June 2009
MPA East Midlands Region Master Photographer of the Year 2009
The Master Photographers Association East Midlands Region Awards Dinner and presentations took place last night. I was delighted to become the East Midlands Master Photographer of the Year 2009.
There are many very good and highly respected Master Photographers within the Region and the competition for the top regional title is always strongly contested. Many thanks to Desi Fontaine (those of a certain age will remember the Athena posters of the 70's & 80's, especially the female tennis player scratching her butt - it was not Desi, I hasten to add!) for the constructive judging and congratulations to all those who did well in the categories.
I look forward to joining the judging panel for the MPA National Awards in August.
There are many very good and highly respected Master Photographers within the Region and the competition for the top regional title is always strongly contested. Many thanks to Desi Fontaine (those of a certain age will remember the Athena posters of the 70's & 80's, especially the female tennis player scratching her butt - it was not Desi, I hasten to add!) for the constructive judging and congratulations to all those who did well in the categories.
I look forward to joining the judging panel for the MPA National Awards in August.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
MPA East Mids Awards
The annual Master Photographers Association East Midlands Region print competition took place this evening. I won the Landscape & Travel category outright and also scored an Award of Excellence and two Merits with the four images I entered. Desi Fontaine FMPA, who leads workshops for Charlie Waite's Light & Land, was judging this year's Regional Awards. I also scored an Award of Excellence in the Pictorial category.
I will not be able to enter the National Awards this year because I have been invited to join the Judging Panel for the commercial categories, which includes Landscape & Travel. This is a great honour for me and I look forward to being involved.
I will not be able to enter the National Awards this year because I have been invited to join the Judging Panel for the commercial categories, which includes Landscape & Travel. This is a great honour for me and I look forward to being involved.
Saturday, 9 May 2009
A short interlude!
I'll sign off here now for the next couple of weeks. I'll post an account of the trip after I return, in the meantime here's a shot from a previous trip that shows what paddling in Sweden can be like when the weather is kind.
A sort of heaven! :-)
A sort of heaven! :-)
The waiting is the hardest part.
The final few hours of waiting to set off on a journey are the hardest hours. Anyone who has planned an adventure will know what I mean, all the planning has been taken care of, the kit is sorted and packed and the anticipation builds with a small sense of frustration that you can't quite make a start.
Because you have to wait!
Oh well, to pass the time, I've had a look through a few previous moments in Sweden:
Portaging between lakes and rivers can be hard work. This forest road was one of the better ones because vehicles use it. Others are little more than rough, rocky and muddy single tracks. A rare moment of sunshine between heavy rain squalls on this day. If I wasn't soaked by the weather, I was soaked in sweat!
Beavers! Amazing creatures, beaver. There are places where downed trees block the portage trails and subsequent manhandling of the canoe over or around these obstacles can be a very strenuous exercise. Good fun though, it always gives me a thrill to see beaver. They're usually active around dusk and can be quite approachable with care.
Wind shelters are a welcome feature in the Swedish National Parks. Most of them have a firepit and a stock of wood for warmth and cooking. They are a welcome sight after a long hard paddling and portaging day in bad weather. This particular day was very cold, wet and windy with snow and sleet. I was exhausted when I finally landed on this island, but conditions became even worse on the following day. A committing crossing of Stora Gla into a big swell and a snowstorm followed. I was really thankful I brought the drysuit, a capsize in those conditions would have been serious.
It's often that bad weather during the day gives way to spectacular sunsets and calm evenings. There was an active beaver lodge about 50 metres away from my camp. I watched these interesting creatures through the darkness until tiredness took over.
Because you have to wait!
Oh well, to pass the time, I've had a look through a few previous moments in Sweden:
Portaging between lakes and rivers can be hard work. This forest road was one of the better ones because vehicles use it. Others are little more than rough, rocky and muddy single tracks. A rare moment of sunshine between heavy rain squalls on this day. If I wasn't soaked by the weather, I was soaked in sweat!
Beavers! Amazing creatures, beaver. There are places where downed trees block the portage trails and subsequent manhandling of the canoe over or around these obstacles can be a very strenuous exercise. Good fun though, it always gives me a thrill to see beaver. They're usually active around dusk and can be quite approachable with care.
Wind shelters are a welcome feature in the Swedish National Parks. Most of them have a firepit and a stock of wood for warmth and cooking. They are a welcome sight after a long hard paddling and portaging day in bad weather. This particular day was very cold, wet and windy with snow and sleet. I was exhausted when I finally landed on this island, but conditions became even worse on the following day. A committing crossing of Stora Gla into a big swell and a snowstorm followed. I was really thankful I brought the drysuit, a capsize in those conditions would have been serious.
It's often that bad weather during the day gives way to spectacular sunsets and calm evenings. There was an active beaver lodge about 50 metres away from my camp. I watched these interesting creatures through the darkness until tiredness took over.
Sweden by canoe
Everything is now packed and ready for the drive to Heathrow at 4.00am tomorrow. The start of this year's trip follows the same pattern as before: fly to Oslo, pick up the hire car, drive to Arvika, camp overnight, spend the first day buying 2 week's worth of food and supplies. Another overnight camp and then to the outfitter to collect the tent, canoe, paddles, portage trolley, etc and finally the landrover trek to the get-in, this time somewhere north of Algsjon.
The route this year is quite long and remote, about 12 days paddling, unless I find an island that I feel like living on for a couple of days! I may spin it out to 14 days. From past experience, I know it will be quite arduous, but Sweden is a beautiful country even when the weather is against you. The kit list hasn't changed much, I'm taking only what I know works well:
Paramo Velez
Paramo Cascadas
Paramo Cambia base layers
Paramo Mountain pull-on
Paramo Torres gilet
Paramo cap
Reed Chillcheater Transpire base layers
Smartwool socks
Rab down socks
Tilley T5
Dam X drysuit
Mountain Equipment lightline duvet
Mountain Equipment Dragon 500 sleeping bag
Mountain Equipment 3/4 sleeping mat
Trangia with gas converter
Bushbuddy with Snow Peak 900 titanium pot
Snow Peak titianium mug
Titanium spork
LMF firesteel
Bowie knife
True North Little Tarp
Assorted Ortleib and Exped drybags for double bagging essentials such as sleeping bag, mat, cameras and clothing.
First-aid kit
Princeton Tec Apex head torch
Aquagear Survivor water filter
Folding spade
Ricoh GRD2
Hasselblad Xpan11 with 45mm
Everything is then packed into a Nookie 100ltr drybag which is securely tied down in the canoe.
The only untested kit I am taking are the Five.Ten Canyoneer 2 boots which I bought at Paddlefest in April and the Reed Aquatherm socks. I know Reed Chillcheater very well, I've used their gear for years and have no concerns about the quality or the capabilities of their products, it's top quality throughout. The Canyoneer 2's are a bit of a shot in the dark, but they are well made with good attention to detail. The materials certainly seem to be up to the job, they are designed for canyoneering but more importantly they are comfortable. A strap and buckle closure would seem to be a weak point in any design, but these are very robust. The boots are reasonably stiff and the soles are made of a sticky rubber compound, which will be useful on the portages. The fold-over cuff is neoprene covered in lycra and is comfortable and supportive. The upper is mainly mesh with a side drain-hole. I know I'm pinning a lot of faith on these boots, but given the high quality of materials and workmanship, I'm confident that they will be up to the job.
16 hours to go.....
Monday, 27 April 2009
Up the Cowsic and down the West Dart
I had a day to myself on Dartmoor, so I decided to return to an area that I have not visited for a few years. I like the remote areas of Dartmoor for, as I have said earlier in my blog, moorland gives me space to think and breathe. People and problems are soon left behind and the Moor fills your life. The strange thing is, it seems those things are more quickly left behind if you set off from a popular area of Dartmoor.
The walk I had planned involved setting off from the quarry carpark at Two Bridges, walking up the Cowsic River onto Beardown Tor, on to Lydford Tor, Devils Tor and Beardown Man, Rough Tor, Browne's House, and then above the upper West Dart river to Higher White Tor, Longaford Tor, Crockern Tor, Wistman's Wood and then back to to Two Bridges. Not a huge walk by any means, probably less than 10 miles, but plenty of archaeological interest with the tall menhir of Beardown Man and the remains of Browne's House. It was a beautiful spring morning at 8.30 am, warm enough to forego a mid layer. Although threatening clouds did dominate the day from about 10.45, it didn't rain.
Looking from Beardown Tor towards Lydford Tor, Devil's Tor and Rough Tor
Beardown Man.
Beardown Man is a tall menhir, the storm clouds began to threaten but the rain never came. I liked the way the split in the clouds adds an appropriate atmosphere to this scene.
Browne's House.
The story is that Browne, a farmer, had an attractive young wife. He was a jealous man who built his house in this remote part of the Moor in order to keep her away from the unwelcome attentions of other men! Just this ancient gatepost and a pile of rocks is all that remains of Browne's House.
A fellow traveller.
A wild Dartmoor pony grazing on Lower White Tor. It seems shameful that these hardy creatures have little apparent value and are are often destined for the Belgian meat trade or end up as dog food.
Higher White Tor from Langaford Tor.
Looking back at my route onto the ridge above the West Dart.
Longaford Tor.
The top of Longaford Tor makes a great viewpoint on a clear day like this. You can even pick up a short scramble to the top. This rock caught my eye. It reminded me of my sea kayak riding a swell.
Crockern Tor.
The ancient site of the Devon Stannary Parliament where the price of tin was fixed. Tin was extracted for many centuries on Dartmoor and around the South West of England.
Wistman's Wood.
Wistman's Wood is a jewel in the crown of Dartmoor. It is a remnant of the ancient oak forest that once covered the Moor. It is atmospheric at any time. Sit quietly for a few moments and it doesn't take much imagination to be transported into a Tolkienesque world. The stunted, twisted oaks and rocks are covered in lichens, ferns and mosses. There are rare and delicate plants all around. If you visit Wistman's Wood, please treat it with the respect and consideration it deserves.
All images were taken on a Nikon D3 and 14-24mm lens.
The walk I had planned involved setting off from the quarry carpark at Two Bridges, walking up the Cowsic River onto Beardown Tor, on to Lydford Tor, Devils Tor and Beardown Man, Rough Tor, Browne's House, and then above the upper West Dart river to Higher White Tor, Longaford Tor, Crockern Tor, Wistman's Wood and then back to to Two Bridges. Not a huge walk by any means, probably less than 10 miles, but plenty of archaeological interest with the tall menhir of Beardown Man and the remains of Browne's House. It was a beautiful spring morning at 8.30 am, warm enough to forego a mid layer. Although threatening clouds did dominate the day from about 10.45, it didn't rain.
Looking from Beardown Tor towards Lydford Tor, Devil's Tor and Rough Tor
Beardown Man.
Beardown Man is a tall menhir, the storm clouds began to threaten but the rain never came. I liked the way the split in the clouds adds an appropriate atmosphere to this scene.
Browne's House.
The story is that Browne, a farmer, had an attractive young wife. He was a jealous man who built his house in this remote part of the Moor in order to keep her away from the unwelcome attentions of other men! Just this ancient gatepost and a pile of rocks is all that remains of Browne's House.
A fellow traveller.
A wild Dartmoor pony grazing on Lower White Tor. It seems shameful that these hardy creatures have little apparent value and are are often destined for the Belgian meat trade or end up as dog food.
Higher White Tor from Langaford Tor.
Looking back at my route onto the ridge above the West Dart.
Longaford Tor.
The top of Longaford Tor makes a great viewpoint on a clear day like this. You can even pick up a short scramble to the top. This rock caught my eye. It reminded me of my sea kayak riding a swell.
Crockern Tor.
The ancient site of the Devon Stannary Parliament where the price of tin was fixed. Tin was extracted for many centuries on Dartmoor and around the South West of England.
Wistman's Wood.
Wistman's Wood is a jewel in the crown of Dartmoor. It is a remnant of the ancient oak forest that once covered the Moor. It is atmospheric at any time. Sit quietly for a few moments and it doesn't take much imagination to be transported into a Tolkienesque world. The stunted, twisted oaks and rocks are covered in lichens, ferns and mosses. There are rare and delicate plants all around. If you visit Wistman's Wood, please treat it with the respect and consideration it deserves.
All images were taken on a Nikon D3 and 14-24mm lens.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
