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Yorkshire Photography Holidays |
Dorcas Eatch |
I'd wanted to do this walk for some time for a few reasons:
I went around sunrise which is quite late this time of year. I had checked on google earth and the valley didn't get much sun until about 8am so it was a leisurely start but from the angle of light it looked as though weather permitting it would be lovely. Lots of long shadows and side lighting which bring out the beautiful structures of the eroded hillsides.
First problem on arriving at Hawkswick, there is not a lot of parking and the parking that is there, is on private land with a small fee. Not that I mind but if I had too could 2 cars fit in there. Mmmm maybe not.
I knew the first bit would be a bit of a slog, the piled up contour lines on the map was a bit of a clue. I'm not fit at the moment so yes, baby steps up the path and I just had to stop for the sunrise and wait for some colour and light. Unfortunately with the frost was a very fine haze and slow moving clouds. So I waited a bit and yes did get a few minutes of hazy sunshine.
No escape from the path straight up the hillside but once on the top were some lovely views towards Arncliffe. Unfortunately not t'other way as the caravan park, now rather evident through the winter trees, was a bit obvious.
There is a lovely gateway of lichened rocks by a small shooting hut. But no light in the valley below and beyond. So I waited. Listening to the grouse and wishing I had a light zoom lens for the grouse that was sitting on a white rock on the moor well within distance. I waited an hour or more and got something I liked but not quite what I wanted.
The clouds came over, I was cold, the grouse was mocking me now by striking perfect poses.
This is access area and although the path is easy to follow on the ground on the map it isn't. I was going to come down through a wood, but once I got through the gate the drop was horrendous so I carried on knowing I would end up on another farm track leading down to the road.
I'm glad I carried on as sections of old walls provided some lovely foreground interest for the shots of Arncliffe and the valley beyond. The sun was out, the frost was still on the ground, but as I had to sit down to take the shot I didn't mind, water and protein bar at the ready.
Walking back through the fields I came across a beautiful hawthorn bush, dancing, spiritual, reminding me of Indian dancers with bright colours swirling, bright berried not yet been picked off by winter thrushes, the light catching the different colours of the bark, greens, algae set again the backdrop of the hill I had just walked, the browns of the bracken, the light coloured cliffs.
I started out with wide shots capturing the wall and the tree but the wall was too new and light, so I went in closer and closer just capturing what had entranced me.
Seven hours later I was back at my car, ready for a coffee and watching the snow clouds gather.
So had I answered any questions:
Oh and if you are wondering I took about 80 shots, 2 definite keepers and don't really know about the others.
We were all on tentahooks waiting for weather forecasts wondering if this workshop was going ahead as we were in the midst of a very harsh winter with gritting, or the lack of it a serious problem for getting anywhere in Britain. I was contacting Keld Lodge for weather updates every day and in the end it went ahead.The journey for me was very slow, I had started earlier than usual in case of ice on the A1 and of course the snow in Swaledale. My main problem though was Reeth Hill with it's very slippy slush. So there I was wi' shovel in hand, trying to clear a tyre path to aid me up the hill, when a local said to me"I shouldn't bother, if you can't get up that hill, you'll never get up the other hill, Low Row, Gunnerside........" and with that he walked off.I did get a tyre path cleared and thought if I can just get up this hill......... Eventually I did. Funnily enough the roads from then on were very drivable, mainly because it was packed snow rather than slush.Everyone turned up, including the 2 Australians who had said in their email "I hope it snows, we haven't touched snow..." Someone was wishing a bit too hard methinks!Although the main roads were passable, side roads were not so we were limited to scenes from the main road.Wain Wath was frozen apart from a slight trickle under the left hand waterfall, the river above hidden by the snow into a small stream.The snow was knee high, but it was excellent for explaining how to take shots in snow, in fact exposure as a whole and within minutes, everyone was in manual mode. There was scope for abstracts in the softly sculpted boulders and tree shapes and as luck would have it there was no wind.After a very welcome coffee at Keld Lodge, we slowly made our way down the road to Thwaite, stopping at some very well known barns. The light was very kind on the pristine snow, outlining the one or two tracks of sheep that crossed the fields. Snowflakes in the light were twinkling like stardust and being so quiet that day just added to the magical feel.The snow highlighted more opportunities for photography, old run down barns looking more photogenic by the minute, sheep tracks perfect lead ins and not too clear roads kept that feeling of isolation.The day finished cold with beautiful light over the hills round Keld and I have a feeling it was a fabulous introduction to Swaledale for my Australian friends and guests.
Join us for Yorkshire Dales Mid Week Photography excursions and tuition Feb 19-21 2010.
Following the popularity of the course last year we're running this midweek break for photography enthusiasts, beginners very much welcome, based in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the traditional Dales village of Malham staying at the wonderful Beck Hall
5 guests only, no single supplement, single rooms with ensuite, cosy log fire
I run Fotodayz Photography Holidays to show you how easy it is to learn the major techniques which you can carry forward in your photography with confidence.
Information is broken down during the day, repeated often and by the end of the day you can be quite surprised by how much you have expanded your technical skills as well feeling at ease with your camera.
No fuss, no techie speak, just simple clear explanations as many times as you need.
100% in the field, why waste that lovely countryside. It's also the total experience of being in and looking at the landscape in beautiful areas of Britain. At the end of the day you will have the skills to produce professional looking photographs to put on your wall but more importantly you will have had space to stand and stare.
The majority of the workshops concentrate on Yorkshire - Swaledale, Malham, Flamborough and the Wolds with a few dips outside the border to Anglesey, and Kinlochewe in Glencoe.
Groups consist of only 5 people so everyone gets lots of personal attention.
I love doing it and will keep you updated
take care
Dorcas
