Author: geoffspages

White waves

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, SkyeLeave a comment

Tuesday 17 October: Ophelia has passed, the wind has swung around to the north, and the waves are whitening the north Skye shoreline. I’ll start at Camas Mòr, then take a look at the view from the Bornesketaig clifftops. I’m catching the full force of the wind here – apart from a narrow zone a few feet back from the cliff edge (curious!). There’s a shower coming – back to the car quickly! On now to Balmaqueen, and the shore path towards that little white house on the edge of nothing. Surely it must get washed away?

A golden hour

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, SkyeLeave a comment

Monday 16 October: the remains of hurricane Ophelia are turning the sky a strange colour further south. Here, it’s just grey, showery and very windy – it’s not fit to stray far from the car. We make a false start in Hinnisdal, before heading towards Dunvegan. At Edinbane, we turn around and take the side road to Fanks, timing it nicely for a gap in the cloud. Suddenly, there’s a little golden islet in loch Snizort, though it’s not quite aligned with the end of the rainbow.  The scene before me is wonderful, though once again I’m struggling to hold the camera steady. Little more than half-an-hour later, the sunshine has gone and we’re back to dull, grey landscapes. And the wind.

Two days later…

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, SkyeLeave a comment

Sun 15 October: it’s still very windy, with lots of showers and occasional bursts of sunshine. Saturday was grey and relatively calm, so we were on garden duties; today we need a change of scene, so we’re out in the car, hoping for dry spells and those elusive sunny intervals. We’ll start off at Staffin slip, then head down the east coast as far as the viewpoint above Rigg bay. Retracing our steps, there’s a brief brighter spell by loch Mealt, then, pausing by Score bay, the floodlights are switched on to illuminate what’s left of Duntulm castle.

Rubha nam Bràithrean

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Skye, WalksLeave a comment

“Brothers’ Point”, in other words. Who were they? – the sign offers more questions than answers. It’s Friday 13 October – we’re at our northern office, during a particularly stormy spell. Next week we’ll have Ophelia to contend with; today, just a strong and blustery wind. We thought it might be reasonably sheltered down here. It wasn’t too bad on the shore, but it was very difficult to hold the camera steady at times (a common theme for this trip).

Rubha nam Bràithrean is becoming popular with the minibus tours during the season, but today we’ve got the place to ourselves and one or two small birds (and a couple of seals who peer out of the water from time to time). We won’t stay long – can’t get past the stream, which usually flows under the boulders, and showers are threatening.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=152103&Y=862681&A=Y&Z=120

Tackeroo toadstools

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Walks1 Comment

Wednesday: We’re walking the track of the Tackeroo today. The reason for the name is lost in obscurity; the track is that of the WW1 military railway built to serve camps on Cannock Chase – lifted soon after the war ended. Substantial parts of the network of lines remain as very pleasant footpaths across the moorland – along one stretch, there seem to be regular indents at right angles to the path, about as far apart as the line’s sleepers would have been. Surely not, after nearly 100 years?

Today’s weather is dull – grey and hazy – and the colours in the leaves have yet to develop. The Tackeroo toadstools are doing really well though, especially the fly agaric (“Flying Eric”, as my nephew once misheard). Sadly, many beside the path have been kicked and broken – whoever would want to do that?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=398595&Y=318041&A=Y&Z=120

Cleehill Curiosities

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Tuesday: We’re exploring in the southern part of the Clee hills – Magpie Hill and Titterstone Clee, and Clee Hill itself (Cleehill – all one word – is the village). The curiosities are many, not all easily explained. Who would think to name a place “Random”? Then there’s the three-forked pole – shropshirehistory.com quotes a map of 1571 which described it as a “A fforked pole neare to a place whence on old Stone Crosse stood formerly”. Those space-age mushrooms on Titterstone Clee (there was once a rocking or “teetering” stone) are not quite what one would expect, though, visible from miles around, they aren’t really unexpected. But those brick-built figures of eight – what were they for?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360620&Y=276671&A=Y&Z=120

Parasols and sombreros on Brown Clee

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Not just parasols (one of which looks more like a sombrero), though their size makes them rather obvious – there are all kinds of fungi up on Brown Clee at this time of year, from the mundane to the weird and wonderful. It’s a very pleasant afternoon to be out on the hill – barely a breeze at first, with a blue sky and white fluffy clouds. Later, the sunshine becomes rather watery, but it stays dry, and the light’s just right for those monster mushrooms as we return to the car.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=358940&Y=285446&A=Y&Z=120