Oxenber & Wharfe Woods, Yorkshire Dales, Spring
It’s been nearly a month since my last post.
It’s been nearly a month since my last post.
I must apologise for that. Times, they are a’ changin’.
To start, we moved house! That in itself has consumed most of my time and energy, as house moves usually do. Thankfully we’re now all settled in and getting down to the important things in life, like looking at curtain textiles and measuring all the things.
With things settling back down a little, and the British weather drastically improving, we thought we’d try to capture the last of this year’s bluebells. Over the years we’ve found some proper lovely places to photograph bluebells, such as:
This time we tried somewhere new, to us, based on personal recommendation: the woods of Oxenber and Wharfe near Feizor.
And we were absolutely blown away.
Carpets of bluebells, some in ancient woodland, some out in the open with spectacular views to the likes of Moughton Scar and Ingleborough.
Happily, this was also my first full outing with my newly acquired Sony 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS, courtesy of my Dad. This lens easily replaced five other lenses I had, which has significantly reduced my carrying load.
I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking and editing them.
All photos shot on my Sony α7ii using my Sony 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS zoom lens. RAWS edited in Lightroom, edited in RNI Films, and finalised in Photoshop.
Oxenber & Wharfe Woods, Yorkshire Dales, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Our hike started from Austwick and we were soon on the easy well-defined trail towards the elevated Oxenber and Wharfe woods.
A beautiful Holstein Friesian lady, basking in the glorious sunshine.
We followed Wood Lane as the trail started to ascend. Looking back across the segmented fields towards Robin Proctor’s Scar and the Norber Erratics.
The signage was clear enough as to where we needed to go.
Soon enough we began the short and sharp ascent off Wood Lane and into Oxenber Wood. Bluebells everywhere.
This area of woodland and pasture was once an important quarry and source of timber for Austwick. Now it’s marked as an SSSI and largely left to its own devices.
Open areas of former pasture meant acres of bluebells, out in the open, enjoying views towards the likes of Moughton Scar and Ingleborough.
A carpet of bluebells with Moughton Scar on the left and Bargh Hill on the right.
Higher up, more former pasture land has given way to more bluebells. I found this solitary limestone boulder covered in moss that made for a lovely composition.
In addition to all the bluebells were tracts of limestone pavement, much to my delight!
Entering the denser woodland of Wharfe wood, a small trail branched off, giving views towards Moughton Scar.
Wharfe wood’s thicker coverage meant for beautiful soft light and trees covered in moss and lichen.
A small trail heads deeper into Wharfe Wood, with a hint of yet more bluebells beyond. Our route was to exit out of the eastern end of the woodland, but not before I chanced upon this mystical scene.
Popping out of Wharfe Wood, the unmistakable shape of Pen-y-ghent quickly makes itself known to us.
The route now followed the Pennine Bridleway towards Feizor. To the left are the shoulders of the limestone hills above Feizor.
This year’s spring lambs, of the Swaledale kind, quickly scampered to their mums.
On our descent to Feizor I spotted this little cottage and its field covered in buttercups.
The rest of the route back to Austwick was simple enough, just follow the Pennine Bridleway from Feizor to Austwick. This ancient country lane was lined with wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and its delicious smell.
The collapsed ruins of Meldings Barn, with a doorway still standing on its own.
Back at Austwick, the local cows gently made their way to Austwick Beck for a cool down and a drink to relieve from the warm spring day.
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The Roaches & Lud’s Church, Peak District, Autumn
We’re in the Peak District in the fortnight!
We’re in the Peak District for a fortnight!
The last time we explored the Peak District was way back in May 2015. Even then, it was only for a long weekend.
After a gentle Saturday spent enjoying the sights and sounds of Buxton, we embarked on a more strenuous Sunday; a 10km hike along the Roaches to the summit, then down into Back Forest to explore the chasm of Lud’s Church.
20,000+ steps, 1,184 ft of ascent and 1,178 ft of descent. My feet are paying the price.
Totally worth it though.
All photos shot on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS zoom and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC prime lenses. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, finalised in Lightroom for iPad.
The Roaches & Lud's Church, Peak District, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The steepest and most sheer of the Roaches’ crags are at the southeastern end. In the distance, the pyramidal shape of Hen Cloud (410 m/1,315 ft) can be seen, an outlier of the Roaches separated by a col.
The Roaches are especially popular at the weekends. It’s easy to see why. Apart from hikers and freerunners, these crags attract climbers and boulderers seeking challenging projects to tackle.
To get on the trail above the Roaches, we followed the smaller trail below them and through this beautiful autumnal woodland, once the site of an old quarry.
It’s a long way down. Although the day was hazy, and unreasonably warm for an October day (20ºC), the views from the Roaches are extensive.
Looking northeast towards the Five Clouds, with a sheer drop down to the valley in front of me. Beautiful autumnal colours are just starting to emerge.
The name of this area, the Roaches, comes from the French les roches, meaning “the rocks”. These crags are made of a coarse sandstone called gritstone, deposited millions of years ago as part of an ancient river delta. Over time the surrounding landscape eroded away, leaving these isolated crags standing tall.
From the summit, 505 m above sea level, the 360º views are extensive. Beyond these crags you can make out the smaller ridge above Back Forest.
Passing through the crags on our way down to Back Forest, I spot a young couple staging a precarious “cliffhanger” for a photo.
These two windswept crags provided a wonderful frame of the distant hill towards Congleton.
The last of these overhanging crags must provide a wonderful challenge for boulders and climbers.
Our route involves a sharp drop down to the col. At this point, we’d follow the trail down to Back Forest. Our next destination was the epic Lud’s Church.
We gingerly navigated the extremely muddy path through Back Forest until, eventually, we found the way down to the chasm of Lud’s Church. Before getting down to the bottom, a small slot to the side catches my eye for a photo.
And here, we’re down to the bottom of Lud’s Church. This is a 60ft chasm in the woods of Back Forest, caused by a huge landslip in the Gritstone bedrock. Even on a warm October day, Lud’s Church is wet, dark, and refreshingly cool. It is also rather muddy.
You may be wandering about the name. This chasm has Christian history. A group of Christian reformers, the Lollards, apparently used this place to worship in the early 15th century. It may have been named after a Walter de Ludank/Walter de Lud-Auk, who was captured here at one of the aforementioned “services”.
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Barkbooth Lot, Cumbria, Spring
It was time to capture the last of this year’s bluebells.
It was time to capture the last of this year’s bluebells.
We’re fortunate in Cumbria to have quite a few options when it comes to photographing glorious bluebell displays. On this occasion we decided to revisit a local favourite that also—coincidentally—tends to be quiet: Barkbooth Lot.
Upon arrival it turns out that we were maybe slightly past Peak Bluebell, at least in Barkbooth Lot. Nevertheless, the light was lovely and the woodland is always a joy to gently wander around and find compositions to play with.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS zoom and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC prime lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Barkbooth Lot, Cumbria, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Soft woodland light highlights the limestone remnants, moss, and of course the bluebells in this delicious scene.
On the edge of the woods, this dead tree being consumed by vines provides an excellent subject.
The way through the woodlands, across the beck. Like a scene from a timeless fantasy novel.
A patch of bluebells enjoy the shade will unfurling ferns reach up to the morning light.
A trio (tree-oh?) or trees provide a simplified composition, with bluebells surrounding them.
A fallen tree shelters the carpet of bluebells.
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Glencoe Lochan & Glen Etive, Scotland, Winter
Somewhere new and somewhere old.
Somewhere new and somewhere old.
The draw of Glen Etive is always strong, especially with those world-famous views towards Buachaille Etive Mòr. But before we revisited what is quickly becoming known as the “Skyfall valley”, we wanted to check out somewhere new (to us).
At the foot of Glencoe, beneath the prominent peak known as the Pap of Glencoe, there’s a fair amount of woodland one can enjoy. Within that woodland one can find a small tarn known as Glencoe Lochan.
It’s super easy to get to and thankfully, on this occasion, it offered us almost perfectly clear reflections of the surrounding mountains.
After exploring the lochan, we then drove downGlen Etive for compositions of the “the Buckle” and more.
An absolute corker of a day.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom and Laowa 9mm f2.8 lenses. RAWs converted and corrected in Capture One for iPad, developed using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles, then finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Glencoe Lochan & Glen Etive, Scotland, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Glencoe Lochan
From the village of Glencoe, the Pap of Glencoe is ever-present. The word “pap” comes from Middle English, meaning “breast”.
In the distance, this magnificent stag was happily chewing cud and enjoying the winter sun light.
The beck below the woods looked absolutely gorgeous; the water was unbelievably clear. One to think about a swim in.
The woodland beneath the Pap was chock-full of delightful scenes like this.
Soon enough we arrived at the lochan to find perfect reflections of the various mountains around.
Glencoe Lochan was planted in the 1890s by a Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, using trees from the Pacific Northwest of Canada. He did this to alleviate his wife’s homesickness, who was missing Canada after moving to Scotland.
In the morning winter sun, reflections of Beinn na Caillich looked sublime.
Looking west from one of the many jetties dotted around the lochan, the pyramidal peak of Sgorr Dhearg (1,024m/3,359ft) was looking crisp.
I spotted an opportunity to focus-stack some evergreen foliage along Glencoe Lochan’s eastern shore, the reflections leading the way towards Sgorr Dhearg.
I bet this place looks absolutely insane in autumn.
Glen Etive
After stopping off at the Glencoe Ski Resort cafe for a bite and a coffee, we made our way towards Glen Etive. But first, I just had to nab this iconic building and composition. This is Blackrock Cottage, a private building that’s been featured in hundreds of photos with “the Buckle” behind it.
At the top of Glen Etive, the River Coupall crashes into the River Etive in a series of impressive cascades. It is perhaps the photographer hotspot for photos of the Buckle, and I’m no different. How can you say no to a scene like this?
Lisabet and I clambered up the River Coupall, seeking compositions of the Buckle.
To date, this is perhaps the finest shot of the Buckle I’ve ever taken. I knew there had to be a reflection in the river somewhere…
Down at the foot of Glen Etive, right on the shores of Loch Etive, I spot this little group of trees beautifully framing Stob Dubh.
Those same trees act as a leading device in another composition involving Stob Dubh.
Directly opposite our shore, Ben Starav (1,078m/3,536ft) dominates the eastern shore of Loch Etive.
The final composition of the day. Beautiful Scots pines and Stob Dubh in the distance.
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Talkin Tarn Country Park, Cumbria, Autumn
It was me Dad’s birthday at the weekend!
It was me Dad’s birthday at the weekend!
To celebrate, we all enjoyed a lovely wander around Talkin Tarn, east of Carlisle, before treating Dad to lunch.
The last time we were at Talkin Tarn was around November 2017. I only remember this because I had just bought a Sigma dp0 Quattro, and this walk was my first opportunity to put it through its paces. This was also back in my tripod days.
My tastes and shooting style have evolved significantly since then, but I still have a deep fondness for Sigma and their Foveon sensor cameras.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom lens. Images were made 95% in-camera using FujiXWeekly’s Super HG Astia recipe, then finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Talkin Tarn Country Park, Cumbria, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The woods around Talkin Tarn were holding on valiantly to the last of this year’s autumn foliage.
Though the rest of Cumbria was looking gloomy and wet, here in northeast Cumbria conditions were bright and dry.
Through the woods to get the last of this area’s autumn foliage.
Looking back at the woods and enjoying the play of light, before carrying on around the more open section of the tarn walk.
It was nice to see plenty of water fowl enjoying the tarn, no doubt somewhat desensitised to the presence of humans. There were your regulars such as Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and Mute swans (Cygnus olor), but also Coots (Fulica atra) and Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus).
A beautiful Mute Swan, practically glowing in the morning light.
The tarn is glacial in origin, formed around 10,000 years ago after the last Ice Age. Some of the woods around the tarn are ancient.
There were plenty of other folk enjoying the light, conditions, and scenery around the tarn.
We detoured slightly from the main tarn path to explore some of the woodland above the tarn. Of course, Lisabet has a keen eye for woodland fungi.
A thoroughly pleasant day was had by all.
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Miltonrigg Woods, Cumbria, Autumn
Ever since we returned from South Wales, it basically hasn’t stopped raining in North England.
Ever since we returned from South Wales, it basically hasn’t stopped raining in North England.
This has severely limited opportunities to get and about in the local area for some quality hikes and enjoy the season’s autumn colours.
Thankfully, Sunday just gone, conditions were largely dry during a visit to my Dad’s. So, after a wee bit of Googling, we hopped into the car and drove east of Brampton for a lovely hike around Miltonrigg Woods.
Beautiful colours, gorgeous woodland. A good way to see off the last of this year’s autumn colours.
Photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Dad’s XF18–55mm f2.8–4 zoom and my own Laowa 9mm f2.8 lens. RAWs converted in Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, and finalised in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Miltonrigg Woods, Cumbria, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Right next to the start of the walk, a beautiful scene illuminated itself before my eyes. Already the autumn colours were looking glorious and the light was just right.
A tigher composition of the illuminated ferns amongst the rusty hues of fallen leaves.
Looking back at the start of the hike. There’s nothing quite like a woodland in autumn.
Three gnarly trees entwine and reach to the skies, sheltering the fiery leaves beneath.
As the sun came out from behind the clouds, I spotted an opportunity for an ultra-wide composition featuring some of the woodland’s gorgeous ferns.
I enjoy the challenge of finding compositions and telling a simple story in an otherwise complicated landscape, such as in the woods.
The afternoon sun pierces through the seemingly endless layers of trees.
Two silver birches with a “skirt” of autumn foliage.
The light was such that you had to stay alert and keep your eyes open, as random parts of the woodland around you would suddenly illuminate and reveal a gorgeous scene to photo.
Another twisting ancient tree in a sea of ferns provides contrast against a backdrop of illuminated silver birch.
Heading back to the car park and a tunnel of light reveals a row of trees amongst a carpet of rusty leaves.