Misty Derwent Water

Early morning Derwent Water in the English Lake Distirct, Cumbria on a cold, misty start to the day and just before the mist oblitorated the morning light on the Western horizon.

The Over-Enthusiastic Photographer

Commissioned by Ramblers Worldwide Holidays to document in photographs their tour of The Hills and Valleys of Nepal. Think about it; what photographer would refuse a chance such as this? The “Roof of the World” with all those snow-clad mountains, foothills and scenic valleys. Mountains rising out of the earth, giving drama and an unrivalled grandeur to the terraced, hilly landscape of Nepal. A true landscape photographer’s dream.

It certainly sounds fantastic but in reality those snow-clad mountains kept teasing me for almost a full two weeks! I was certainly shown little hints of their existence on several days but as the sun rose higher in the sky, so did the mists from the dew-soaked earth which obscured their grandeur from view. Each time we gained height to some spectacular view point on one our walks we looked out onto further foothills topped with cumulus cloud and mist. To say this was frustrating is something of an understatement. Peering into those clouds and mists each day making out the vague outline of Fish Tail or Annapurna 1 which was soon obscured from view by more swirling cloud was truly frustrating.

The day of the 31st December began very misty and after a brief bus ride to the start point of our walk, we set off as further mists swirled in bringing with them dark and ominous clouds! However, the day faired not too badly. It was warm and good walking weather. The dark clouds came to very little and to some extent gave a little extra detail and contrast to the sky. Sunset happened but was not very impressive because of the heavy cloud cover. I had Dinner with the remainder of the group and then headed off to my room for some sleep and rest.

I had been allocated a room at the furthermost end of the complex and on the top floor. This was fine with me as it commanded a nice view of the pristine hotel gardens below with all its landscaped beauty and colour. During the night I was awakened with the sound of heavy rainfall pattering on the roof of my room. Somehow I managed to fall back into the Arms of Morpheus and woke up naturally at my usual time of 5:30am.

I switch on the lights, jumped out of bed and headed in the direction of the hospitality tray. Then I poured the coffee granules into the cup and switched on the kettle and then visited the bathroom. On my return the kettle still hadn’t boiled and as I waited I began to wonder what the weather was like and remembering the earlier rainfall I headed to the windows and pulled up the blinds.

To my utter amazement the view which greeted me was totally jaw-dropping! Those hidden mountains, the “Roof of the World” was in full view and the light from the early morning sun was just catching and lighting up their peaks with a warm orange hue. I wasted little time and quickly grabbed the camera bag, flipped the catches, withdrew the camera, picked up the tripod, slid open the door to the balcony and set the tripod and camera on top of the convenient table which was standing there.

The view was stunning and getting better as the moments passed. I quickly composed the scene, plugged in the shutter release cable so as not to risk camera shake, focussed and pressed the release button. An eight second exposure in the early morning half light which seemed to take forever.

What happened next seemed to take forever too, but in reality happened very quickly. As I waited with bated breath and goose bumps on my body, I suddenly realised that I was still as naked as I had been when I got out of bed! Not only that but other sounds were beginning to permeate into my blinded and over-enthusiastic state of mind.

I was hearing voices; specifically Japanese voices and very close at hand. With reluctance, I slowly averted my gaze away from the grandeur of the mountain range and the still blank screen of the camera and looked over the balcony into the hotel gardens. There were about thirty Japanese photographers below me, with an assortment of cameras and lenses, looking at the same scene which I had been viewing plus several of them looking up at me with faces full of smiles as they realised that I had eventually become aware of their presence.

Oh the embarrassment of the moment! I quickly dived back through the sliding doors into the bedroom and grabbed my trousers, hoisted them up then back to the balcony to continue photographing the mountains. Possibly a little red faced but this time at least I was covering most of my dignity with clothing!

Knowing how the Japanese enjoy photographing anything which moves I am quite sure that a mad Englishman, exposing not only images from his balcony but also his person, gave them something extra to show their friends on their return home. This certainly puts a whole new meaning to working in “RAW” files!

As a footnote: If anyone should see a picture of an extremely handsome but naked photographer, posing on a balcony next to a Canon camera posted on the internet could they please contact me…I would like a copy!

www.davidlewins.co.uk

Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral is the greatest Norman building in England, perhaps even in Europe. It is cherished not only for its architecture but also for its incomparable setting. For this reason it was inscribed together with the Castle as one of Britain’s first World Heritage Sites. In a nationwide BBC poll held in 2001 it was voted the nation’s best-loved building. Like Hadrian’s Wall and the Angel of the North, it is an icon of north-east England, its image is instantly recognisable to people who love this part of Britain.

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Entrance to Durham Castle

Durham Castle was originally built in the 11th century as a projection of the Norman king’s power in the north of England, as the population of England in the north remained “wild and fickle” following the disruption of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is an excellent example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans. The holder of the office of the Bishop of Durham was appointed by the King to exercise royal authority on his behalf: the Castle was his seat.

It remained the Bishop’s palace for the Bishops of Durham until the Bishops made Bishop Auckland their primary residence and the castle was converted into a college.

www.davidlewins.co.uk

Red Dawn – Bamburgh Castle

This impressive castle sits on a basalt outcrop overlooking the Farne Islands and Lindisfarne on the heritage coast in North Northumberland.

This is exactly how it was, this image has not been manipulated or had saturation added, in fact the reverse, I actually desaturated it by about 25%.

Autumnal Woodland

A local woodland scene of mostly beech trees in autumnal colour.

Autumn by William Morris

Laden Autumn here I stand
Worn of heart, and weak of hand:
Nought but rest seems good to me,
Speak the word that sets me free.

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The Tees Transporter Bridge

The Tees Transporter Bridge as it is correctly known (or simply the Transporter or Tranny) is the furthest downstream bridge across the River Tees, England. It connects Middlesbrough on the south bank to Port Clarence on the north bank. It is a transporter bridge, carrying a travelling ‘car’ or ‘gondola’ suspended from the bridge, across the river in 90 seconds. The gondola can carry 200 people, 9 cars or 6 cars and one minibus. It carries the A178 road from Middlesbrough to Hartlepool.

History

Following a 1907 Act of Parliament the bridge was built at a cost of £68,026 6s 8d by Sir William Arrol & Co. of Glasgow between 1910 and 1911 to replace an earlier steam ferry.  A transporter bridge was chosen because Parliament ruled that the new scheme of crossing the river had to avoid affecting the river navigation. The opening ceremony on the 17 October 1911 was performed by Prince Arthur of Connaught. The first person to fall off the bridge fell at the opening ceremony; the man (Arthur Darwin) was a relative of John Darwin from Seaton Carew of canoeing fame.

The Tees Transporter Bridge has an overall length (including cantilevers) of 851 feet (259 m), leaving a span between the centres of the towers of 580 feet (180 m), the beam of the bridge being carried at a height of 160 feet (49 m) above the road. This combined with an overall height of 225 feet (69 m), makes this bridge the second largest example remaining in the world; the largest being the bridge across the River Usk, at Newport in South Wales.

During World War Two the superstructure of the bridge was hit by a bomb. In 1953, the gondola got stuck half-way. While it was stuck, gale force winds lashed water to within inches of it.

In 1974, the comedy actor Terry Scott, travelling between his hotel in Middlesbrough and a performance at the Billingham Forum, mistook the bridge for a regular toll crossing and drove his car off the end of the roadway, landing in the safety netting beneath.

In December 1993, the bridge was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ highest honour, The Heritage Plaque, for engineering excellence, in recognition of the Council’s efforts in keeping the bridge in good working order. Its historical importance was also recognised in 1985 by its listing as a Grade II* Listed Building and its prominence as a local landmark was further enhanced in 1993 by the installation of flood lights that operate during the winter months.

It has featured in films and TV programmes including Billy Elliot, The Fast Show, Spender and Steel River Blues. In the millennium celebrations of 2000, fireworks were fired from its length. The storyline of the third series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, saw the bridge dismantled to be sold to and re-erected in the USA. The local council received calls from people worried that the bridge was really being pulled down, with the BBC adding a disclaimer on the end of the final episode of the series stating that ‘The Transporter Bridge remains in Middlesbrough’.

The Transporter Bridge has a safety announcement, and until recently, it was a southern voice. Middlesbrough council decided it was time to change the voice, and held a competition for the new voice. The competition was won by a Middlesbrough man, Brian Hall, who was one of the last few finalists in the competition for thespeaking clock  in 2006.

The bridge is currently owned by Middlesbrough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Middlesbrough council has control of the day-to-day operations and maintenance.

www.davidlewins.co.uk

Infinity Bridge – Stockton UK

The newest crossing over the River Tees, Infinity Bridge instantly changed the skyline over Stockton UK. The arches of Infinity Bridge were lifted into place in 2008.

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Martindale

A classic view of Martindale in the English Lake District, a beautiful, unspoilt valley at the east side of Lake Ullswater which has little traffic access. The are is beautiful not only in its views but also in it’s varied wildlife which you may be rewarded in viewing especially early morning or evening.

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View of Martindale

This is a view of Martindale taken from Hallin Fell and looking slightly South East. To the right of the image is Sleet Fell leading to Place Fell. To the centre of the image is Martindale Common with Steel Knotts to the left. In the distance, with cloud just beginning to enshroud it, is High Street.

This lovely valley lies on the east side of Ullswater, the second largest and perhaps most beautiful of the English lakes. It is a completely unspoilt place, reached by a mountain pass that ascends from Howtown, and preserved from through traffic, since there is no road on to Patterdale. Martindale wildlife includes red squirrels, badgers, hares, woodpeckers, herons, owls, falcons, and many kinds of smaller bird. One of the finest local walks, along the High Street ridge, may reward you with a sighting of red deer or even a golden eagle. The local herdwick sheep, a rare farm breed, are to be seen everywhere in the fields or on the open fell.

www.davidlewins.co.uk