April on the Southwell Trail - Part 2

The fine weather in April dazzled the blossom along the trail with the clear blue skies providing a perfect backdrop for the snowy white blooms.

Most abundant were the blackthorn flowers, although some might be the thornless damson, it is hard to tell from photographer alone. Others include cherry blossom and a wild pear which I will attempt to separate below, however, my aim wasn’t to make accurate identifications, it was simply to enjoy the early spring spectacle.

Blackthorn:

Cherry blossom:

Wild Pear blossom:

 

April on the Southwell Trail - Part 1

High pressure dominated the early spring weather setting records for the coldest April since 1922. 

Compensating was the bright sunny conditions that drew out the fresh spring greens, dazzled the blackthorn blossom and generally lifted the spirits. I particularly enjoyed the still leafless oaks and ash trees along the trail casting bare shadows across the path:

Looking upwards there was one last opportunity to capture the branching patterns before the trees developed their seasonal canopy:

Cullernose Point (February 2014)

The final venue on my trip to the Northumberland Coast in 2014 was Cullernose Point near to the village of Howick. I wasn’t going to include the photos from this part of trip as they weren’t the best...which was due to a combination of an early start to the day on Lindisfarne, some overcast skies and rain, the prospect of driving home, plus an annoying interruption from a photography workshop. 

I had waited for hours for the light to change at Cullernose Point and just as there was a break in the cloud, a minibus turned up and out piled a group of photographers with tripods. In their rush I got pushed aside as they all lined up for their shots. I politely enquired how long they were intending to stay and was told they were on a ‘workshop’ with a manner that suggested some sort of priority and importance. 

I was about to pack up and start the drive home when the group suddenly hot footed it back to their minibus and they were gone as quickly as they arrived. I had the place to myself again but I had lost the concentration, the mindful stage of photography that I enjoy the most.

For me, photography isn’t a team activity. I prefer the isolation of a deserted beach or moorland and I am happy to stand for hours waiting for the light to change, even if the outcomes are poor. I would even go as far a saying that photography is better for the times that things don’t work out as it adds value to the occasions when it all comes together. 

So, for the sake of completeness I will draw this series of posts from Northumberland in 2014 to a close with a selection from the final afternoon. The first set captures the high tide rolling over a field of dolerite boulders with Cullernoise Point in the background. 

During a rain break I spotted these lichen patterns on the wall next to where I had parked the car:

Just before the end of the day a slither of sunlight caught the top of the cliff and the final shot was a long exposure looking towards the fading light and Howick Bathhouse: