The Joys Of Spring

Last weekend couldn't have been more different to the weekend before when I was in Paris and Versailles. Instead of a quaint apartment and cafe culture I spent much of last weekend under canvas in a field in the Yorkshire Dales eating a delicious burger and nursing a toothache following the extraction of a wisdom tooth.

Although there was less in the way of luxury and I certainly got less sleep I enjoyed every minute of my camping trip at one of my favourite camp sites. I didn't do as much photography as I had intended as I was feeling less than 100% so I spent a lot of time snuggled in the tent out of the very blustery wind.

The few pictures that I did capture were taken either as the light was going or after dark down at Bolton Abbey.

Today's selection is a cuteness overload with these lovely spring lambs. I caught these first two sitting tight together enjoying that last of the evening sunshine.

There were lots of lambs and many of them were running and skipping around, I tried to follow them with my long lens and catch the moment. In the failing light it wasn't easy but I managed to get a few just at the right moment. The second of today's pictures is just one of them. It's a fairly grainy image but it fills me with joy and brings back some happy memories of a weekend full of the joys of spring.

Triple Stack

Last October I visited Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, I had a lovely day exploring this unusual spot and photographing the many rock formations and I even had a nice picnic lunch sat on top of one. 

Towards the end of the day the sky clouded over but the as the sun dipped low it lit up this formation of three stacks, the clouds make a dramatic backdrop in contrast to the warmth of the foreground. 

Entrance to Dunharrow

I liked this shot for the opening in the rocks which reminded me a little of the entrance to the realm of the ghost king in The Lord of the Rings. I also like the way there is a tree growing on the top of the rock and I am amazed that it can get any nourishment in such a barren spot.

Tiny Fungi

Creeping around in the undergrowth I found these little fungi nestled in a bed of fresh green moss. It was worth getting a little wet and dirty to get down low and get the shot.

At Brimham Rocks

For most of the day at Brimham Rocks the sky was dull and colourless but as it got closer to time to leave dark clouds formed in the distance but the sun also came out and lit up the rock formations. I love the contrast of the dark grey in the sky and the bright colours of the rocks.

On The Quayside

The first of today's pictures is a view of Runswick Bay, I took this shot because I liked the way the village is reflected in the wet sand in the foreground. I had originally intended to get down onto the beach a little further along the coast at Kettleness. I was looking for a path down the cliffs and was told by a local fisherman that the path was very poor and quite dangerous in places and that the final 100 feet was via a rope. I did not fancy that loaded up with my camera gear so I was directed to Runswick Bay which fortunately has easy access to the beach and the shoreline beneath the cliffs.

Further north from this spot is Staithes a quaint little fishing village and location for (Captain) James Cook's first job in a merchants office. In the summer season the place is a hive of activity with lots of tourists but on a cold February day it was anything but. Most of the shops were closed and the few people brave enough to face the steep streets down to the harbour and then the arduous climb back up didn't stay very long.

The second shot is of a few of the small fishing boats at anchor in the small harbour taking shelter from the incoming tide and heavy seas. All of the boats were very colourful but look quite sad.

The last two shots are by far my favourite. I think they are really evocative and full of character. The lobster pots were, like the boats, quite colourful with brightly coloured tags and floats but having taken both colour and black and white shots I think the black and white are the stronger images.

While taking these pictures I spotted a local lobsterman, checking on his pots and making sure everything was in order. He took some time to answer my questions too which was really nice.  He explained that these pots/traps are for both lobsters and crabs depending on the time of year and that they set them up to three miles offshore and would go out everyday in order to make a living. He was frustrated because the weather and sea conditions had not allowed him to get out to sea and so he was not making any money for that day.