The first of today's images is of Mam Tor at the far end of the great ridge seen from Back Tor a dramatic rock outcrop that overlooks Edale which can be seen spread out before us in the second image. On the skyline on the far left of the image Kinder Scout is also visible.
Walking up to the top of Mam Tor you get spectacular views all around. This view shows the winding road into Edale cutting through Mam Tor and looking across to Rushup Edge.
Getting this shot took some nerve on my part as I had to inch close to the edge in order to get the road in full without being cut off by the ground in front of me. I was even more nervous when another photographer a little further down slipped while trying to get a similar shot so I had to be careful to maintain a sure footing on the slope. It was worth the effort though, I love this image with the low winter sun lighting one slope of the hill and the black snake of road following the contour of the hill down into the valley.
So for today I decided to get out and do some hiking, something I haven't really done too much of for a while and I headed off to where my hiking adventures began about 30 years ago in the Derbyshire Peak District.
I chose a circular walk starting from the village of Castleton to the top of Mam Tor and along the ridge dividing Edale and Hope Valley. It was a great day out with some absolutely stunning scenery. The walk is billed as the 10th most popular walk in the UK and although it was a weekday, because it was New Year's Eve there were a lot of other people out enjoying the hills too so it wasn't the quiet getaway I had imagined but it was fun nevertheless.
I decided to shoot this view of Mam Tor reflected in a small roadside pool in portrait mode and landscape mode. I had to be patient because although the water was calm when I arrived a couple of dogs went in for a paddle. After a few minutes though they moved on and I was able to get these lovely reflections.
It was such a relief to see the top of the hill bathed in sunshine because when I first arrived the whole ridge had been enveloped in fog and I had worried that I was in for a cold and damp walk with no views at all.
2019 has ended well for me, let's hope that 2020 gets off to a good start too.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
This shot of a solitary tree was taken in June 2016 on a walk with my daughter around the Roaches and Lud's Church in the Peak District. It was a great day out and the scenery was spectacular.
So today I got to go out and play and conditions were perfect.
When I started with my first DSLR my favourite lens was a Sigma 10 - 20mm super wide angle zoom but when I traded up to a full frame camera the Sigma would no longer fit as it used an EF-S mount rather than the EF mount on my current camera body. I have wanted a replacement for some time and having saved a bit of cash I was able to treat myself to a Canon 17 - 40mm f4 L series.
What a lens... It is now my new favourite lens and I am definitely going to get some use out of it.
I went down to the upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire and took a stroll around the Ladybower reservoir, one of a number of connected reservoirs in the valley and as you can see from today's picture the water was mirror calm and the winter sun (following a very cold clear night) gave a perfect light.
This shot was one of the last of the day although I have a number of good images to share.
Just a word of advice always check the settings on your camera at the start of any shoot, and throughout the day too. Unfortunately I had somehow altered the resolution and didn't realise until it was too late and I have a number of nice but poor quality images that I cannot use. I know I can go back another day but I will be lucky to get such good conditions the next time. Oh well never mind eh! Enjoy this shot and the others that I will share...
An alternate title for today's blog was going to be "Breaking Through".
At the end of the day, after several hours of walking across moorland over rocky ledges and through cool woodland the final part of our day was a stretch along a narrow country lane. There had been threats of heavy rain and storms but fortunately it didn't materialise and at times the sun managed to break through and cast a golden glow upon the green fields, the moors and the valley.
In the first picture looking in the direction of Wildboarclough I love the pattern of dry stone walls.
In the second picture you can make out the rays of the sun fanning out through the clouds. I have cropped the image to cut out some lens flare but if you look at the bottom of the image there is an unusual flare like a smiley face emoticon, I have no idea how this was formed but it is genuine and not a trick of post production.
In the third picture the sun is lighting up the surface of Tittesworth reservoir, which was constructed in 1858 to supply the town of Stoke on Trent.
Along the ridge known as the Roaches there are some pretty interesting rocky outcrops and formations. The first one in today's selection looks like the head of a dog and the second looks rather like a head, facing across the valley.
I like the different shapes and the way the sandstone has been worn away by the elements and the different colours in the rocks as can be seen in the next two pictures.
I also like the final picture looking south along the ridge with the moors to the left and the patchwork of fields in the valley to the right. This really is a green and pleasant land.
It was a bit of a trek up to the top of The Roaches in the Peak District, but with views across Staffordshire in one direction and Derbyshire in the other it was well worth the effort.
The moorland at the top was covered in this expanse of cotton grass in full bloom and in the breeze as it was waving gently it looked really beautiful. A little way along the path was Doxey Pool which was a quiet spot for a short break before setting off on the rest of our walk.
Although my intention when I went out with my daughter to the Peak District was to take some landscape pictures I couldn't resist getting my macro lens out for the busy little bumble bee at the start of out walk. I love that you can clearly see how the bee is feeding on the nectar from the tiny little flower cups, I also like the dusting of pollen that you can see coating the bee's furry coat.
Then right at the end of the day on the final leg back towards the car this beautiful little bunny popped up at the side of the road and again I took this snap for everybody who like me loves verge bunnies
I was originally going to call today's blog stronger together but I suppose "Standing Alone" is a better fit.
