A moment of Welsh solitude

October 16, 2024

During my recent travels to Wales I spent a night staying in the village of Cilycwm. I arrived mid afternoon and decided to make the most of the day’s remaining light to take a short stroll around the village. To my surprise the village church was open so I wandered in and spent some quiet time there exploring its photographic possibilities.

For some reason I’m always drawn to solitary chairs…

A lovingly crafted cushion on one of the pews.

There had evidently been a wedding in the church within the last few days and it was lovely to see the small posies of flowers adorn the pews.

Photos taken 19 September 2024

A slice of Welsh life

May 19, 2024

I may not have had much free time during my recent visit to Wales, but I did manage to sneak in a walk before breakfast each day. The fields around Llanerchindda Farm were filled with sheep and lambs, so I couldn’t resist catching a few of them on camera.

The early morning light was glorious and even the most insignificant details take on a beauty of their own - like this small fern growing out of the top of a fence post.

Of course, there’s always time to catch a photo of Jasper, the resident canine too, complete with his own Andy Warhol-esque painting the background!

Photos taken 15 & 16 May 2024

A Welsh idyll

May 13, 2024

I’ve been coming to Llanerchindda Farm for twelve years now, but have never really ventured very far off the beaten track with my camera - largely because my free time has been limited by the work that’s brought me here. This morning I wanted to get out for a stroll before the rain arrived but, after a busy weekend’s conducting, I wasn’t in the mood for anything too energetic. I donned my walking boots and headed off along one of the farm tracks, in search of the pond - a little uphill and down dale, but nothing too taxing.

When I arrived at the lake I found the resident Canada Goose waiting to greet me with a solitary gosling. Sadly his or her partner (I’m not sure how you sex Canada geese!) was killed, probably by a fox, a while back so this was a single parent family. No wonder my presence elicited some hissing - I was undoubtedly deemed a threat.

As the first drops of rain began to fall I took that as a sign to head back, enjoying the swathes of bluebells across the hillside as I carefully picked my way down the steep, rocky incline which was more like a stream than a path in places,

Photos taken 13 May

The striking bronze exterior of the Welsh Millennium Centre

Tiger Bay

April 17, 2024

There was a time when Cardiff Bay was the largest coal exporting docks in the world, but you’d barely know it now. Known among the locals as Tiger Bay, on account of the fierce tidal current in the nearby stretch of the River Severn, it was home to workers from more than fifty countries at its peak. As coal exports declined it fell into a state of decay and the local area lost its sense of purpose for many years. Today it’s a thriving destination for tourists, the arts and the Senedd, home of the Welsh government, so I was excited to explore the architecture with my camera.

It may have been a Saturday when we visited, but the Senedd was open for visitors and it was fascinating to compare its in-the-round central chamber with that at the Scottish Parliament Building, which we visited last spring. Looking up from the viewing gallery allows you to see the cedar lined funnel which brings light and ventilation into the debating chamber.

Back out into the public area of the building, the funnel leads into a ceiling with the most amazing, swooping lines. These lines are made from Western Red Cedar cladding, a timber chosen because it will require no treatment for a century or more.

I spent ages looking for interesting juxtapositions withing the lines and these three are my favourites. I’m sure it contains many more possibilities, given enough time and a variety of different focal length lenses!

After lunch we popped into the imposing Pierhead building, which was built as headquarters for the Bute Dock Company in 1897. It was designed by William Frame, whose mentor was William Burges, the architect of Castell Coch, which I visited last year. With its Victorian gothic brickwork and colourful ceramic tiles you can definitely see the shared architectural genetic lines between these two buildings.

Some of the ornate details to be found among the terracotta features of the Pierhead. Click on any image to see it enlarged.

The terracotta fireplace caught my eye, but I wonder how clean those colourful tiles in the hearth would have remained in the days of coal fires?!

Looking back down that imposing staircase.

Photos taken 6 April 2024

In the footsteps of Charles Rolls

October 26, 2023

I love visiting the beautiful redundant churches cared for by the Friends of the Friendless Churches, but on occasion it does take some persistence! Finding St Cadoc's in Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, near Monmouth, proved to be a serious challenge. It’s hidden away down a long drive, from where you park in a field of sheep and then have to walk through yet another field before you even reach the churchyard!

My first attempt to find St Cadoc’s failed, but once I’d backtracked to a place with a phone signal to check the exact location I finally made it and it was worth the effort!

Arches everywhere. Click on any image to see it enlarged.

I’m always fascinated by church vestries, with the detritus of church life left lying around.

Charles Rolls (of Rolls Royce fame) was a local boy and I found his grave in the churchyard, as well as a family memorial inside the church.

One of the locals was eyeing me up as I returned to my car!

Photos taken 14 September 2023

The Red Castle

August 3, 2023

I had a day to myself during my last visit to Wales so I decided it was time I visited the castle I’ve seen high on the hillside from the motorway many times. Castell Coch (the red castle) was built by the third Marquess of Bute between 1875 and 1879, although it takes in the remnants of a much older building.

It may have been intended as a family retreat for the summer months, but the Marquess spared no expense on creating lavish interiors which I really enjoyed photographing.

I’m always drawn to interesting light and there was no shortage of that inside Castell Coch…

Photos taken 11 June 2023

Colour or mono?

July 2, 2023

It’s very rare I use colour film in my pinhole cameras but for my trip to Wales in June I loaded up a roll of Kodak Ektar.

Getting really close to the daisies on the platform at Cynghordy Station.

Frustratingly the rest of the film didn’t quite live up to expectations. Pinhole photography often induces colour shifts because of the longer exposure times, but on this occasion the colours were completely crazy! I didn’t want to throw the photos away so instead I experimented with converting the negatives to monochome instead.

To my astonishment they work much better in mono than colour. I guess, with strong sunshine, I should have realised it was really a black and white sort of day so at least I’ve learnt a lesson!

Photos taken June 2023

A misty Welsh morning

June 19, 2023

My thrice yearly visits to Wales always offer some lovely photographic opportunities and it’s wonderful to see the area around Llanerchindda Farm in different seasons. During my recent visit we had one particularly misty morning so I took my camera along for my brisk walk to the Cynghordy Viaduct and back.

Photos taken 9 May 2023

It pays to be persistent

December 29, 2022

Back in June I attempted to visit St David’s Church at Llangview, not far from Usk. SAdly my satnav led me astray, trying to take me there via a field from a slip road from the A449. I’m sure this might be possible in the right type of vehicle, but my Mini isn’t cut out for off-roading! In October I had another try, and at the third attempt I finally succeeded in finding this adorable church in the middle of a field!

It was definitely worth being persistent. The autumnal sun was throwing beautiful shadows across the box pews inside, while the flowers left to decorate the church added a lovely touch.

Click on any of the images to see them enlarged.

Today St David’s is cared for by the Friends of the Friendless Churches, a small charity who help rescue endangered churches. I’ve enjoyed visiting several of their churches and have become a member to support them. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit some of their buildings nearer to home soon.

Sunlight catching the pulpit and even illuminating some of the cobwebs.

This narrow doorway caught my eye. We’ve been encouraged to have more ventilation indoors since Covid, but I think perhaps the gaps either side of the door may be taking this to extremes!

The view towards the altar between the box pews.

Photos taken 18 October 2022

Church crawling

November 28, 2022

While others may enjoy partaking of several pubs in an evening, from time to time I employ the same principle to explore churches. On this particular occasion I was on the hunt for a trio of redundant churches in Monmouthshire, although one of them remained rather elusive!

My first port of call was St Michael and All Angels in Gwenesney, tucked away down a single track road. Maintained by the Friends of the Friendless Churches this was a gem of a church, with some beautiful contrasts of light and shadow inside, created by sun percolating through the leaded light windows.

Click on any of the photos to see them enlarged

From Gwernesney I continued my explorations at a larger church just a few miles down the road in Llangwym Uchaf. I arrived just before a torrential downpour and as the skies darkened I wondered how I was going to take photos inside, with no artificial light to help me.

Gradually the clouds lifted and my eyes adjusted to the gloom and I found that perhaps photography was going to be possible.

My plans for a third Welsh church were scuppered by my unimaginative satnav, which insisted I should try crossing a field from a dual carriageway sliproad to reach it. I decided against the necessary off-roading so it would have to wait for another day!

Instead I continued my journey to Wiltshire and found an alternative church to visit…

My final church of the day was St Margaret of Antioch in the village of Leigh Delamere in Wiltshire. Inside I found another dark interior, but one illuminated by some vividly coloured stained glass.