Sunday 31 January 2021

Rhiwargor Waterfall walk Oct 15 th 2020

Today I am going to visit the Rhiwargor waterfalls which are located at the North end of Lake Vyrnwy in Mid Wales.   It is about a 2 hour drive so I set off early at 7am , well early for me that is   haha.   
Arriving at Vyrnwy at about 9 am I have stopped to get a couple of images along the right hand road that goes around the lake.  As it turns out the left hand road is closed due to a landslide or fallen trees .

                                                              5DSR  100-400L



                                                           9 frame panorama p4p drone




I need to move on down towards the waterfall carpark now as the forecast is actually for thick cloud, which is hard to believe looking at this clear blue sky!

    There is a large car park at the top end of the lake , and a fairly easy 30 minutes walk up the river.




There are the falls in the distance. I have decided to fly from here first while the sun is still on the trees as there is already cloud approaching from behind.




                                                                       9 frame panorama 




                               Clouds are already casting shadows over the trees and falls .




                                   Now to cross over the bridge to get to the base of the falls.




                                                              A nice table to take off from .





Having moved closer to the falls I can now fly closer to the falls more safely keeping well away from the tree branches to shoot these Vertorama images.  Both 6 frames merged in Lightroom.







Now its time to leave, having used all three drone batteries but as I get further away there is a really nice view over the trees. Out with the 5dsr and long 100-400mm lens.   these are both multi frame merged images . 




                                                                        4 frames merged




                                                                     7 frames merged.




I guess the weather forecast was wrong, its been a beautiful sunny day!
                                                                       A nice walk back now .







                        This was the last trip out before the November Lockdown 2.  Dam virus 

Thursday 28 January 2021

Scotland Holiday Oct 2020 pt7 Drumlanrig castle

 

Today is our last day in Scotland before travelling  back home ,  We are going to Drumlanrig Castle which is about half hour drive from our campsite.  The house itself is closed due to coronavirus but the grounds and trails are open.  Having parked up after a lovely drive through the huge estate we found there are numerous colour coded walking trails .  We have walked one of the shorter distance trails through the woods and out onto the fellside  with the Terrible Twosome. Awesome views across the estate into the distance.

Long lens picks up the interesting parts. 



                                                I have no idea what the dome is up on the top! 



I have now come out on my own to walk the longest trail, which goes up to the highest point of the estate high above the House in the forest,  if I can find a clearing to fly should get some good images. 




Up near the high point now and the trees are thinning out.




I am at the top now, at a nice clearing with a stone seat looking out over to the House , but there is very little sun at the moment.

9 frame panorama p4p drone 



After about 10 minutes a brief break in the cloud is approaching , so I put the drone up again to catch the sun as it break through and lights up the house.  9 frames p4p drone.




Phone shot as I wait for the sun.



I cannot see any more breaks coming so continue on the trail down through the forest , a diversion on the path takes me down towards the Arboretum and a nice clearing .  Time to get the drone up again to see if I  can get any images of the trees.




                                                  Topdown over the trees in the gardens.







Shooting a series of manually exposed frames to stitch into 6 and 7  frame Vertoramas
I do wonder what was on the lawn originally , as the patterns radiating outwards show clearly something used to be there.  May have been box hedging or planted borders at some point in the past.








Back on with my walk now , down to the fields and the car park. 




                                  There is a playground inside the gardens , which are closed.



                                          Past the house and back to the van for a rest.



Time for one last walk with Jan and the Terrible Twosome, down the long tree lined road and around to the river.







A long exposure taken from the stone road bridge , pity there is no sun!




The end of our Scotland Holiday ,  cant wait for the next one. But no idea when that will be !

Update on Ozzy , went to vets and antibiotics cleared his fast breathing in a couple of days, must have been an infection from Clatteringshaws Loch he swam in, even though Chester went in also. 
 




Tuesday 26 January 2021

Scotland Holiday Oct 2020 pt 6 Galloway forest

 It is nearing the end of our holiday , so we are heading back down southwards now , stopping off at Castle Stalker but it was heavy rain so didn't stop, then the same at Kilchurn castle . When we eventually came to Inveraray castle the light was great, but was drizzling with rain so couldn't get a flight in off the beautiful stone bridge , But I did get a couple of dslr images.







We had decided to stop off for the night at a forestry carpark but when we got there it was not actually one of the designated stay the night parks ,  so we have continued to drive down past Loch Lomond and then back down to the Clatteringshaws Loch park up in the Galloway forest that we started our holiday in.   The drive was horrendous, heavy rain , Jan is just no good at navigating and we ended up driving down half flooded single track roads in the dark!  
We just about squeezed into the carpark as it was virtually full , arriving in the dark about 8 pm in heavy rain!

The next morning it was bright but windy , and after breakfast we have driven a couple miles down the Loch to the Dam and parked up to go for a walk into the forest.




Yes   very dirty pups now!




                                                          Lovely light through the trees








Back at the van the sky is looking quite nice and I will get the drone up , its quite windy so will have to be careful



                                        Love the light and dark clouds contrasting each other.











                                       They must be thinking  Where are we going next ?




We have booked into a small campsite near Lochmaben for the last couple nights  , a short walk around the Lake in the late afternoon.








                             Tomorrow , our last day we are going to visit Drumlanrig castle 


Sunday 24 January 2021

Scotland Holiday Oct 2020 pt 5 Dornie

 This morning is actually dry , with some lovely soft light coming through the thin clouds.  We have walked along to Eilean Donan Castle ,  the Tide is on its way out but still have enough water in this channel to reflect some of the background trees.

                                                             5dsr  100-400mm @100mm


                                                            8 vertical frame panorama




                                 The light is raking across the mountains , lovely conditions 




I really like using a long lens for picking out sections of the landscape




We are now around the other side of the castle next to the car park, but the light has gone for now!
                                                                  a couple of phone images







                   Getting some nice light on the fells behind the castle ,But  Ozzy isnt bothered 




The light behind the Dornie bridge is fabulous , I must get a long lens image quickly before it disappears!




                                                         Handheld , 5dsr 100-400 




                                                               Long shot over Loch Alsh





After lunch I have come out on my own to walk down through Dornie village and down the Loch Long.
Ozzy has been breathing fast again so will let him rest even though he seems normal when out walking.




                                                           Oopps   slanty phone pic   haha




Past the tiny village the road follows the Loch all the way down out of sight and the light is really nice , But I think the thick cloud is approaching fast, am too late ?  Again!.

                                                                     But Nice rainbow  lol 



Just after that short shower passes  through, I have managed to get the drone up for this one panorama image.  The rain is at the far end of the Loch already , and more coming in behind me unfortunately. 




                                                   Just a few phone images to finish





Lovely light rays over That Tree!