A guided wander

Today I was lucky to be working in the outdoors, taking a client on a guided walk around the Kinder reservoir area. Along the way we kept ourselves busy identifying plants and birds....the two curlew that were buzzing overhead were too quick to capture on my phone camera, but here's a few photos I took - some flowers still need to be identified:

Speedwell

Nettle

Forget-me-not

Wild Garlic

Wild Garlic

Wild Geranium

Wild Geranium

Poppy

Cow Parsley

William Clough directly ahead, western edge of Kinder the high point

Kinder Reservoir seen from White Brow, with Red Brook on the horizon

Sandy Heys at left horizon, footbridge across River Kinder at east edge of the reservoir

Kinder Reservoir from our lunch spot...seen from Upper Moor on the eastern side

Looking up to Kinder edge and Cluther Rocks area

If you'd like me to help you enjoy the Peak District on a guided walk, perhaps show you less popular areas, or teach you navigation, then please get in touch (07985 251185). I'm available during the week and at weekends for full and half day guiding/tuition.

Portfolio

I've been quite diligent in posting a photograph each day over on aminus3. Here's why I started doing this. I knew that by signing up to that photography community site I would be pushed to review old photos, take new ones and actually go out with the purpose of taking photos. I've had at least 3 purposeful wanders around the hills were I live, taking photos and putting a little thought into taking them, rather than just snapping away. I don't claim to have created any amazing pictures, but I like what I've posted. Snow has dominated the most recent photos, given that Glossop was white over for a good week or so it was hard not to get inspired.  If you've not yet seen my portfolio over on aminus3 head over and click through the photos, let me know what you think too - always good to get feedback.

James Thorn, Lower Shelf Stones and Higher Shelf Stones taken on 22 January 2013

Snap

I've been out with the camera taking advantage of the glorious weather and snow covered hills. Here's a few snaps for you from a walk in the sunshine on Tuesday:

and some from a wander with Tim and Matt at the weekend, well it was only right that we did a bit of sledging...

James Thorn

My training programme had me scheduled for 1.5hrs on the hills today, come rain or shine....or snow as it turned out! Here's a few photos from the run, but first a word on gear:

A bit about the gear: given that it was snowing on the tops, and down in Glossop there'd been fluttering showers of the white stuff, I opted to take some additional kit with me, even though I was only planning to be out for 1.5hrs. Bleaklow gets its reputation for a reason. So in my little 5.5ltr rucksack I took a running compass, inhaler (for asthma), waterproof pouch for phone (which includes some cash and emergency contact details), chocolate bar, geobar, thin gloves, spare thicker gloves, windproof beanie, buff (not shown as it was already round my neck), emergency bivi bag, torch, arcteryx insulation jacket which would get stuffed in the blue waterproof bag with spare gloves, and finally waterproof trousers.
I'm used to running with this rucksack and the weight doesn't bother me. To be honest I hardly notice it. In addition, I was wearing a base layer vest, thermal base layer, long tights+shorts, mudclaws and an OMM Kamelika smock. I run hot but like to be on the toasty side rather than cold. If I get cold it gets painful, so I'd rather be hot.

Cloud enveloping the top of Shelf Benches on the approach to Mossy Lea Farm.

I ran along the footpath in the valley bottom - along side Shelf Brook - to the footbridge at the bottom of Doctors Gate. Turning north I climbed up the steep hillside to pick up a trod up to the summit of James Thorn. This photo is looking back, vaguely south over to Coldharbour Moor.

first snow of the 2012 winter for my mudclaws

looking back across to Coldharbour Moor...a bit more snow under foot and the clouds just kissing the tops

somewhere in there is Higher Shelf Stones and 621 trig

guess where I came from...?!

and this is where I'm heading

James Thorn memorial stone - reached it just as the cloud lifted momentarily, view back towards Glossop

Me with Bleaklow behind....looking...errr....bleak.

Heading down to Spring Cabin with Shelf Benches to the right

It was a great run, I stayed surprisingly dry except for my feet, and came home feeling good. November was a month of little running - mostly rehabing a slight knee/ITB tweek, so it was good to get out on the fells and (almost literally) blow the cobwebs away. My knee feels strong and my lungs seem to have behaved fairly well after being kickstarted into action last week with a few easy road runs.

Photography

I went to a photography talk and slide show last week - a friend had invited me along and I thought it would be a good time to start thinking about my own photography. The chap giving the talk (Ian Bramham) lives local(ish)ly and I rather hoped he would have lots of lovely inspiring photos of the Peak District. There were sadly precious few photos of the local area (urban landscapes are more his thing), but his photos were more than inspiring for me. He has some amazing shots, and I have been inspired to renew my passion for photography. As such, I've joined a website which Ian recommended, Aminus3, and the photo's I'm posting can be viewed over there. Here's one which I've already posted (I know it's on my blog somewhere else, just shows I really love this photo!):

Icicles hanging from a balcony in Keystone, Colorado

I'm starting the project by using photos I've already taken, but I have already been out with my camera to take new ones specifically for this project.  There's no particular theme to my pictures, they are just what catches my eye. My typical interest is for landscapes, unusual shapes and abstract things. I like details, patterns and textures, and I shall be using some of my fell running exploits to take photos. I've already got several ideas for shots I want to take.

I'm not the most accomplished photographer, nor do I claim to know the technical aspects of how to take pictures particularly well. But I'm learning. I also dug out my black and white film photos that I took, developed and printed several years back when I did a B&W developing course. I've been saying for years that one day I'd like my own developing studio, in reality that may never happen now there is the ease of digital photography. Perhaps I might have to invest in some photo manipulating software...and therein lies a whole other topic to discuss sometime!