2022 Odds and Sods

By shendyNo Comments
The last set of 2022 is wrapping up a few bits and pieces that didn't fit anywhere else. Table The first two are from the very lovely Felin Fach Griffin hotel near Brecon and Hay-on-Wye, where we stayed for a couple of nights in July - the food is fantastic and the rooms are good, lovely beds.The Eat Drink Sleep chain are recommended - we've already stayed at their other two hotels in Cornwall - The Gurnard's Head near Zennor and The Old Coastuard in Mousehole. The beach huts are in Exmouth, from a trip down to see friends there (and their classical concert in Exeter Cathedral).Then 4 from a walk in Budleigh Salterton the next day - unfortunately those ominous clouds did dump rain on us. And finally, two very rare selfies - it's even more rare that I share any!Both taken with the fisheye lens - one at Sea Mills, the other under the Second Severn Crossing....
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Exmouth Boat Trip, August 2019

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At the start of August I headed down to Exmouth for the annual naturist boat trip up the River Exe. I've done this quite a few times now, and always still find something slightly different to photograph.We were fortunate with the tides this year, as we were able to go right up as far as the Princess Weir bridge - as far as the boat is able to go - rather than turning round just after Topsham. The day after, I took a trip to the Devon Sculpture Park - I don't think it's been open that long, as I'd not come across it before. As the crow flies it wasn't far from Exmouth (you could probably actually see if from where I was staying), but I had to drive all the way up to Exmouth and back down the other side of the estuary to get there - and then it takes a bit of finding as it's well out of...
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Day Trips 2018

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Rather than spread this out into a long series of blog posts, I've condensed the various day trips into a single entry. Abbey House GardensOf course there's a visit to Abbey House Gardens, isn't there always? May this time, and the gardens looked good. And yes, it was a clothes optional visit - I've only been once when it hasn't been! Bowdown Woods/ThatchamIn early July I met a former colleague (now good friend) for a catch up and we had a wander round the woods and surrounding area - the edge of the former airbase at Greenham Common, the Kennet and Avon Canal. Rather nice, if a bit warm!Not many photos as that wasn't the real purpose of the day - but the B&W ones were taken on my Fuji X-T20 and an IR filter, so these are genuine IR images not a fake IR effect. Caen Hill LocksThe flight of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Caen Hill are well...
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Exmouth Boat Trip

By shendyNo Comments
Friday was a lovely evening for a boat trip up the River Exe from Exmouth - warm and sunny but with some good clouds to photograph, good company and nice food - all with some really nice live music. I've been on similar trips the last couple of summers but instead of turning round at Topsham, we went all the way up to Countess Weir (apparently) - something only possible a few times each year. This included passing under the M5 bridge, which was wonderfully lit by the evening sun. Less nice was the sewage treatment plant... As usual, we seemed to attract a bit of attention from passing boats (we even made it into the Exeter Express and Echo) - have these people never seen a naturist boat trip before?...
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Devon, Spring 2015

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A few shots from an April weekend in Devon - primarily to hear a friend play a classical concert in Exeter Cathedral, which was rather lovely, but also a nice opportunity to get out and about in a nice piece of the world. And the sun shone! The photos are from Topsham, Exmouth, Dawlish Warren and lastly one of Exeter Cathedral. " order_by="sortorder"] These were all taken on my new compact - a Canon S120 - having decided to travel light for the weekend. I'm really impressed with the results. Dawlish will be somewhere to go back to with the DSLR, a tripod and 10-stop ND filter as I can really see long exposures working with the gryones....
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