Author: cpadmin

Arundel Castle’s tulips

By cpadmin

BBC Breakfast TV featured Arundel Castle’s tulips. Carol the BBC weather forecaster gave us a tour one morning and definitely showed the nation how nice it was. Last weekend we drove down there to look for ourselves. While some of the tulips had started to ‘go over’ and the daffodils were well past their best it was a truly magnificent display.

Arundel Castle's tulips
Pots and pots of brightly coloured blooms surround a gazebo

Pots and pots had been filled with bulbs in addition to those planted in the grass. One group of pots surrounded a tree that was just coming into leaf. Orange, different pinks and yellow tulips clustered around the otherwise uninteresting tree in a blaze of colour. Subsequently, we came across a gazebo around which were many more colourful pots.

By now Arundel Castle’s tulips will have ‘gone over’ however you can see more images of the time we spent there by using this link or visiting the website of Arundel Castle itself.

Arundel Castle’s website has the following text. “There are nearly 1,000 years of history at this great castle, situated in magnificent grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel.

Great view of Maldon

By cpadmin
Great view of Maldon
Maldon from over the water on the Heybridge side

You get a great view of Maldon from over the water on the Heybridge side of the Blackwater. Its a long walk round from the carpark, especially on a hot summers day. It was going to be 30 degrees centigrade on the last day of July in 2020 and so I was in position here before 10am to catch the high tide. This image shows the Hythe Quay, with a line of Thames barges moored alongside. There is a row of old buildings at the back of the quay including the Maldon little ships club. This recalls the “little ships” which went to Dunkirk in 1940 to collect the troops from the beaches. Sitting majestically atop the image is the church and its which steeple. The water tower also pokes its head above the trees, however we are not high enough to catch site of the Moot Hall.

A surprise?

It was a surprise to me that there was a grassy bank between the Heybridge side of the River Blackwater and the Hythe Quay. When you stand on the Hythe Quay side you are not aware of the bank and the further water after it. It must be visible from higher up though. Perhaps if you know where to look you can make out the bank in the middle of the water?

Still when all is said and one it is a great view of Maldon! More images from this shoot can be seen on the Compass Website. You can find out more about Hythe Quay here

Both ends of the rainbow

By cpadmin

Both ends of the rainbow is an image captured at Clare Castle in Suffolk.

Both ends of the rainbow
I ended up at Clare Castle and climbed the mound to the top. Importantly, I arrived just as a rainbow emerged from the clouds, showing both of its ends. Absolutely brilliant! Especially lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The clouds had turned black and I just about managed to get back to the car before the heavens opened. From the top of the mound you can also see the station without a railway (rainbow again visible) and get a good view of the town. In Clare I captured an image of a house emblazoned with a lot of pargetting. Lots more of the images capture on the afternoon in Suffolk are include on our website, click on this link. You can also find out more about Clare Castle by using this link

Clare castle and Clare are interesting places to wander around and the castle has things for children to do.

The images on the web page include ones captured at Bures and Bures St. Mary, separated by the River Stour. Two images of the river are shown. Both are from near the bridge over the river. Firstly, an image has nice reflections of a multi-stemmed tree whereas the second image has deep blue coloured water coming down the straight, canal like part of the river. Imagine being able to sit on the deckchairs by the river in the summer! use the link above to see them all.

Waterfront at Godmanchester

By cpadmin
Waterfront at Godmanchester
Panoramic of the waterfront at Godmanchester

The waterfront at Godmanchester from the water meadows. Unlike the original image, this panoramic has been created by removing proportions of the sky and the water. Consequently, this allows a focus on the ribbon of old houses on the road by the waterfront and their reflections. The age of the properties varies. Some are Georgian, whereas others may be even earlier. You reach the water meadows by crossing the Chinese bridge. It is then possible to walk to the river Great Ouse. More images of the waterfront at Godmanchester are shown on our website. Click on this link

Godmanchester is in Cambridgeshire, next to Huntingdon. It is on the site of the Roman town of Durovigutum. In addition, there is archaeological evidence of Celtic habitation prior to the establishment of a Roman town and a Mansio (Inn). people have lived here continuously for more than 2,000 years.

The website of the local paper indicates that “telling people that you come from Godmanchester” elicits a look of confusion! We visited on a bright spring day and fed the ducks. Then we wandered round the water meadows and past the boat houses. A couple of narrow boats were plying the Great Ouse and people were using magnets to fish in the water. They brought a a pistol!

See more of our images at – Compass Photography Group

Bright colours at Hyde Hall

By cpadmin

On todays visit there were bright colours at Hyde Hall. I visited on a sunny morning in mid April 2021 and wandered around the grounds. I came away with 95 images. Of these I saved 34 and discarded the rest. This post has three of the images. Firstly, and without doubt my favourite image of the day is image of Bergenia Schneekoenigin. This lovely chain of small pink flowers goes up and down across the image. It was not until I subsequently looked over the images that I was aware of the chain effect!

  • April at RHS Hyde Hall
    Bergenia Schneekoenigin
  • April at RHS Hyde Hall
    Bergenia cordifolia Purpurea
  • April at RHS Hyde Hall
    A sprig of yellow Mahonia Aquifolium

The next image is a close up of the bright yellow Mahonia Aquifolium is next in the sequence. Bergenia cordifolia Purpurea has strong pink and purple flowers. I am sure it would stand out in the dark!

The Magnolias are out or alternatively coming out at this time of year. The pinky white raspberry ripple flowers are strongly in bud, whereas the white Magnolia cylindrica flowers are out. These last ones have undoubtedly suffered from the frost, as the brown petals show!

A new page on the website shows ten of the images I captured during this visit to Hyde Hall. Click here to go to that page

There are lots of bright colours at Hyde Hall. Its well worth a wander round. Check out their website

Bright Yellow Pompoms

By cpadmin

Kerria Japonica is a straggly plant that grows bright yellow pompoms as it flowers. The plant is also known as the double Japanese rose. We inherited the plant when we moved into the house. Every year it provides an abundance of the bright yellow, almost tangerine pompom flowers. Despite the bright colour it is an untidy plant. The long green stalks grow up to six feet in length. They branch off at an angle in a haphazard way. Branches cross in front of each other and get tangled together One of the comforts I take from my plant is that the plants at RHS Hyde Hall are just as untidy looking as mine are!

Bright Yellow pompoms
Kerria Japonica by the fence in the garden

When you select this plant you must select it for the bright yellow pompoms and ignore the untidiness. From a distance the green and yellow of the plant and the dark brown fence go well together.

The RHS website says that “Kerria are deciduous shrubs with green young shoots bearing simple, toothed leaves and rose-like, solitary 5-petalled flowers in mid-spring”. There is also more information on this site about the plant. Previously, I have taken close ups of the pompoms. However to do that you need a day when the wind is not blowing like it is today!

Have a look at more of the garden images on our website

Daffodils in detail

By cpadmin

Close up images of daffodils in detail show the bright colours and the detail of the flower. The back border of our garden is the location for these images. Additionally, the close up focus on the flower heads makes the dark brown fence behind the flowers appear black.

  • Daffodils in detail
    Looking into the flower bowl of the daffodil
  • Daffodils in detail
    Yellow trumpet, petals, texture and stamen
  • Close ups of Daffodil
    Lone daffodil

Firstly we see an image of two and a half flower heads. The lined texture of the petals is clearly visible on them. They are so delicate. Unfortunately so straggly bits of passion from stalks have crept into the image. In this image of daffodils in detail you can see right into the trumpet shaped flower bowl. The trumpet loos diagonally across the second image. It emphasises the frills on the front edge of the flower bowl. Its not until we get really close to the daffodils in detail that we can appreciate the complex nature of the flowers. The daffodil flower heads face downwards. This means that getting a close up shot looking into the trumpet requires the camera to be below the flower. It helped that the flower bed banked up from the lawn! The third shot shows a lone daffodil on the edge of the clump looking from the left

See more images captured in our garden by using this link

Bouquet of flowers

By cpadmin
Bouquet of flowers
Mothers day bouquet with purple background

This bouquet of flowers is the one that my children bought their mum for mothers day. I have set it down on the carpet and you may note that we have a black and white dog. The yellow gerbera especially set the display off and without a doubt when you put the display on the plum coloured carpet the yellow takes on a starring role. The white rose forms and off centre centre piece. The purple allium globemaster flowers complement the effect too. I have cut the image of this bouquet of flowers to a square format to enable the flowers to completely fill the picture.

This image certainly falls into the category of a lockdown image differing from two years ago. The I would have been have been buzzing around. I would not have and had or made the time to take this photograph!

The Compass Photography Website contains more images. Use the link to see them

Low tide Sunset

By cpadmin

Low tide sunset is one of a collection of image capture on the river crouch at the Hullbridge Crossing, South Woodham Ferrers side. The setting sun was a strong orange globe and offered possibilities. The brown mud tempered by enthusiasm. High tide would have offered much more photogenic opportunities, nevertheless we were where we were! This image shows the sun reflected in the pink finger of water which is extending to the shore from the centre of the river. While the sun is setting people are walking on the river bank. Their reflections also appear in the water. The chocolate coloured mud is also turning golden under the setting sun.

Low tide sunset
Reflections in the water at low tide on the River Crouch

Following other attempts, the position of the camera has moved to capture the globe reflected in the water. This shows the challenge of capturing images of a sunset at low tide. The position at high tide is different. Reflections are frequently offered from different positions. It is undoubtedly worth noting that a wet suit would be required to get an image from this position at high tide! So perhaps not! This image does show the pink water, which like a finger is lengthening as the water returns.

Six more images captured at this time can be seen on the Compass Photography website. Use this link to see them

Gulls and swans at Hightide

By cpadmin

Gulls and swans at Hightide on the River Crouch at South Woodham Ferrers. These images were captured on two days when it was warm at the end of February 2021. On the first day I had taken some bread with me and sat on a bench. It was tricky to both throw the bread and then capture images of the black headed gulls as they piled in after the bread. I needed a second person with me for throwing. Nevertheless, good images were captured as the noisy varmints wheeled and turned before they dived for the bread. The gulls have no regard or anyone else and that includes the much larger swans.

Swans are so majestic. Unlike the gulls, the swans sit patiently like battleships in the water waiting for the bread and let the gulls scavenge around them. The image below shows a swan which may be asleep as it floats by. A closer look reveals a beady eye watching the bank though. Two or three swans adopted this pose during the time I as there. To see the gulls and swans at hightide on the river makes me feel like I am on holiday there.

  • Ready to pounce
    01-These three gulls are ready to pounce on the proffered bread
  • Gulls and swans at high tide
    04-Snoozing swan float by

A page on the Compass Photography website has ten of the images capture at the river at high tide on the two days in question. Click on this link to see them