Landscape Spirit and an Artist's Soul

Cold Exposed Curves

2012-02-21T18:51:00.000Z

"Cold Exposed Curves" Moel Eilio © Glyn Davies 2012 - Buy this print HERE

From the warmth of an Anglesey shore, absorbing the rays of a brilliant winter sunshine, I studied the distant mountains which held the cloud and a dusting of snow. Since a teenager I have always loved the beautiful curves of Moel Eilio, a soft sensual contrast against the more angular peaks of her bigger siblings behind.

"It's Behind You" Moel Eilio © Glyn Davies 2012 - Buy this print HERE

Until recently however, this beautiful breast of a hill, has been badly scarred, by quarrying, forestry and more recently by boys with toys. These guys with big engines and tiny minds, thrilled and thrashed at the skin of the hill in a testosterone fueled need to conquer and claim. Their spinning, grasping, biting tyres left deep and ugly scarification up Eilio's North side, and the signs warning against such desperate shows of machismo were largely ignored. Now however, large fences have been set across the hillside below the summit which has effectively removed the male climax, and the hill is very gradually smoothing out once more, reforming it's skin and returning to full beauty.

"A Cold White Light" Moel Eilio © Glyn Davies 2012 - Buy this print HERE

From a distance, where the fence is almost invisible, the hill already looks beautiful again. The delicate feathering of snow highlights the curve even further, bosoming skyward towards the dark sliding blanket above. I love looking at the mountains, they are so humbling. We are nothing compared with their ancient history, a megaannum of weathering and erosion - they have seen us come, and will no doubt see us go. For me at least, mountains rank highly amongst my catalysts for existential musing, and I would therefore find it very hard to now live without them.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

After the Lifeboat

2012-02-21T17:01:00.001Z

I'd spent a fantastic morning with Ray Steadman from Holyhead RNLI, discussing an exciting new project we are working on together, and before I knew it, after a tour of the 17m Severn Class, meeting some of the crew and discussing possibilities, it was already two o'clock. The day had started poorly, cold, horizontal sleet and strong winds so I was not keen to return to Llanddwyn where I assumed the cloud would still be hovering, but it was Sunday, Carol was meeting me, she really need a walk and I wanted her company.

"Stories Unfolded" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints may be purchased HERE

I saw her waiting for me, cosy in the car under the warmth of the winter sun blazing through the windscreen. I waved and smiled but she didn't seem to notice. We walked one behind the other, almost in silence, along the white seashell path and then forking right across the dunes towards the estuary and the sea beyond. Words increased, conversation expanded. A story became narrated, the landscape rushed by underfoot superfluous to the twists and turns of the plot, history, chance, potential, logic.

"Same Journey, Different Paths" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints may be purchased HERE

The tide was extremely low, indeed lower than I'd ever witnessed here before and we soon become mud-logged as we headed optimistically to the marine mirage that was the Strait. We sat and watched the tide race by. Pebbles became covered in minutes. A stranded buoy now floated, shags flew in small formation out to sea and flocks of Dunlin twisted and turned over the beautiful, silent danger. The plot thickened over coffee, and the clouds rolled ominously over the snow capped mountains opposite. They looked cold. I'd sensed cold but now things were warm where we were. I imagined those stuck on isolated ridges under black snow clouds and didn't envy them today. I was relaxed and didn't need more.

"The Ripples Continued" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints may be purchased HERE

We rounded the corner, after crossing high water embankments of rubbish littered driftwood, an ocean's collection of global disposal, yet the beach itself was near pristine, almost untouched save for the obligatory dog walker's footprints, in the single wavy line right along the low tide mark :-) but bend low, get close to the wet sand and the footprints magically disappear, replaced by the beautiful natural ripples of the beach, glistening pools of mirror calm sky traversed by slow moving candy-floss clouds.

"Patchy Perfection" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints may be purchased HERE

The expected bitter winter sunshine was actually tonight warm, or maybe it was just the chat, the friendship, the walk itself. Carol walked along the high road of dry sand whilst I maneuvered amongst the patchwork of sand pools, but it was nice to still be together on these different paths.

We left the sunshine as it lowered itself behind a vast stretch of cloud bank and we crossed the hill of endlessly shifting dunes back to the now shadier estuary. Here, above the shade of the dunes the sun still made itself know, as a procession of clouds turned from orange to pink against the blue dusk sky, and of course became reflected in the sheets of estuary water, bringing light and colour into what would otherwise be dark and grey.

We held hands as we crossed the final dunes in semi darkness back towards the vehicles, where she got into her car and drove off leaving me in darkness.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Small Lives - First of an edition

2012-02-17T19:01:00.000Z

"Small Lives" Anglesey © Glyn Davies

Just sold the first A2 sized Limited Edition of "Small Lives" to Phil from Bangor, who went out with a huge smile on his face after an hour of deliberation.

"A very wet walk on Anglesey's West Coast, so wet that for the first time ever I carried an umbrella with me to cover the camera. It was very useful without a doubt. This was the first time this year when I felt the cold and resorted to wearing gloves to carry the tripod! "

Further copies of this image are available direct from the web HERE

Messy Mountains

2012-02-11T17:37:00.001Z

I'd stopped at the famous Menai Bridge lay-by to look at the stunning light over the Menai Strait, and even took few photographs. I'd been SO indecisive about which hill to climb today that any delay seemed appropriate. The sky seemed too blue, too clear, and I find patchy-snow hillsides so messy, untidy, neither one thing nor the other, so I almost avoided the hills altogether. I considered heading for the coast instead, but the tide was low, the sea dead calm and so combined with the featureless skies would make an even worse option, I do like drama in my life it seems !

"A Warm Welcome Waiting" - Prints of this image may be bought HERE

Anyway, I digress. Whilst watching two kayakers playing in the powerful current off the island of Ynys Gorad Goch in the centre of the Strait, I also happened to glance at the information board in front of me, and even though I know the hills anyway, started to play snap with the diagrams and the reality. Moel Eilio, a beautifully rounded foothill of Snowdon, sort of jumped out at me. I hadn't done it for a few years so with time ticking by, and afternoon already upon me, I found myself driving through Waunfawr in bright sunshine to wind my way up the narrow single track lane to the starting point. "Road Closed" it said, but I worked on the basis that if there WAS a blockage, I'd just reverse back - I'm glad I continued - some wonderful Gwynedd workmen simply moved a cone as I approached, and let me pass. I arrived at a deserted car park in the quarry.

"A Plume From the Station" - Prints of this image may be bought HERE

Ice glinted off the path before me, and there was a real chill to the air regardless of the sunshine. I donned my heavy winter boots this time, so that I could fit crampons if necessary. I also strapped my tripod to the rucksack and decided to take walking poles again - they are becoming my photographic kit essential !

I normally dread the start of this hill, not for fitness reasons but so many petrol-head imbeciles think it's cool to drive up this mountain that they have deeply scarred the rounded hillside, almost to the top, though fortunately fencing now stops them destroying the whole route. The fence must be having some effect as the slope seemed minimally less churned up than I remember. The diddy signs on posts warning of hefty fines don't really seem big enough to deter anyone unfortunately.

"The Fragile Beauty of Anglesey" - Prints of this image may be bought HERE

Snowdon to me left was looking dramatic and beautiful, with the last few hundred feet under deep white snow and therefore sitting comfortably with my need for visual perfectionism! The height of Snowdon meant that even on this clear day, it's summit was in and out of thick swirling cloud, wrapping itself around tiny figures on the summit ridge before exposing them to the huge void below. I was very envious of those on that ridge this day. I wanted to be in those cathedral like chambers of brilliant white cloud. I wanted to have my feet in the deep snow. I wanted to be lifted and turned by those beautiful vapours, but at least I was out, in the hills, in sunshine, surrounded by frost, silence and beautiful ice pools.

"An Unusual Circle" - Prints of this image may be bought HERE

The steep final slope was REALLY frozen, the grasses forming little friction under foot, and my poles used several times just to keep balance, but I didn't quite feel the need for crampons. I reached a bluff where sat the most surreal circle of plant life, incongruous, alone, surrounded by bare rock and a mossy looking carpet, glistening in the winter sunlight. The snow capped peak of Snowdon beyond drew a strange contrast of circle against triangle. I am sending the image to Bangor University botanical centre for an identification, has to be a foreign plant for sure :-)

"Snowdon, a Perfect 10" - Prints of this image may be bought HERE

I reached the summit and caught the wind ripping across the open peak. I wanted to sit in the lee of the cairn, but as usual, the lee was in shadow and held no decent view, so I headed to the West side of the hill and opened my triple pack of bacon & egg sandwiches and washed them down with hot sweet coffee whilst absorbing the beautiful hills and valleys of Foel Gron, Foel Goch and Moel Cynghorion in front of me, and the impressive final valley of Cwm Clogwyn below the summit of Snowdon itself. It was only 1.45 and I had only planned to do the summit and back but the rounded peaks of the Foel's before me were tantalisingly close. So I decided to do them anyway, and if time allowed even do Moel Cynghorion as well, but unlike my Bera Bach day, I was not going to push it today. I even rang my Dad, just in case something went wrong, so that he could pick me up in the climbers' village of Llanberis below, home of the famous Snowdon Railway. With my back-up plan in place, I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon sunshine all the way across to Foel Goch but amazingly, a few photo stops considering, it had become 3.00pm already with two hours of light left.

"Floating Light Froze" - Prints of this image available HERE

I met a man at a corner style, the only person on my whole journey. He was maybe mid 50s, grey haired, glasses and his daysack. I said hello and thank you, as he waited for me to cross the style. He could hardly muster a mumble to me as he launched himself onto the style I'd just stepped off. I found it quite bemusing that two people meeting in empty hills can have so little communication. It's not like the old days I hear myself thinking ! I poured myself another hot coffee and patched my little toe with a plaster as I could feel these winter boots really rubbing - it helped a little as I started the descent down the long shoulder to the dark lake of Llyn Dwythwch. I'd been so lucky with the relative warmth of the winter sun and the aspect of the walk meant that I'd felt it all the way, but I was now dropping into shadow as the sun dropped lower on the other side of Foel Gron. The lake was icy on the North side nearest the river exit, and I found myself taking a couple of shots at the lake edge.

"Ice Green in Winter" - Prints of this image available HERE

Here in the shadowy lee of Moel Eilio, it was feeling colder again, and darker, and even though only 4.00 ish, I felt the need to move on, as I'd never done this bit before and needed to get across the valley of Cwm Ty Dy before an uphill climb up Bryn Mawr to finally reach my van. The paths were suddenly indistinct, typically when I needed them, and I was pushing for time, but my maps and sense of direction got me so close that fortunately I found myself back on track and on a very definite path. The heavy rucksack and my sore toe were now taking their toll but daylight remained, the view from the shoulder of Bryn Mawr out over the Irish Sea was beautiful, and my warm van was within reach.

Funny how so little can weigh so much !

It's funny that runners could probably do the whole route in an hour or less but with all your walking kit, heavy boots, heavy camera rucksack, flasks, bottles, crampons and spare clothing, combined with a need to photograph, to sit, to absorb, and to mind-wander, the same walk took me around 4 hours ! I was excited, satisfied and exhilarated regardless, and I hope you have enjoyed some of the photos which slowed me down and made me stare.

The view which changed my mind - "Energy Island No 01" - Prints available HERE

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

"REFRESH" - New annual photo exhibition

2012-02-11T16:09:00.002Z

Just some advance notice for people, that my annual exhibition of new work starts on Wednesday March 28th at 11.00 am.

The venue is here at my Menai Bridge gallery, the Oriel Glyn Davies and opening times are Wed - Fri 11am - 6pm and Sat 10am - 4pm. The show will continue in it's original selection for at least a month unless of course some of these editions of 3 sell out.

Over the last year Glyn has been increasingly shooting moody mountain imagery of Snowdonia, alongside his ethereal seascapes of Anglesey & the Llyn. This NEW exhibition comprises large, beautifully crafted Limited Edition archival prints of these areas. Open edition prints are also available at smaller sizes.

Come and enjoy North Wales in just four rooms!

Perhaps “Add some Wales to YOUR walls” ?!

Contact the gallery on 01248 715511

Map here: http://www.glynsblog.com/p/gallery-hours.html

A Gentle Tide at Dusk

2012-02-09T13:08:00.000Z

Traeth Niwbwrch, as everyone else was leaving - well it was a cold evening, no sunset, no 'obvious' excitement, but I was utterly connected to my surroundings and glad of the desertion. In the darkness and solitude I became one with the dusk and the peace, save for the gentlest lapping sounds at the shore and the occasional Oyster-catcher calling as it skimmed the sea. I photographed gentle events.

"A Gentle Push" (accepted by OneEyeland Showcase) - Prints available from HERE

When I first arrived, I noticed how few footprints there were in the sand. It showed just how cold it was, and that the dull, heavy weather had deterred many of the hardiest dog walkers. Only small waves pushed over the low sand bars on the advancing tide, leaving beautiful delicate 'push markers' after each wave. Glimmers of light occasionally glowed in the grey sky, balancing the patterns left in the dark wet sand.

"Broken Promise" - Prints available from HERE

Facing South West, the distant hills of Yr Eifl, huge and ancient close up, from here appear like tiny islands on an ocean, and beyond them the most delicate warmth smouldered on the horizon, failing to deliver that divine sunburst in this cold darkness, but looked teasingly promising throughout. As it was, a sea of grey cloud moved steadily to blue darkness overhead, reflected in mirror calm pools, and just a small wave of salmon pink spilled into the channel.

"Preparing for Tomorrow" - Prints available from HERE

Even from an almost calm sea, tiny waves had enough power to swirl over the gentle sand bars, washing away every trace of man and animal, footprints evaporated and an impossibly smooth virginal beach was left in it's retreat. If it weren't for the whites of waves, the whole scene would have been one large grey blanket, sky almost indistinguishable from sea, as dusk took over from day.

Although it's harder to find compositions in this sort of low contrast, low light, one's mind becomes more focussed on the subtlety of what happens in landscape, all the time, every day, for eternity. The movement of tide, the flow of air, the change in temperature, the waves which are all about us, from light, to ocean, to sound, nothing is ever really still even if it seems it. My spiritual connection changes also - when in the hills on a dramatic light day, I can feel small, insignificant, humbled - but on evenings like this, I feel immersed, surrounded, encompassed, almost literally 'comfort blanketed' - the sky is closer, the air is closer, the ground seems nearer - I enjoy that sort of connection just as much as the dramatic.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Bitter Blue Beauty Beats Brawn

2012-02-02T19:57:00.002Z

Cold, feeling cold, even the 1" gap in the double glazed window of the bedroom suggested today would be a Paramo trousers day, and that was even if I didn't get out walking, but THAT sunshine ! A warm orange glow from the kitchen reflected off the white gloss bedroom door, the starlings were chirping wildly and expectation was in the air. I looked out of the bathroom skylight, from where I can see the whole Snowdonia range, and the hills were glinting in the morning sunshine. I had already decided where I'd like to go, a route that would get me snow-clad within a short distance, and would see plenty of sunshine for most of the walk.


"Virginal Explosion" Yr Elen © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints can be purchased HERE

Sadly, Carol had several clients that day so couldn't get out for any sort of walk with me, but I just felt like company that day, unusually, as snowy winter conditions, though beautiful are also more demanding, and a buddy is never a bad idea So I phoned a friend - a friend who is fitter than a Sherpa's Yak and probably as powerful. I rung her, but the earliest she could meet me was 11.30am, later than I'd hoped, but at least she was free, and it meant we could do a circular walk rather than a there-and-back walk. I sat waiting for Awen on the bridge at Aber in the crisp morning sunshine, listening the the river gurgling beneath me, and watching splashes of water bouncing off boulders like agitated fireflies. 11.30 came and went, and at about 11.50 this South African sun-bronzed smile drew up alongside me in a silver 4WD and we headed for the higher car park before swapping all gear into my van, it was now 12.00. We still had to get to Llanllechid to start the walk.

Why is it, when you are in a hurry, that God deliberately places things in your way, like memory loss, stupidity, narrow lanes and farm vehicles ? Leaving Aber, I took the small lane towards the Hendre hill, instead of doing the sensible thing and rejoining the A55 for a short distance, but so it was, that I found myself scratching the new van along uncut thorn walled lanes, confronted by a driver even more stupid than me, who was trying to back down to a missed turning, and a farmer in a 4x4 pick-up who had to reverse 3 miles to reach the nearest passing point.

"Almost Empty" Yr Elen © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints can be purchased HERE

We arrived at the parking area and it was now about 12.30 and that gave us four and a half to five hours on the hill in this weather, before darkness set in proper. I was still a bit bronchial, I had a sore throat, and I don't think I've shaken off the virus from five weeks ago. Awen on the other hand, even in her down Rab looked like a gazelle on steroids, she has this way of looking like she could sprint from cold or hurdle a gate from a standing start, which can be intimidating ! Thing is I have something she doesn't ! Yes, walking poles! God help me when she gets some of her own. We set off across the broken ice covered slurry pools, formed by the huddling of cattle and sheep together to fend off cold, and we were gaining altitude faster than a 737 at Skiathos airport, and my breathing was showing the same altitude issues :-) It's important when I'm with Awen, to talk to her about the aesthetic within light and landscape, as it allows me to stop and catch my breath without looking like a wimp, well until I get into my stride anyway !

"Snow Break in the Mountains" Carnedd Dafydd - Prints can be purchased HERE

We reached the col between Moel Wnion and Gyrn in no time and Drosgl loomed up ahead, white, rounded and perfect. We decided against summiting it's peak and moved South to join the path from Gyrn Wigau. From the ridge, we were suddenly confronted with just the most stunning view across to all the high peaks of Snowdonia, snow covered, snow cloud covered, sharp edges but hazy light and looking twice, three times their normal size in these wintry conditions. The wind here cut like a razor, blowing as it was from the East, and whilst I tried to shoot a frame or so using my new base layer gloves under my shooters mits, I noticed Awen donning her over-trousers. We attempted a quick cuppa here but the coffee went cold within a minute so we decided to push on. It was now 2.00pm and the shadows indicated the sun was already lowering in the sky. It was a fairly brisk walk from here towards Bera Bach, crossing frozen pools and snow-smoothed heath. The crags of Bera Bach were white on one side and pure grey on the other, clearly indicating the prevailing wind direction. It looked beautiful, small, but beautiful. We passed a man who remarked about the icy winds on the summit, and his white dog just grinned. I assume it was a white dog in the snow, and I assume it was grinning, not grimacing, as his tackle was basically dragging through the snow !

"Bitter Blue Beauty" Yr Elen © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints can be purchased HERE

We thought we'd be clever on the summit and eat lunch on the leeward side of the hill, but the snow obscured leg-snapping sharp boulders all around the peak, and it took an age to simply negotiate the boulder field before finding a five foot section of lesser wind! Why is it also, that the leeward side is ALWAYS the shadow side, so you escape the wind but lose the sun ? The coffee stayed warmish at least, but after just one round of sandwiches and a biscuit, neither of us could eat for some reason. The sun was still bright, and the superb ridge between Garnedd Uchaf and Foel Fras was out of the cloud and looking magnificent against the skyline, now turning a delicate orange in the lengthening sunlight.

And this is where I should have known better. We both procrastinated about what to do, we knew we had to get to her car on the far side of the Aber valley but equally, we had already had to wade our way through several snow drifts which we simply couldn't 'side step', making progress very slow, especially with the ridiculous weight I carry in my camera rucksack at all times. Whereas Awen can almost step 'on' the drifts like a bloody fairy, I sink right down to the base of a drift like a troll ! We decided to go for the lower peak of Yr Aryg and then just turn back and return to my van, and we lost 17 litres of water in body sweat ploughing through drift after drift of unconsolidated snow, followed by submerged boulder fields just below the summit itself.

On the summit of Bera Bach, after coffee & sandwiches :-)

Still the ridge tempted us in the late afternoon sunlight, compounded by the fact we'd just seen one other figure atop that ridge, creating a false sense of security. So we compromised, and decided to walk as the crow flies across the slopes directly towards Foel Fras, omitting Garnedd Uchaf completely. This was one of three wise moves it happens. We actually reached the ridge just below Foel Fras, which was open, rounded and covered in icy pools. Small vertebrae of rock groups punctured the surrounding snow, horizontal flags of windblown snow pointing towards the next summit. From Bera Bach, Foel Fras had looked so close to the ridge, but from here at about 4.00 pm, with an hour to go before dusk, it looked a million miles away, so in a new adjustment to plan, we omitted the actual summit of Foel Fras as well, and formed a diagonal route across the steep slopes on the North West side of the peak, in and out of drifts which sank me to my waist, literally. Even with walking poles extended, my weight combined with pack weight meant I was often dropping in deep without any chance of advance warning. Don't get me wrong, it was actually great fun at the same time, and in the now relative warmth of the dropping orange sunlight it was both beautiful and exciting, just difficult. Awen by now was using her own techniques, that of sliding down the drifts on her bum, sledging with no sledge, and she was able to make far better progress than me.

Now the third and final major decision, whether to skirt the North East side of Llwytmor, which would be a more direct route back to her car, but in shade, in the cold, down some quite steep slopes judging by the tight contours on the map, then a snowy section where we'd have to cross a river in half-light, or to just make a direct descent into the waterfall valley I am familiar with, above the Aber Falls. Here I could locate the riverside path I'd done several times before and finally descend into the main tourist valley using the precipitous step around the edge of the huge Aber Falls Waterfall. I knew this would be snow and ice free and I had head-torches anyway, so that what we did. Thing is, there is a reason the Aber Falls are so impressive, and that's the vast watershed in this valley above, and watersheds contain numerous streams all feeding the main river, and these numerous streams all flow through mini troughs and river cuttings. In the snow, the very thick snow, it all looked so easy, but we soon found ourselves dropping into soft snow, tripping over submerged boulders and losing footing. We still had light, it was about 4.30pm, we could still see the route but all of a sudden, I just lost my leg straight into a stream ditch perhaps 2-3 foot beneath me. My ankle twisted badly and I could feel the stream running over my trousers, but amazingly the Paramo trousers didn't even let a stream wet my legs, but I was basically face down in deep snow, towering above me, and the weight of my rucksack meant I could even lift myself up. Awen was quickly alongside me, and I had to unclip my rucksack for her to wrench off me before I could even move. The deep snow mean that like in quicksand, I couldn't push up out of it. Whatever I touched just sank deeper. I manoeuvred the walking poles into the vertical position, and very slowly eased myself into a standing position putting all my weight on the poles. I could still move my foot but the ankle was very weak. I assumed I had just sprained it, and so we both completed the descent to the river with me looking like a 90 year old pensioner on walking sticks.

The enormous shadow of Bera Mawr to our left now, meant we were soon in very dim conditions, and ironically the snow helped to make sense of the route. I did remember though that there were at least two really tricky sections, where sloping rock across the route is ALWAYS wet and greasy, and of course in this weather the water would be ice. If you fall off these slaps one drops you into a sheer 20ft chasm above a waterfall, and the other rope you maybe 20 feet into a boulder bed, but I was aware of where they were, even in the semi darkness and snow, so we navigated safely over them. Soon we were below the snow-line, and even with my bad ankle we were able to move at speed again. We could see and hear the pounding water of the falls to our left, dropping over 120ft into the valley below, and we circuited the narrow path at the side of the gorge. It's amazing just how quickly dusk becomes night at this time, and we crossed the 1:1 scree slope towards the dark woods beyond. we were now on night vision, and decided to finish the walk down to the car park in the darkness, but a 3/4 moon created enough light to walk by. We reached the small bridge, where I had sat in the sunshine just before lunch, and at this point my ankle was really throbbing. Awen volunteered to walk ahead up the long mountain lane to the car, whilst I walked much more slowly behind her. I had to stop. I found a gateway and poured a coffee and ate another biscuit. The sweat which had been purring off me was now forming an ice layer down my spine, and there was nothing more relieving than the ghostly glimpses of Awen's headlights snaking their way through the trees towards me from the mountain side. It was just before 6.00 now but it was already night-time.

What have I learned ?

Snow slows you down.
Drifts REALLY slow you down.
Unconsolidated snow is hard work and even dangerous.
Have a set of snow shoes if you know you will be doing loads of drifts ?!
Halve the route distance you'd do on a non snowy walk.
Allow enough time to do any planned route, and if timings change, adjust the route accordingly.
Always have an exit strategy.
DO skip summits rather than get hypnotised by summit fever.

For me at least, I can't speak for other mountaineers, doing a shorter journey means I can savour the landscape MORE.
I felt so pushed that ironically I wasn't able to enjoy my photography, or take photos of what I wanted to, when I wanted to.
Even as a non artist, Awen said that maybe decisions need to be made between doing a walk for a walk's sake, and doing a walk for art's sake.

All that said, and accepting that I'd planned too big a walk for the time we had and the conditions underfoot, I enjoyed the day. I even enjoyed the 'pressure' to a degree. I enjoyed being a little 'on the edge', reminds me of my extreme rock climbing years! Life often seems a lot sweeter after one is pushed, even scared, and we are forced to rationalise dangers and fears.

I felt I made the right decisions to avoid some summits. I feel I made the right decision to drop into a known valley with a route I knew. I feel I was always conscious of my companions worries, needs, comfort and ability levels. I am happy that I got her back to safety, safely, (even if she did have to do that last uphill lane by herself to get the car!).

Awen was happy, and sent me a message saying how much she'd enjoyed the day, though I believe she enjoyed a hot bath just as much :-)

Our friend Awen, feeling the cold ! The Carneddau hills are in the background.

A Bitter Wind Approaches Anglesey

2012-02-01T21:42:00.004Z

Today I attended my first political protest in many years, indeed since I was a student, campaigning against nuclear power with CANA (Cornwall Anti Nuclear Alliance) and for Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament! I was also an active member of Friends of the Earth and I supported Greenpeace. Now life goes on, middle age sets in, the fury of youth mellows and generally, one sees that there are two sides to every story. It therefore even surprised me, that today I was driving down the A55 to attend a public protest. Why have I been so fired up after all these years, to want to show my anger against government decisions which seem to be going against the tide of local opinion, at a big level?

Well this must be my first political blog post, about an issue which is very close to me, but should also be vital to the majority of landscape photographers (and that includes most of you reading this blog!) - WIND TURBINES, not so much the huge offshore farms which are, or could be, out of sight, out of mind, but the haphazard erection of monsters up to 400 foot high, across beautiful rural and semi-wild landscapes across the British Isles. Private landowners are being offered £30,000 every year to have these industrial eyesores sited on their land, but without the £30K rental they receive, I have serious doubts most of these applications would even be made. We therefore have a "Greed not Green" scenario going on.

AAWT Leader, Owain Evans

Now as someone who has always been anti-nuclear, because of the dangers we have seen in Japan, Russia and America, along with the radioactive waste issues with it's half-life of thousands of years, I am unbelievably, leaning towards a preference for a few nuclear stations providing all our energy whilst we develop efficient alternatives, rather than the visual desecration of hundreds of thousands of acres of unspoilt British landscape, from stunning Scottish mountains, to sweeping gentle rolling hills and plains of Wales and the South West. Add to this the loss of 'horizon' already seen here off the North Wales Coast, and the plans for even more offshore farms just off the Anglesey coast, and you can see we will soon never be able to look 'anywhere' without huge turbines and pylons blocking every view, every area of sky and every distant landscape.

My first view of the crowd gathering right at the start of the protest

We hear every day the arguments, facts and figures from every side about how good or bad wind farms are, and it seems fairly widely accepted that wind turbines are simply NOT that efficient when you take into account building, transportation, erection, maintenance and subsidies paid to landowners for these beasts. 9% has been mentioned, but even if we arbitrarily be kind and say 20%, I still can't condone the loss of man's visual access to space, view, natural beauty and the associated vital elements for meditation, philosophy, peace, dream space and notions of voyage and escape. At present, we seem to largely take for granted the ability to look up at a non obliterated sky, but if these applications for 400ft high turbines get the go ahead here on the tiny island of Anglesey at least, clear views of the sky, and indeed the whole of the Snowdonia range from Anglesey, will be a thing of the past, and will stay so for generations to come, and for what ? To solve our energy needs?

Owain outlining all the reasons WHY this campaign is taking place, and the issues faced

We all know wind can't do that alone, especially if it's only 9% efficient (20% if we pretend to be really positive about it), and it costs more to run these machines than they produce in electricity. So what else do we do ? Well we have tidal power, and it seems Anglesey is being given the go-ahead for a huge tidal turbine scheme between South Stack lighthouse and the Skerries lighthouse, with a series of large towers standing proud of the sea surface. At least I can support that, 24/7 energy and no vast subsidies paid by us, the energy paying customers, to greedy landowners. We still have nuclear, indeed we already have a vast nuclear station here on Anglesey, called Wylfa. It looks highly likely that Wylfa B will now be built anyway, and acres of prime farmland and private houses have already been purchased ready for the construction thereon.

Varied protest banners amongst the 250 strong crowd at the protest

So here on this little island, just over 20 miles long and a bit less wide, we are set to have a second massive nuclear plant alongside the old; a large tidal turbine scheme; a new biomass incineration plant; a proliferation of hundreds of the biggest wind turbines; a proliferation of offshore wind-farms which will be seen from every coast; a proliferation of pylons, cabling, access roads, widened country lanes for construction traffic. So this isn't an either or, this isn't a green v nuclear issue, this is an 'Anglesey gets dumped with it all' scenario. At least with the nuclear and biomass plant there will be some genuine jobs for locals, but there will likely be less than a handful of jobs for local people for the other energy systems.

Varied protest banners amongst the 250 strong crowd at the protest, before it started

So now we will have an island carved up by industrial access, maybe even requiring a third Menai Bridge, as has been suggested by local papers, just to facilitate heavy vehicles. We will have many fields and potential headlands built upon for access roads and paths. We will have a canopy of turbines, pylons and cables stretching all about us overhead. We will stand on the North Coast of the island and see large towers topping the tidal turbine plant. We will look to our right and see the massive reactor buildings of Wylfa B. We will look back inland to see a network of widespread turbines laced across the once beautiful landscape. In the distance we will see the mountains of Snowdonia (where wind turbines are now also being applied for btw) but we won't be able to trace the route from Conwy Mountain across the Carneddau, along to the Glyderau and down to the ancient hills of Tre'r Ceiri and Garn Fadryn, without having to count numerous giant turbines blocking that view. We will look out to sea on all sides, and see off-shore wind-farms, many miles wide, and always visible, as of course they will cost that 'bit more' to place them 'over' the horizon.

Varied protest banners amongst the 250 strong crowd at the protest, before it started

For the many hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to Anglesey (and Snowdonia) to escape from industrial areas, to escape the visual pollution of buildings, skyscrapers and the man made environment, they will no longer find that sense of wonder, that sense of relative solitude, of peace and quiet, of space and distance. No longer will they walk along Newborough beach to Llanddwyn Island in a wonderful escapist state of mind, with a notion of standing on the shore and imagining the unspoilt voyages to faraway lands over the ocean and beyond the horizon. No longer we all be able to create that same natural perspective for our worries, our lives and our loves, for everywhere we look we will be towered over by "War of the Worlds" machines. And these machines hold an even more sinister menace, in that the inaudible vibrations given off by them can make you ill, if you live close by them at least. Then there is that perpetual swoosh of the blades - repetitive, endless when the wind blows, and the beauty of silence will be gone from us. These machines are NOT silent as suggested, and anyone who stood near one for real knows this. We are not talking about a few 15 meter turbines here, which could be argued as aesthetic sculptures when taken in innocent isolation, we are talking about 150 mph blades rotating 400 ft above our heads, ripping into true peace and ripping up wild birds entering their airspace.

An intelligent, peaceful crowd listen to the various speeches outside the council offices

Walkers, birdwatchers, beach lovers, sailors, mountaineers, artists and photographers, cyclists indeed any of you who love the outdoors, is this REALLY what you think the answer is ? Maybe over time everyone will just get used to never seeing landscape views any more, maybe we will just get used to never having that absolute silence in the hills or in the countryside any more. Maybe tourists will continue to flock here anyway, but facts elsewhere in the UK are already proving otherwise. Tourism is perhaps the most important industry Anglesey has left. It is one of the biggest employers, perhaps THE biggest when you take into account all the hotels, B&Bs, guest-houses, cafés, pubs, outdoor activity providers, galleries, shops, ice cream parlours, boat hire, surf hire, golf courses, marinas and so on. I know from chatting with hundreds of visitors to my gallery every month, that none of my visitors want to see turbines all over Anglesey. It's ironic that the Prime Minister buys my books about Anglesey for the Royal Couple's wedding because he loves my work and wants the couple to have a beautiful visual reminder of their time here on Anglesey, yet indeed when they leave Anglesey, this same photographer won't be able to shoot any more such landscapes without pylons and turbines being included in many of his shots. In a way, my books may be a historical record of what the Anglesey landscape used to be like, "before the canopy". I find it very worrying that leaders can decide to go against the wishes of so many local people and visitors, regardless. This isn't nimbyism, this is reality for ALL rural communities dependent upon tourism, and the worries concern so many people who live and try to work in beautiful areas of Britain.

Really look at this banner, showing a 100m turbine next to the Marquis of Anglesey Column!

If we can put billions into saving banks who have lost so much of our public money, surely there is no excuse for not investing in massive OFF-shore wind-farms, over the horizon, instead of destroying what is left of the delicate economy and beautiful rural heritage of these stunning rural areas. If wind power is the answer to all our needs, fine, but build them miles offshore - build them 500 miles wide if needs be, but leave the countryside beautiful and the economy to grow. Rural economies are on the point of collapsing anyway, we don't need hundreds more nails in the coffin.

First speech, campaign leader Owain Evans

Young & old, rich and poor, all united against the ruination of Anglesey by the machines !

Speech 2, Mairede Thomas, policies, docs & planning for AAWT

Speech 3, Gwyn Morris Jones, Head of CPRW (Council for the Protection of Rural Wales)

Speech 4, A slightly nervous Bryan Owen, Head of Anglesey County Council !

Speech 5, Kate Barker, who has just been spared a huge turbine outside her house in Rhoscefnhir

Speech 6, Entrepreneur Malcolm Innes, who has just been spared a huge turbine outside his home

Speech 7, Worried, Philip Charles, faces two giant turbines planned adjacent to his caravan park

Speech 8, Mike Cross, Health &Safety adviser with AAWT

Closing speech by Owain Evans

Not the best site in the world I'm afraid as the text is so small but nevertheless, there is masses more information here on the AAWT website

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

"Poetry in Motion" - Aberdaron - First A2 of 20

2012-02-01T16:17:00.000Z

I am almost religiously in my gallery during specified opening hours, and hate not being there on time, but today was the critical Anglesey Council meeting about wind-turbine development across beautiful Anglesey, and I was going to the public protest outside the council offices.

Wednesday is usually very quiet, but of course this morning, the first morning in ages when I couldn't be at work, I get a phone call from a customer desperate to by a Limited Edition !! The protest hadn't even started in Llangefni, and I couldn't NOT be there after asking so many friends TO go there, so I thought I'd have to lose a major sale! Fortunately, the gentleman, from East Anglia, was very sympathetic to our cause, and rightly considered wind turbines to be an inefficient and horrendous blight on British landscape, so he wished me all the best anyway.

"Poetry in Motion", Aberdaron © Glyn Davies 2010 - Further prints from HERE

I was just about to be filmed for an ITV News piece when I get a follow up call. They were still interested in seeing my prints and they would wait for me to get back before leaving for East Anglia today. We wrapped up the news piece and I met the couple at my gallery, where they were then able to spend a leisurely time going through my work.

Ironically, they bought an edition titled "Poetry in Motion" shot at Aberdaron, and dealing with the minimalist beauty of open space, simple ethereal cloud formations and unhindered views, the antithesis of the visual encasement by wind turbines and additional overhead cables and pylons, an industrial canopy across rural lands.

The full story and pictures from the protest will be blogged very soon.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

WINNER - Best Arts on Anglesey Award

2012-01-28T18:52:00.000Z

The Anglesey Tourism Awards is organised by the Anglesey Tourism Association Ltd (ATA). This high profile and glittering annual ceremony celebrates success, exemplifies good practice and promotes all that is best in tourism in the Region, and was attended by 220 guests from the tourism industry and officials across the Island and North Wales.

Me & TV presenter Nia Parry, photographed by Carol

Jane Blakey, chair of the ATA said “Tonight’s winners have shown that the tourism industry on the Island is of an exceptionally high standard and that we have many outstanding businesses offering a superb visitor experience. They should be very proud of their achievements as it is their hard work and continued development which helps maintain Anglesey’s reputation as a top holiday destination"

This is the first time I've entered the Arts and Crafts category of the Anglesey Tourism Awards and I had no idea really what to expect from it all. I was informed a few weeks back that I'd been short-listed from the nominations for this Award and would I be interested in attending the Gala dinner at "The Pavilion" at the Royal Anglesey Showground at Mona. I was then told it was a black tie event, which deflated me somewhat as I just don't do that sort of fashion etiquette, it goes against my artist, free thinking, non conformist nature and it really stressed me out ! I was told a suit would be fine, which I could deal with, I remember having one for my wedding in 2005 :-)

Jane Blakey (R) ATA Chair, giving introduction at the ATA Awards

Anyway, last night was suddenly upon me before I knew it, and Carol had ironed my white collared shirts for me, as I was working in the gallery till 6.00pm and the event started at 7.00pm. I raced home, put my suit trousers on and they didn't fit ! Amazingly, in 7 years, I'd put weight on ! Now definitely stressing, I decide I have to wear the only black trousers without combat pockets, my Levi black denims! No worries, I'm an artist so I can be renegade and wear them instead. I tried all three shirts and the 16.5"collars would no longer fit around my neck !!! Not only stressed that I now only had a suit jacket left as any form of formality (and a black tie) I was equally concerned that I need to cut back on even more G&T and maybe do even more mountain walking to lose weight ! The jacket fitted perfectly, so white cotton patch shirt, nice black tie, black denims and polished black boots and I was at least comfortable - didn't look like a silly penguin - and was assured in my non conformity :-) I'd seen the David Bailey film the night before and if he could non conform in Vogue company then I could non conform in Anglesonian company :-) My wife on the other hand had gone for an Indian style outfit which looked absolutely stunning, cultural, smart, colourful, and eye catching, not a ball gown but equally beautiful. I was mega proud of her.

My plaque, which will soon be affixed to the gallery wall :-)

We arrived at the venue which was bustling with people flash-lit in manoeuvring car headlights and a few who had unwisely attempted to park on grass like guests did at the infamous Cerys Matthews concert here, when loads of people got stranded in thick mud and couldn't get home. Inside the barn (which is what it was/is, there had been a transformation. Carpets laid, curtains arranged, stage lights, powerful ceiling heating, a bar, display stands, beautifully arranged tables and a Champagne drinks reception, the place was unrecognisable! I couldn't believe the last time I'd been here it was an indoor car boot sale! And amongst this inviting interior, hundreds of beautifully dressed gorgeous ladies and Cummerbunded gents with dickie bows, though thankfully plenty of other suit wearing and even non suit wearing renegades like me. Funnily enough no one seemed to notice or care and after a beer and a chat with several friends we found there straight away, I was happy as Larry (Larry was smoking a spliff - not really)

An iPhone snap of the winners group by Carol whilst waiting for Eifion to do the proper shot!

We were called to the tables and we were thankful sat with a really bunch of guys from Ye Olde Bulls Head in Beaumaris, already past winners of these Awards and who made us feel welcome. Had a really good chat with co owner of the Bull, and highly experienced top chef Keith Rothwell (and his lovely wife) about how much work had been done to the place over 25 years to turn it into the excellent establishment it has now become. We also got chatting to the extremely talented, TV featured young chef, Hefin Roberts, who is now responsible for the contemporary approach the kitchen now adopts, and his girlfriend Jen (House Manager at Ye Olde Bulls Head) were just a brilliant laugh, along with Carol's fitness instructor friend Lesley Wills, so Carol and I both felt relaxed and happy. In such esteemed company I didn't dare comment on the series of dishes laid before us, in case I said they were good when they weren't, or bad if they were good. I just mmmmmm'd in accord ! :-)

Top chef, Hefin Roberts, and girlfriend, Ye Olde Bulls Head House Manager, Jen

Then came the Awards themselves, presented by the well know Welsh TV presenter, Nia Parry - witty, fast, beautiful, professional and engaging, she really had people laughing with all her ad-libbing.

I was suddenly tense, I had sort of forgotten the whole purpose of the evening (not helped by 3 double gins!) but my category was announced before I knew it !

"Best Arts and Crafts of the Year"

"Anglesey’s historical, cultural and natural heritage continues to this day in the produce of traditional hand-crafted products and this Award recognises the importance art and craft plays in providing the visitor with a true sense of place"

I was up against another popular (painting) gallery and as Beaumaris businesses seemed to be winning everything to that point, I feared the worst. The announcer unwrapped the foil envelope and said "And the winner is - Glyn Davies" when everyone started clapping, calling and Carol screaming something very excitedly ! It was a bit of a blur really, I grabbed my beautiful wife by the hand as I wanted her there with me, and headed for the stage where I got to kiss beautiful Nia before having the official portrait taken by a very complimentary and friendly photographer Eifion Williams.

iPhone snap by a top chef :-))

After that, I was just extremely happy and relaxed, though event organiser Pip did tell me off for wearing black denim at some point, (I think she was smiling!) but her colleague Jane Blakey, chair of the ATA had already told me how smart I looked, so I think we'll call it quits, and I remained true to myself :-) (though the snap above AFTER dancing, would suggest otherwise !!)

Personally, I would like to thank my wife, for looking beautiful and for her support; Ye Olde Bulls Head of Beaumaris, for being such nice company; TV Presenter Nia Parry for kissing me, twice; The lovely and hard working organisers Jane, Pip and the rest of the ATA for organising the event; All the judges and presenters who gave their time to attend the event; The very nice barman who gave me a cheap double Gin because I'd won and of course all the nice people I met there who showed support and offered congratulations on my win. Congratulations also to the Janet Bell Gallery who received Silver in our category.

For further information please contact Pip Cockeram on 01248 811195 or at pip@pipcockeram.co.uk
http://angleseytourismawards.co.uk/awards/

Lost in Space

2012-01-26T19:46:00.000Z

Seems I have been dropped back into that "It's your photo day, you shall have grey" scenario! My photo-days in last few weeks have generally been devoid of any weather other than high wind, drizzle and greyness. Monday was promised broken cloud and sunshine, improving throughout the afternoon with more and more sunshine towards evening. Well no one told the weather makers near Beddgelert, where the Nantlle Ridge, Mynydd Mawr and Moel Hebog seemed to grip to the fast flowing low cloud base like Fred Astaire to a Top Hat.

"My Geometry's Foggy" Moel Hebog © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

The going was very wet underneath, with thick bog and waterlogged grass and the summit of Moel Hebog where I was headed only made very brief appearances. From the North Ridge I followed the very steep hillside alongside a miraculous wall which defied gravity and continued right up and over the summit to drop away to the South West on the far side. To be honest it was welcome shelter from the bitter hill fog which nearer the top would otherwise have ripped through me. As usual, I was alone on the mountain and it was slightly intimidating ascending this vast open mountainside where visibility was down to a few meters, on a hill I'd never climbed before, like an ascent to heaven which would open above me at any minute.

"Fogpath Footpath" Moel Hebog © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

It seems I wasn't going to Heaven after all as the cloud base stayed low and I finally summited in a fast flowing motorway of 50mph cloud. I sheltered behind a trig point and it was so cold I had to eat my sandwiches wearing gloves. The coffee was gorgeous and warm and restored some sanity to this cold hilltop. Almost without me noticing, the sky behind the wall had opened, and this incredible view of sunlit hills opened up over South East Snowdonia, but in the fast hill fog, it was gone before I could even get the camera out. I was becoming more comfortable in this isolated and surreal weather, and mounted the camera to the tripod ready for the next 'appearance' but there was none. Behind me a different view opened up for a couple of minutes with layers of cloud racing under banks of higher cloud, and intense sunlight in one tiny patch over Cardigan Bay on the horizon. It was all rather beautiful as well as cold and surreal, but it would have made a much better video than a still. As a still, the fast moving vapour just appears as white, but on HD video, you would discern the speed, the subtlety of fast change and the noise of the won through the wall behind me.

"Volcanic Burn" Llyn Peninsula © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

Nevertheless, two scenes presented themselves which summed up the character and ambience of what I was experiencing, and on the way off the mountain, back at the col, very low, late afternoon sunshine made an intense effort to break through the cloud over the Llyn Peninsula and I managed a few frames on the telephoto in the five minutes before that too disappeared behind an enormous new weather-front. I'd spent way too much time on the col, hoping the light would become even more spectacular, but it didn't, so I was forced to make a hasty descent in half light back through down the lower slopes through thick bog to the van, waiting for me next to a gurgling brook, in a dark and still deserted valley.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Well that's it, first A1 edition to sell out, strange feeling!

2012-01-25T16:33:00.001Z

Yesterday, a lady came to my gallery and became transfixed by one of my Limited Editions of 3. It was the last in the set, No.3 of 3. Even though she looked at the rest of the images and also loved another image shot at the same location, she couldn't take her eyes off "Sheep in Welsh Tuscany".

"Sheep in Welsh Tuscany" Dolbenmaen © Glyn Davies 2011

"Featureless mountain-tops led down to isolated 'findings' before shrubs, trees and man-made forms started dominating the landscape once more. A mist had built in the late afternoon and was backlit by warm evening sunshine. The rows of tall trees arranged across the rolling hillsides made the landscape look more Tuscan than Welsh !"

As often happens, the lady left without making a purchase but promised to come back in on Saturday. These days I rarely believe return visits will happen but today, less than 24 hours later she came back in with her friend for another look. Within 10 minutes Miss Williams was making the purchase for rare framed print and both she and I were delighted.

It's a strange feeling though. This is the first time that I have sold out of an edition completely (partly because my earlier A1 editions were 20 and 25 editions which need to be displayed so much longer on gallery walls) but I suddenly thought "That's it, I will never ever see that image of mine at that lovely A1 size again, unless I visit the houses of my own customers!" It gives me an idea what a painter faces, when a one-off original leaves the studio. It feels precious, something is a part of you, and that even as the creator, you won't get to see it again. I know I will get used to this feeling but that's the first time it's happened. The first print sold to a lady in Chester, the second print to a lady in Italy.

Do I still believe in doing such rare editions therefore ? Definitely, I like rarity and preciousness. The disadvantage is that I can't charge the prices that London or city galleries charge to make up for this rarity, but I really dislike "limited" editions, that in their hundreds are simply not "limited" at all. I know that in many international galleries editions of 10 are seen as a joke, let alone 50 or 100 or more, so I am happy to offer my gallery visitors something really beautiful and rare, and at just a tenth of the London prices some of my colleagues are charging for their editions which are reaching £16-20K.

Miss Williams is happy, and my gallery is ticking along and surviving this global economic disaster, so all in all, I feel good today.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

A must watch video for all artists & togs

2012-01-25T12:21:00.000Z

I rarely post video links on my blog, but I was shared this really superb video today that REALLY has relevance to ALL photographers (actually, to ALL OF US, no matter what job we do). I just had to share this one.

The first 1.35 mins are actually relevant, in a joky way, but this vid really kicks off at around 1min 35sec, beautifully shot but very true sentiments that will resonate with many, newbie or established, young or older, and regardless of genre (generally)

If it moved you, let me know using the comments form. Enjoy.

Aching, Sensation, on Aran

2012-01-20T18:59:00.005Z

Day 2 and it's still cold, the fresh air blows on my face whilst I lie there taking in the new day. A brightness bathes my face and dragon's vapour rises from my mouth. Another day in the hills, another punishment of weary muscles and shoulder-aching gear-carrying. I look to see my companion who is still sleeping, wrapped up tight against the cold.

"Echoes in Shadow" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

So I close the bedroom window, enter the sunlit kitchen, stick the kettle on and make a brew :-) Yesterday was Elidir Fawr, today was - revision for Carol, and a photo-day for me! I was still sore from yesterday, the first hill-walk in months it seems, and not enough stretching! I make myself a hot flask of coffee, check out the route map for Yr Aran, one of secondary Snowdon peaks which I'd not climbed before, checked my camera gear and then "Glyn!?" followed by expletives, as some Mac issue was causing Carol problems for advertising her new personal training advert ! By lunchtime I was ready for the off :-) I had written-off the chance of Yr Aran as the days are so short, especially when you try and combine the walk with any considered photography, so I just headed for the valley anyway, and just planned on checking out the famous waterfalls below the Watkin Path.

The sky was once again clear blue, cloud deserted acres of the stuff above the low and sharp winter sunshine. Trees looked gorgeous, intricate orange sculptures adorning roadsides and valleys. Hillsides were textural and defined, every crag and face picked out in the intense sun but the roads were almost empty, and apart from the occasional cyclist the normally bustling town of Llanberis was crowdless. I wound my way up the Llanberis Pass, the shadowy lee of the hills looking cold and blue-frosted. About five cars were parked at the Pen y Pass car park for the main routes up Snowdon, and I saw an army bloke steaming under his Bergen. I overtook a slow car on the windy decent towards the Pen Y Gwryd and then met no vehicle whatsoever en route to the mirror flat lake of Llyn Gwynant. Leafless trees on the far bank pierced the reflected blue sky in cross-hatched symmetry and not even a bird stirred the lake.

"Cold Hill Start" Nant Gwynant © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

I reached the Bethania car park where there sat one lonely vehicle. A light flickered above the men's toilet door and it was a surprise to find it open at all. I syphoned the python then kitted up, it was 1.00pm now. I meandered up through sunlit woodland, moss covered boulders tempting me to stop and stare, but I was already being drawn to the falls, the promise of pounding rivers and eroded curves. Yr Aran watched me from above. I soon reached the falls, but the south facing aspect meant the sun was flat on, and although lovely to listen to, the river simply proved uninspiring to me today. Conversely, the ice covered track alongside the waterfalls teased me with a route to a view of the highest peak in England and Wales, just above the hanging valley ahead. At this point I met "Kronmueller"one of my Flickr contacts coming DOWN the track, the first person I'd seen here at all. It was so good to meet with him rather than just seeing his avatar, though he says we have met at my gallery at some point and I've shot portraits of his good friends!

The summit of Lliwedd appeared in view, towering above everything else, but now I could see the backlit peak of Yr Aran too, rimming a vast slope of shadowy hillside. I could even discern the faintest of tracks up to the col below the summit, I'd read it was steep enough for some people to need hands as well as feet in places. I looked at my watch, an hour had passed, could I dare hope to reach the peak by say 3.00 ish ? That would give me plenty of time to eat and drink on the top, take a few photos en-route and still get back to the van before night closed in. I decided, and started, and ascended, and within a few meters had to negotiate whole ice slopes where streams had simply frozen right across the route. I had no crampons or axe so had to veer off route to use frozen grass stretches to find friction and gain height. I did NOT want to face this in semi-light on the way back. Fortunately, the higher I climbed, the steeper it got, and the less sheets of ice blocked my way. I soon found myself on the col, faster than I thought. I even allowed myself to shoot a frame or so back towards Snowdon main, and the huge massif of Lliwedd to my right.

"Before There Were Sleepers" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

A quick ten minutes I thought, and the summit was mine. I have never needed those poles as much as that ascent ! I know I hadn't eaten properly and had probably raced quicker than planned to do a route I'd dismissed, but my legs ached, my heart pumped and my lungs started working as the summit was a series of small false summits, which just stretched and stretched and stretched ! Funnily enough though, I was there by 3.10pm so within my 'mental schedule' for a safe return. The wind was racing over the peak from the South East, just like yesterday, and it was cold in the afternoon air, the wind chill factor noticeable. I took my clothes off (well my tops!) to put on a clean dry T-shirt and instantly the lack of sweat made me feel warmer (or was it just the contrast from the icy wind on my bare torso!). I piled down two sandwiches, three Penguins (the biscuits not the birds) and two large cups of coffee from my new 0.7 litre flask ! :-) I felt like a new man - and it was all downhill from here :-)

"Clarity Before a Fall" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

And it was! Now, my left knee was in agony, for such young pensioner of 47 I shouldn't be suffering like this, but I do, when I am not in the hills regularly. I put up with it, like the man my wife says I should be, and the poles once again helped my progress. There was enough light to avoid the icy dangers of the steep slopes though and within such a short space of time compared with the ascent, I was nearly back on the main Watkin path. I found an unusual landmark here for an even more unusual self portrait, before I was back alongside the river in the gathering dusk. I took one shot just due to fascination with the azure blue in the crystal clear river pool, backed by a pink evening sky, and then it was a gloomy trudge back to the van, and a final cup of hot coffee. I'd done the route in four hours including photography, eating, drinking and simply marvelling - Did I do a third day in the hills ?

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Blues in Black & White

2012-01-19T20:55:00.000Z

A rare but welcome experience, the sun that day, following weeks of wind, rain and cloud - don't get me wrong, I love shooting in adverse conditions but it's just SO uplifting when the sun come out and warms your skin for more than three minutes! On days like this however, it's also so easy to forget that it is nevertheless January, not June, so in the sunshine it was uplifting and energising but the moment you crossed the shade line it was freezing cold, literally, frost and even ice around.

"Black Energy" Marchlyn Mawr © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

On leaving the van, we felt he need to put everything on, gloves, hats and even over-trousers (in my case the amazing Paramo Cascada trousers) and this was Carol's first opportunity to use walking poles so it was a clickety click of sticks up the winding tarmac road towards the Marchlyn Mawr reservoir. I was soon overheating thanks to my RAB windproof under my Paramo jacket so removed both the RAB and Paramo, walked another 100 meters into the shade of Elidir Fach and was suddenly chilled to the bone so BACK on with the Paramo, what a faff, but that's this weather for you, exacerbated by carrying heavy rucksacks full of camera gear, flasks and water bottles!

The lake of Marchlyn Mawr stirred slowly in the darkness of the mountain shade, only a gentle reflected light from the blue sky illuminating it's shadowy surface. Tiny wavelets spat at the steep dark dam wall before being sucked back down into it's depths. Since my first visit here as a teenager, I have always wondered what would happen when the tunnel is opened and hundreds of thousands of gallons of lake water plunge headlong down the inside of the mountain to the turbines in the valley below. Would a swimmer get sucked in, or birds or fish :-) Even today, with the apparent wisdom of age I still wonder where the plug is. The lake therefore holds a dark mystery to me, and makes me feel uneasy.

"Beyond the Wall" Marchlyn Mawr © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

We started the steep ascent up the spur, above huge cliffs towering above the now shrinking lake below. We shortened our poles to deal with the almost 1in1 slope ascent which did help noticeably, until we reached a boulder field on the final stretch towards the top ridge. Here, the normally friction covered grey boulders were covered in a fine layer of ice cold frost, making even the most pumice like boulders seem slippery underfoot. The wind was noticeable here in the cold shadow, but nothing compared with the brunt of the brisk South East breeze when we topped out on the sunlit ridge. The leg to the summit fog Elidir Fawr was exhilarating in the crisp midday sunlight, and the frost simply vanished leaving cold coarse stone once more. Amazingly for such a beautiful day we were alone on the summit, for a while at least, and we just stood in awe and happiness soaking up the brilliance and the panoramic views, from the hills of the Llyn Peninsula, across the beautiful lowlands of coastal Anglesey, to the full massif of the Carneddau, the Glyderau and then Snowdon itself. We could see for miles in this light. Photographically of course, for me at least, it was just not the right conditions, featureless sky and no lovely shadows scudding across the landscape, or even heavy mist, hill fog or thunderstorms, but it was in it's own way, still beautiful.

"The Wall Was Broken" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

We descended the narrow ridge to the North, down to the col before Mynydd Perfedd, and looking back up the ridge, the silhouetted shape of Elidir Fawr looked like a pyramid. We stood right next to the sheer cliffs which form the backwall of Cwm Marchlyn and could see the whole of this small reservoir lake, with the vista of Anglesey in the background. Soft springy grass took us up the slope to the wide, exposed and even more windy summit of Mynydd Perfedd, where you get great views over the Ogwen Valley and the famous peaks of Pen yr Ole Wen and Tryfan, though unusually for this crystal clear day, the summit of Carnedd Dafydd alone was covered in elongated clouds.

Summit of Elidir Fawr by Carol Mead

It's an easy walk from here to the next peak of Carnedd y Filiast, but en route, you cross a long stone wall struggling to stay upright, and here we sat out of the wind, grabbing a last cup of coffee and photographing a small pool covered in thick ice. Carol was in her element with macros and abstracts so it was quite extraordinary to be pulling HER away from photography so that we could finish the walk ! It was a steep and rocky descent from here down the mountainside to joint the path towards the top end of our original track, the tarmac access road from the dam back to the van. The sun had sadly dropped behind a huge bank of cloud on the horizon but it still created a gorgeous glow over the van, where we sat in the open side door and finished our flasks and absorbed the evening sounds. A truly special day, almost devoid of photographs but full of great views and great company.

Sunset on the van - a warm welcome back :-)

Before & After - Private View - Glyn's first public 'nudes'

2012-01-12T00:50:00.000Z

I wasn't sure what to expect last night, when I finally entered the Rhyl Arts Centre gallery to attend the Private View of "Before and After" a collaborative show between me and sculptor Wanda Zyborska.

I've seen her work, I of course did all the nude studies of her amongst her sculptures, I have already done masses of work and printing for the first show in Vienna, but Wanda has handled almost all the organisation and hanging of this second showing.

Beyond that, this is the first time in many years that a lab has printed and mounted my art work, as I have not been able to source a local framer who could handle the job. I therefore gave the commission to Genesis in London who took my pre-worked digital files and printed, mounted and acrylic bonded six large A0 images for me. They did this just before Christmas and they were delivered directly to the gallery in the New Year ! Talking about cutting it fine, especially if any did need re-printing :-)

So to walk into the room, and see these gorgeous acrylic faced prints adorning the gallery wall, all beautifully lit by intense warm halogen lights, glistening in the minimal ambient room light, was truly uplifting. I'd had to shoot these images at 1600 ASA in order to get the depth of field I needed, even with an Arri 2K and 2 x 800W redheads, so I had been a little anxious about taking the files up to that size. I needn't have worried, you can see every tiny detail and the tones are still so smooth and pixel-less. The transition between dark shadows over black rubber through to the most delicate of scar tissue on Wanda's pal nude body were so real, so 'touchable' - helped by the half life size scale of the prints.

The large tractor inner-tube sculptures, carved and bolted together to form intriguing and sensual installations, really did make the connection with the images on the wall, where they were seen utilised by the naked artist. even the fact you could see the reflections of the actual sculptures in the acrylic of the printed versions echoed and reiterated the organic like nature of all the work.

There was a performance by Wanda at 7.00pm, where she is completely enveloped by one of her pieces, and it moves and writhes, squirms and falls before re-erecting itself and twisting in front of the audience, before the finale, of a huge cancerous looking tumour of rubber is ejected from the mouth of the rubber creature, which I saw as both healing but also birth like, the endless squirming cycle of life and death. The performance was set to haunting and surreal music and voice, sung/chanted by musician and singer Ann Matthews.

These photographs were all taken before the performance but by 7.00 the room was actually almost packed, partly helped by the number of supportive and engaged students and fellow tutors from Bangor University. However I was also delighted that several of my own clients, friends and family also attended and I was bust chatting with people till the very end. The response to my photo art works was truly fantastic, as so many people these days only know me for my landscapes and were quite taken aback to realise I could shoot other subjects with equal passion :-) I had felt slight trepidation about how my nudes of Wanda would be regarded by the audience, especially my own, but it has given me more confidence than ever to expand on my current nudes project, and perhaps explore new ways of presenting them too at the end of the year, apart from the book of course.

I came away extremely positive and thankful for the opportunity to have worked with Wanda.

The show runs until February 4th at the Rhyl Library Arts Centre - 01745 882523

Wanda Zyborska
Glyn Davies
Ann Matthews
Rhyl Arts Centre
Genesis Imaging

A Sun Set

2012-01-11T16:55:00.000Z

I was looking at another professional photographer's Tumblr site today, a really nice American guy from Florida, and he was extolling the virtues of the Tumblr blog format as a way of just posting up new images, often without any form of wording, just new pix.

As I get busier and busier in the gallery, with customers, shoots, project discussions with other artists, printing or advertising, it becomes increasingly hard to keep on top of fully worded stories to accompany each and every trip out (problem with being prolific) and therefore many new images are simply not getting seen. So I thought, actually it's not a bad idea, to just post new pictures here on Blogger from time to time, with little textual context.

So this is perhaps my first post, when I basically just post a set of images from a recent shoot, without even needing much of an intro anyway. They were just shot for fun, in the company of my wife, when the sun suddenly 'did it's wonderful thing' for half an hour!

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

"Close to My Dad" - A shared landscape

2012-01-11T16:17:00.000Z

I was going to post a series of images from this walk, but so much is happening here at the gallery at present that I am posting this right now as a one off image, as the moment is and was important, to me at least.

"I'd headed for Dinas Dinlle simply because I'd heard my Dad mention that he and Mum might be "going there later", but the car park was empty. I geared up anyway and sat for a short while looking at the amazingly bright and stormy sight before me, whilst salt spray covered the windscreen and the van rocked by the gusts, "winds of almost 100 mph in the UK today" they said. Jeremy Vine was on the radio chatting with those trapped by the gales, but there was sunlight here, intense and positive, the wind felt like a heart beat and the pull of the outdoors was greater than the force used to seal the van door closed!

As I sat there a small black car turned up, and there was my Dad, smiling at me through the front window, Mum waving at me lovingly from the passenger seat. Dad (who is recovering from an operation) and I went for a walk together, whilst Mum sheltered in the car. Although I'd sort of 'hoped' to meet them, I was nevertheless intent on taking pictures, so Dad was doing his best to keep close but not too close so as not to get in my way (family know these things!) I watched him as he huddled over debris washed up on the high tide mark, beach-combing like he'd always done with us as kids, and I suddenly felt very sad. My Dad is getting older, mid 70s now, and he struggles more with things he'd once have taken in his stride. He won't admit this, and told me so the other night, but I sensed it that day at least.

After a while he said he was going to head back to the car and go to the café for a coffee with Mum. I said I'd take a few more shots then join them as the light and waves crashing on the shore were superb photo potential, but as I watched his slightly unstable retreat away from me, blown sideways by the wind, I couldn't take any more images, they seemed more important, and the opportunity to just go and be with them, so I made my way back to join them (via the hill fort viewpoint I should perhaps guiltily add !). The café was shut so they made their way home anyway, whilst I stayed for the last of the light on this stormy beach. It was a day where I was being torn apart, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I called in on them on the way home, and chatted for hours. It's funny isn't it, that even the most stunning things on the planet, pale into significance when you consider real love, and the awareness of real loss."

Prints of this very personal image are available HERE

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

New Years Cold Cream

2012-01-07T16:20:00.002Z

After the busy run up to Christmas, working long hours in the gallery each day including Christmas Eve, I got hit hard by the virus that has been doing the rounds which almost lays you flat, but I still managed to open each day up to my birthday on New Years Eve, and that was it! We had to cancel an evening with friends, cancel any New Years Day walk and I survived on Whisky, Manuka Honey and Lemon ! I was hoping to go to work on the Monday but still felt too rough, so thankfully my wife drove me to Porth Trecastell to see the sea.

It was amazingly, quite a bright afternoon, though the dark winter clouds hung over much of Anglesey and the hills, but the wind was really blowing and created quite a chill factor. We got sandblasted going over the dunes and sea foam aimed itself directly at us whilst a steady flow of salt spray made it's way inland, covering everything. Still, I was entranced by the light and the sparkle and the intense contrast all about - my lungs felt suddenly full of oxygen even though my nostrils burned in the cold air - I stood on a rocky outcrop and remembered summer days at this same spot.

I fitted a filter and sorted my exposure whilst facing inland, then swung seawards and composed within seconds to avoid the blurring spray. I managed about three frames before the beautiful aberrations of sun through water started affecting the view. It took about 2 minutes to clean the filter before walking on towards the next beach and our coffee destination in Rhosneigr. The sea was at half tide so was not pounding the cliffs and reef but instead remained choppy and gymnastic, texturing the horizon. The water turned to creamy foam as soon as it reached the shoreline, and it curdled it's way towards us in viscous frustration, as in a dream.

The outgoing tide had left the most beautiful soft virginal sand in it's retreat, upon which the creamy fingers of waves reached, encircled and touched. Low winter sunshine bounced off the wet grains and shallow crescent moons until the angle was so reduced that only darkness was reflected. At that point we finished the outward journey in Sullivans Bistro with hot coffee and syrup-ladled, ice-cream topped Danish Waffles - purely medicinal of course, before we enjoyed a dark and wind blown walk back to the van, a mile or so further down the coast, a half moon offering minimal guidance, and an LED torch offering safety over the rocky stretches. That evening, invigorated by the walk and the sea air, I felt unusually sleepy, and with a final whisky toddy knocked back, I had the first goods nights sleep in a week!

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

A Good Thursday - Pt.2 - Anglesey Brochure

2012-01-05T18:47:00.002Z

The second lovely 'finding' today, was seeing the cover of the new Anglesey tourism brochure which this year features my cover after several years of no library requests from the council. The designer has always been keen to use my work but has not always been contractually permitted to do so, but this year was different.

Anglesey tourism brochure 2012 featuring my cover image

It's funny that my images of Anglesey have been sent all over the world many times over, as prints, books, magazines and of course on-line, all helping in their own way to promote this beautiful island as a place to visit, but that for maybe seven years my work has not been used at all in the main tourism brochure - I'm delighted that at least one of my images is now officially promoting the island once again, thank you to the two Steves :-)

I wish every tourism related business on Anglesey a very busy year, and profit rather than loss, in these hard times in this stunning location.

Original prints and editions of this image can be purchased here on my main print sales site: www.glyndavies.com

A Good Thursday - Pt.1 - OneEyeland

2012-01-05T18:30:00.000Z

Having recently re-joined OneEyeland as an annual subscriber once again, after a short time out, I was made up this morning to receive and e-mail saying that not only had one of my images been picked as "Pic of the Day" I had also been given the position of "Photographer of the Week" so the OneEyeland homepage was suddenly very Anglesey Storm covered :-)

"Picture of the Day" and "Photographer of the Week" - Today's OneEyeland home page!

I have been asked by so many professionals whether membership of OneEyeland justifies the annual fee, so I guess my decision to re-join shows my view on this. Ultimately, it has led to considerable national exposure )including TV & Radio) for me after I became ranked No.1 on the site, and I have received a couple of commission enquiries, one for Saatchi and another for an oil exploration company so it does actually create some leads too.

What I can honestly say though, is that there is great fun in just seeing what the team of judges will accept from my submissions, a bit like fishing when you get a bite, and purely for that simple fun, it means I am happy to be on there once more (and still ranked No.1 is cool !) Some things in this business have to be just done for fun!

A Gentle Healing, from Anglesey

2012-01-04T20:27:00.000Z

Today was my first day back in the gallery after the New Year weekend, so it was a brilliant start to the year to meet up with several really fascinating and genuinely supportive followers of my work and career. To top it all, an existing customer for my limited editions turned up to buy another of my editions, this time as a wedding present.

He and his wife have strong connections with Rhosneigr, so were looking for an artwork based on that area. They had already been on my website and had basically narrowed things down to a final selection of three, they just wanted to see the images as prints, 'in the flesh' so to speak.

As often happens here in the gallery of course, they caught sight of another of my images "A Gentle Healing" and their original choices including "Evening Tide", were rejected in favour. No.1 of 5 in the A2 size has now left the gallery! Four more available.

In this shot, the calmest of tides gently advanced up the beach, over the myriad of footprints and paw-prints, smoothing the pockmarked sands back to unblemished perfection, and gradually brought saturated colour back into the sun-dried stone. In the foreground a rich and gorgeous chaos of assorted pebbles glinted in the shallow sea like marbles in a jar. I never ever fail to be soothed by the transition from churned beach to virginal beach, a cleansing, a process of renewal and rejuvenation, getting ready for a new day - putting today's events into universal perspective.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Exhibition - Wanda Zyborska - Nudes & Sculpture

2012-01-01T11:55:00.001Z

"Cynt a Chwedyn - Before and After"
A collaborative art project with sculptor, Wanda Zyborska
and photographer Glyn Davies

"The sculptor Wanda Zyborska and photo artist Glyn Davies have used the language of surrealism to create a collaborative exhibition about Zyborska's experience of breast cancer. The project also explores issues of ageing and the representation of older women, using sculpture, photography and performance. Music for the performance is from a long standing collaboration with the musician and singer Ann Matthews"

This exhibition will show some large scale sculptures by Wanda and six huge A0 size acrylic / metal bonded photographic prints by Glyn Davies. The images contain full nudity and are critical to the understanding of the very real effects of the life saving treatment, and the resulting 'coming-to-terms' with the resulting scarification of the beauty of a woman's body, in addition to other natural issues of ageing and change.

Wanda: "I wanted to make the scar beautiful, to put that at the centre of the work, but not in a way that could be separated from me, or could define me. I want to express my ambiguity about the whole thing, I like the scar, it makes me feel like an Amazon, but I am having a reconstruction, to try and be whole again. That is why I am in an environment created by me, surrounded by my work, coming out of it. I am being looked at and photographed by a male artist who brings all his own ideas and creativity to the task, but it is in my territory.

I asked Glyn Davies to work with me because I wanted the photographs to be technically outstanding. Glyn is an artist who is always able to find the beautiful and the strange in nature. I wondered if he could find it in my ageing and mutilated body. My work is primarily about subjectivity and identity, feminism and the body, and in this exhibition, how all this relates to a woman’s experience of illness. For me it was surreal, and it prompted me to attempt a modern day version of Man Ray’s collaboration with the women surrealists in the 20s and 30s. I tried to imagine how much input the women had, and the poses I set up were loosely related to those in their photographs'

Detail from one of the main A0 images.

Glyn: "For me, this collaboration with Wanda has been a fascinating and sometimes soul searching process of observation and understanding, as I was asked to consider notions of beauty, 'sexiness' , and self worth, from a woman's perspective, but also through my own male eyes.
I see that we are so immersed in a narrow world visualisation of 'desirable' women being young, nubile, semi-dressed and sexually vivacious, that I had to consider carefully how Wanda as an older woman, scarred to save her life, might try to see herself fitting within the modern 'ideal'. Equally, I had to ask myself what I see as attractive, womanly, desirable and so on. Fortunately, I see nudity as a beautiful state, regardless of figure type or age, which helps, and beyond that, having photographed women since I was 16 years old, and nude women since I was 17 years old, I seem to find elements of beauty in all people, even the most unlikely, so it was much easier to work with Wanda who has so many natural beautiful qualities anyway. Indeed I was not even slightly shocked by her missing breast, as all I could see before me was a sensual, real and intriguing woman who seemed to have lost none of her 'womanliness' to my mind at least.
It was an honour to be asked to collaborate on Wanda's project and I am pleased with the symbiosis, emotionally, philosophically and creatively - Wanda is simply a beautiful character"

This is the first UK showing of this work, the first was at the Basement Gallery in Vienna in 2010.
The private view of this second show, taking place at the Rhyl Library, Museum and Arts Centre, is Tuesday 10 January 6-8pm, all visitors are welcome.

The exhibition runs from 7th Jan - 4th Feb
Rhyl Library, Museum and Arts Centre
Stryd yr Eglwys / Church Street, Rhyl LL18 3AA
01745 882523

Boxing Day & Spiritual Refreshment

2011-12-27T18:14:00.000Z

A Boxing Day walk, alone, in the weather and the howling winds. Amazing, elemental, the antithesis to Christmas, natural, wild, empty, unpackaged. The car park was surprisingly busy but apart from a dog walking couple who rapidly disappeared into the rain drenched dunes, I saw no one. I almost gave up right there and then as it was so dismal and wet, but I so needed fresh air, on this second of two days off over Christmas. The gallery has seen me trapped six days a week for the last month or so, and I've been badly missing my outdoor escape, aka sanity.

Spindly, stunted silver Birches adorned the dune landscape, natural Christmas trees sparkling in the half light. I planned on just studying these beauties but the draw of the sea was strong, and I soon found myself in the middle of a semi-drowned estuary, acres of 4" deep water all about me, and hard to tell where the deeper channels lay as the howling winds roughened the water's surface. Three times I stood huddling behind my huge (braced) umbrella for shelter, whilst squalls lashed the black dome of nylon and winds flapped the edges like the sound of a machine gun. So noisy was the wind that it was hard to tell when the rain had stopped!

I headed for the dunes, crossing a wide band of deep sticky and slippery black mud, skinned with a sinewy green layer of weed, and then the sand blasting started! Plumes of swirling sand were being blown back inland from the highest dunes and it was in my eyes and all over my camera. Thank God it's a hermetically sealed 1DS system and not one of these new lightweight non sealed units. As I crested the dunes my view was of a choppy wind-churned sea, curtains of rain sweeping across the Llyn Peninsula and a stormy looking horizon, but punching through the darkness were large holes of what could 'almost' be described as sunshine, just enough to lighten the foreground for a few brief moments. The estuary behind me seemed to be fading to darkness very quickly, and I knew that once the beams of sunlight were clouded by the advancing rain, that I would lost all light for my return journey.

It was strange walking back across the estuary, which was now just a shimmer of water all about me in the early night. I felt the landscape was ready to absorb me, to suck me literally into it's depths. I felt slightly disorientated even though I knew the general direction, and I felt very alone and insignificant in the universe, but it was all rather beautiful and humbling. I could hardly discern the start of the footpath back across the next dune-scape and impossibly quickly it was dark. My night vision was the only think guiding me back and I found myself frequently tripping over rabbit holes and clumps of grass. I know some people get a bit freaked by woodlands at night but I felt very at one with this vegetated, copse covered landscape, even in the darkness. I loved the fact that no one else was there, it was my landscape once again, precious ! :-) I did enjoy a thirst quenching couple of cold beers back in the warmth of the house that evening though :-)

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-27T16:41:00.000Z

This was one of those unusual Christmas days, when Carol and I have the day to ourselves, so instead of pigging out on Christmas dinners and excesses of booze, we did a two hour cliff-walk on North Anglesey, in gale force winds blowing straight off the Irish Sea, and doused in sea spray sweeping over the headlands. Such a change from last Christmas, with it's freezing temperatures and thick white snow. I should have known the moment I bought my snow chains for the new van, that we would consequently see no snow at all!

The day was so dark and dreary, and the skies looked unforgiving, but there was a air of melancholy in the house that morning, and we both needed air. It never ceases to amaze me how simply getting one's boots and kit ready nurtures positive energy from the two of us, and as made sandwiches and Carol made flasks the feeling was like a Christmas present itself. The wind buffeted the van hard as we reached the Four Crosses road and I took the decision to head for the West Coast where I thought the seas would be most impressive. As we cut through the wind along the A55 all about us was darkness and occasional drizzle but in the distance, there was just a 'hint' of something brighter. We SO made the right decision as by the time we reached Trearddur Bay swathes of blue and rays of sunshine were breaking through the thick blanket of cloud.

The sea was not quite as rough as I'd imagined for the strength of the wind, which seemed to have been blowing for days, but was nevertheless sending waves and spray flying up the cliff faces. Against the wind the progress was tough, especially as Carol hadn't been well all week and I haven't been walking in the hills for many weeks now, feeling particularly unfit, but the fresh air, the spectacular seas and the brilliant sunshine were incentive enough. We found a partly sheltered cove amongst the rocky headlands, and descended steeply to a tiny pebbly beach, on which to eat our cheese sarnies and mince pies, washed down with hot coffee. Energy came flooding back to me, and we sat and watched the large swell of waves attempt to break through the narrow entrance to the beach. I wanted to run into the sea in my birthday suit but the ominous looking squall moving closer, along with my Mrs, persuaded me not to !

We decided against the hour or so trek back along the windblown cliffs and instead used some tiny country lanes to make the route a circuit, marvelling at things which even in the once-again-dull light we'd never notice when driving. Amazingly the rain held off for the whole walk which was fortunate but at least we'd seen some brilliance, whilst others stuffed turkey and it felt so good to have simply be alone and different, well relatively ! On Boxing Day whilst others were out walking, we were of course at home stuffing Turkey for our Christmas Day :-))

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com