The drowned woodland

 My work with reflections led me this week to explore the idea of nature and woodland being merged with water and rivers. I've always loved places where two things meet, whether its where the sea meets the land, urban street clashes with plants and trees or in this case the place where wood meets water.

Reflections contain that possibility, to merge and project, to create surreal images that twist and distort. To marry these desperate elements. In this case it involved finding a patch of land that met an body of water still and shallow enough to blend these disparate elements.

By following the streams and rivers near my local parks I was able to find such places. To create images where these two worlds met, clashed and finally merged into each other. In these places I was able to create the illusion of the drowned woodland.

Devon: The wild and beautiful

 I had an invite from a friend to visit her over the Christmas holidays and so I decided to take her up on it and headed out to sunny old Devon.

The south of England is a beautiful place to visit, full as it is of sweeping coastline, desolate moors, pristine woodland and quaint pubs to relax in with drink in hand.

After a long and slightly delayed journey I arrived in Totnes and spent the night relaxing, listening to music, catching up and having drinks with my friend and her partner before heading to bed.

In the morning she took me down to a paddy where she kept her horses and together we went for a ride. It was my first horse riding and I have to say after I got over my initial nerves from getting on a horse for the first time I began to really enjoy myself. In between ducking and dodging past holly and persuading/pleading with my horse to occasionally slow down we managed to complete the ride successfully.

Afterwards I took the chance to explore the local woods behind the stables and after scrabbling through the tree ended up getting some great shoots of the setting sun through the trees.

We got some food at a cozy local pub before heading over to a friends house to have a night of hilarity playing board games and drinking wine. I went to bed that night in high spirits with the promise of the Dartmoor moors on the horizon tomorrow.

Radyr and Castle Coch

Located on the outskirts of Cardiff, Radyr is a rather idyllic place to take a stroll, before taking in the beauty that is the fairy tale like Castle Coch.

Designed in the 19th century by William Burges as a gothic revival castle, its filled with the type of mythological detail and intricate design that it  makes you feel like you've fallen down in Alice's wonderland.

The beauty of the castle is only enhanced by the wonderful natural surroundings. Whether its a walk through the maze like woodlands of Tongwynlais, a bit of cycling or the peace that comes from a quiet stroll along the riverside it really is a lovely place to take the family for a day out.

After all this activity you can then take in a pint at the local town or enjoy some of the lovingly prepared food in the castle itself.