Harringworth Viaduct: First stop.
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| Under the Viaduct arch |
Unfortunately the road through Seaton was closed so couldn't get to the side of it which would have produced the best images. Tight timescale to do all the things we wanted so no time to find another way around the village - but I think I will be back for a re shoot. Think it has been well photographed over the years and with trains in full steam, but I think a golden hour shot might be lovely or even in the frost or snow.
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| Harringworth Viaduct |
Decided not to go Tixover where you have to get the key to open the church from the last house along the track where you find it in a Tupperware box. Instead headed off to Fotheringhay listening to the Fairport Convention track. Travelling along the A47 passing turn offs to places like Collyweston where they used to produce slate.
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| Tried to photograph this windmill - but a tree got in to way |
St Mary's, Fotheringhay: Delightful church that is half its original size. Which explains why the bell tower appears so huge and out of proportion with the rest of the building. This village is famous for being the place where Mary Queen of Scots was executed. The Castle was the site of the deed the Castle is long gone but wasn't far from the Church.
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| St Mary's, Fotheringhay |
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| St Mary's, Fotheringhay |
The Ship Inn, Oundle: Was our lunch stop. What a treat. Had lamb hotpot surrounded by locals, open fire and drinking a pint of HopHead. Lovely. And no piped music spoiling it. It is lovely to sit in a pub and hear people talking without having to compete with music or TV noise. Managed the Guardian quiz and got the best score yet - 12.5 out of 15.
St Peter's, Oundle: This was the warmest church I've ever been in and it had nothing to do with the beer. I think they had just finished a carol service and it had been full of warm bodies singing.
The temptation to stay in the pub and have another pint was outweighed by the failing daylight and our desire to go to Rockingham and see it before it got dark.
Things we found out on the way... Livedon New Build a house never completed never had a roof because the owner was beheaded before it was completed.
Being a passenger in a car is always a treat and the winter opens up views you don't usually see because you can see through the hedges.
Rockingham: It was just waste land until William the Conqueror ordered that the castle be built. But the owners say that it be closed from October to May! Oh well Rockingham is very pretty and I think some of my family were born/lived here. We didn't get out the car but chose instead to head towards Rothwell.
Holy Trinity, Rothwell: Well that was a surprise. The church was having a Christmas tree festival and we had to vote on our favourite tree. My favourite was the liquorish all sorts tree because of the hard work taken creating all the ornaments.
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| I voted for this tree |
As the trees had lights on them I decided to try a bit of crash zooming. I set the camera on 5th second and zoomed out as I pressed the shutter. Some interesting results.
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| Crash Zoom |
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| Crash Zoom |
Also put camera onto bulb setting and closed the aperture right up and panned across the Christmas trees. I tried horizontal and vertical.
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| Bulb Horizontal |
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| Bulb Vertical |
And finally tried very shallow depth of field to develop some bokeh.
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| Nice Bokeh |
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| Baaaaaah...eautiful Christmas Tree Decorations |
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| Colin through a Christmas tree |
By the time we came out of the church it was dark and raining. I tried a few shots of the Christmas lights of Rothwell through the rain splattered car window. And set off home for cups of earl grey and to look at our images.
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| Rainy journey home |
I love days like this and also the company I keep.
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