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First adventure of 2017, an early morning Drive to Cwm Idwal in search of a bit of snow. No sunrise or sunshine to speak of but some quite dramatic cloud cover
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Climbing up from Aberglaslyn on an old miner's track through beautiful yellow and orange coloured autumn trees you eventually break out into the open of Cwm Bychan. And it is further up here that you are first met by the strange sight of "Transformer" style pylons leading up into the mountain. Apparently they date back to the start of the twentieth century and were built to exploit the workings of the old copper mine that was started in the early 18th century.
This shot shows the remains of the top station, the whole thing being very similar to a modern ski lift, but this one for carrying heavy copper ore and rock.
It's amazing what you discover in them thar hills of Snowdonia. In fact, it amazes me at the endeavour of mankind that they could find something like copper in such a remote and high place and then spend all that human effort carrying thousands of tons of raw rock down by hand for processing a couple of hundred years before they even built this ropeway. I just don't know what today's youth would even make of it. Far too much trouble. Far too much trouble to even learn about it!
Cwm Idwal magic.
Long exposure image taken in the twilight last night, made more dramatic by the backdrop of Devil's Kitchen and snow capped Glyder Fawr shrouded in cloud.
More snow please.......
I really enjoy walking around in a new location and finding compositions which I've never seen before. There are of course a plethora of well known "honeypot" locations throughout the UK, and they're aptly named for good reason, you just can't help but admire the view...
That said, there's a real thrill in finding a composition which you've never seen before and one which instantly clicks with you.
Take this picture for example, a beautiful January walk around a well trodden location, yet whilst I've seen photos of Llyn Idwal, I had never seen this particular one before and it instantly hit all the right notes.
In the backdrop are the mountains Foel Goch and Y Garn, towering over the lake below that is Llyn Idwal.
I can't always instantly understand what it is about a particular scene insofar as I'm able to instantly place my tripod as soon as I lay my eyes on it, knowing that it'll work. I'm not even sure if it's something I've learnt over the years through practicing the art of Landscape Photography or if it just comes naturally, but there are often times where in my mind's eye everything balances and then when processing the image on my computer I realise why the composition works.
In this particular scene there's a symmetry between the fore and background elements, the rock on the left hand side is pivotal in this image and without it, the balance is out of kilter.
On the right hand side the gentle and gradual slope of Y Garn is mirrored by the sloping cascade of Llyn Idwal's downstream outflow.
The mid layer of rocks frame this flow of water with a gentle passage from the upper mid left and eventually creates a rhythmic flow out of the picture, from left to right (that's helpful then, as in Western Culture, we read from left to right and read images from left to right too, which further adds to the balance).
Finally, the very background of the picture is balanced on either side as Foel Goch and Y Garn are flanked on their opposing sides by undulating terrain.
All of these elements create balance, and balance, in my opinion, is the most important aspect of composition.
Thanks to some youtube tutorials and some inspiration from Thomas Heaton I have had another look at some images which I originally thought would not see the light of day.
Cwm Idwal is a small secluded area in the mountains of Snowdonia. It forms part of the Glyderau mauntain range. Very popular with walkers as there is a path which goes right around the lake.
37263 returns from Ebbw Vale after bringing a train of steel coils up from Port Talbot.
Marine Colliery had closed in March 1989.
i said in an earlier photo in my stream of this waterfall when the water was low enough i would try to get in front of it - Today was that day not an easy climb down and someone kindly left a rope there to help me .Autum was my time !!
Worked 3 hours 5.00am to 8.00am took Molly for a trek here now im off to.........................
Cwm Idwal is a cirque (or corrie) in the Glyderau range of mountains in northern Snowdonia, the national park in the mountainous region of North Wales. Its main interest is to hill walkers and rock climbers, but it is also of interest to geologists and naturalists, given its combination of altitude (relatively high in UK terms), aspect (north-facing) and terrain (mountainous and rocky). In a 2005 poll conducted by Radio Times, Cwm Idwal was ranked the 7th greatest natural wonder in Britain.
Cwm Idwal is a spectacular product of glaciation, surrounded by high crags, screes, moraines and rounded rocks, with a lake on its floor (Llyn Idwal). Cwm Idwal comprises volcanic and sedimentary rock which was laid down in a shallow Ordovician sea, and later folded to give rise to the distinctive trough-shaped arrangement of strata known today as the Idwal Syncline. This fold in the rock is visible today, thanks to the layering of the sedimentary rocks. The area was then eroded by glacial action to form the classic semicircular valley.
Given its elevation and north-facing aspect, Cwm Idwal is the most southerly place in Britain where Arctic plants such as moss campion and some alpine saxifrages, such as tufted saxifrage (Saxifraga cespitosa) and Micranthes nivalis, can be found. It is also a home of the Snowdon lily, a plant which can only be found in the UK on Snowdon and its surroundings. Evan Roberts, the renowned botanist and explorer from Capel Curig, did probably as much as any other (self taught) botanist to document the area. The Snowdonia hawkweed, Hieracium snowdoniense is only known to occur in Cwm Idwal.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Water cascades from Llyn Idwal as brooding storm clouds mass over Y Garn and Devil's Kitchen.
This image was a taken on a short stop during my last workshop of 2016. We stopped here whilst we waited for the weather to clear enough for a more spectacular shoot in the next valley.
If you would like to join me for a workshop in Snowdonia in 2017 there are several options, however, I only have one standard workshop planned with spaces still available, on the 25th and 26th March 2017. If interested then take a look at what you can expect on my website, then get in touch asap! www.gregwhitton.com/snowdonia-late-winter
Cwm Idwal is a cirque (or corrie) in the Glyderau range of mountains in northern Snowdonia, the national park in the mountainous region of North Wales. Its main interest is to hill walkers and rock climbers, but it is also of interest to geologists and naturalists, given its combination of altitude (relatively high in UK terms), aspect (north-facing) and terrain (mountainous and rocky). In a 2005 poll conducted by Radio Times, Cwm Idwal was ranked the 7th greatest natural wonder in Britain.
Rhiwiau Caws (Idwal Slabs) and the cliffs around the head of Cwm Idwal are a popular area for rock climbing; Rhiwiau Caws (on the eastern side of the Cwm) in particular are popular with inexperienced climbers learning their skills. Twll Du has some excellent ice climbing during the winter. The Cwm is also popular for hill walking and scrambling, given its proximity to Tryfan and Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr and their profusion of rocky ridges.
In the mid-to-late 1950s and into the 1960s, this was the reunion excursion camp site of the first ascenders of Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga, held at Pen-y-Gwryd, many of whom were keen geologists and botanists.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cwm Idwal is one of the best examples of a glacial cirque in Wales. During the 12th century, Owain, prince of Gwynedd, decided to entrust the care of his son Idwal to Nefydd Hardd. Nefydd was envious of clever Idwal because his own son Dunawd was untalented. Dunawd decided to push Idwal into the lake so that he would drown. Owain banished Nefydd from the kingdom of Gwynedd and named the lake Idwal in memory of his son. It is said that no bird flies over the lake’s surface and that a wailing voice can be heard when there is a storm in the Cwm.
Pen yr Ole Wen on the left, Tryfan on the right.
Amazingly managed to not drop my camera in the water while clambering across the Icy rocks to get further into the lake