A lush time of year in the British countryside, although the weather can swing from one extreme to the other.
Spring
Images
Chirk
The small border town of Chirk lies in the Ceiriog Valley; the homeland for three of Wales most notable poets: Huw Morus (1662-1709), Robert Ellis (1812-1875) and John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-1887). Chirk Castle was one of several medieval Marcher fortresses sited on the Welsh-English border. Once the home of Sir Thomas Seymour, who married Catherine Parr (Henry VIII’s widow), it has been lived in almost continuously for 700 years. The magnificent 100 feet high stone railway viaduct was built in 1846 by Scottish engineer Henry Robertson, to facilitate the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. The adjoining aqueduct was built in 1796 by Thomas Telford and William Jessop to carry the Ellesmere Canal.
Dogs
I’m a dog lover, especially the gun-dog breeds. The shapes and sizes of dogs and their expressions are always individual, and endlessly photogenic.
Cats
I’ve never considered myself a cat-lover – I always gravitate more to horses and dogs, but I can’t resist a poser! The silver tabby was especially beautiful; discovered roaming the grounds of the historic house Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant. One of the hard-working cats at the stables has one blue eye and one green eye; a feline form of heterochromia, I learn. I imagine a more enviable job for a cat is that of the pub cat, always in a warm spot in the window. The black and white cat is a regular visitor to my garden and likes to stare me out.
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle is a fortification in Conwy, located in North Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy, the combined defences cost around £15,000, a huge sum for the period. The 2017 Medieval Festival included jousting and battle re-enactments.
Conwy Medieval Fair
Carneddau Ponies
The Carneddau Mountain range in the Snowdonia National Park is home to around 300 Carneddau ponies whose history is thought to date back to the Bronze Age. Although they are not a rare breed as such, they are genetically distinct from the more well known Welsh Mountain pony. These ponies roam over some 20 square miles of mostly inhospitable terrain above Bethesda, Llanfairfechan, Capel Curig and Conwy.
Carneddau Foal
The annual gathering of the Carneddau ponies: https://janruth.com/2018/11/05/the-big-picture/
Carneddau ponies as therapy ponies: https://janruth.com/2017/11/18/with-or-without-you/
A Stream for all Seasons
Snow
Snow is really difficult to photograph as the light is so harsh. I tend to prefer scenes with lots of contrasts, so these are my favourites.
Upper & Lower Slaughter
Lower Slaughter is a village in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, 4 miles south west of Stow-on-the-Wold. The village is built on both banks of the River Eye, a slow-moving stream crossed by two footbridges, which also flows through Upper Slaughter. The name Slaughter stems from the old English name for wet land, which means muddy place. Both villages sits by the Eye stream and are known for their unspoilt limestone cottages in the traditional Cotswold style.
Portmeirion
Portmeirion is a tourist village in Gwynedd, North Wales. It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 in the style of an Italian village. I don’t usually like photography in bright sun but a bright blue, continental sky made the perfect backdrop for Portmeirion.
London
Although I’m a country girl at heart I do love to visit London for a number of reasons. From a photography point of view, I enjoy the complete contrast to the Welsh hills.
Jan Ruth 