Three days in Snowdonia.

Anglesey Barracks

After being away from photography for around six years this was going to be my first outing in trying to re kindle my passion for photography. If there was one place that was going to do this, it would be Snowdonia in North Wales. We are very lucky in the UK to have such a beautiful country but the compactness of North Wales is what makes it so special to me.

The start of the trip was going to be Llanberis with a trip to Llyn Padarn for an early morning photograph of the lonley tree. On arriving it was clear the conditions were not going to be favorable so I decided to move on to the next location. This was going to be the Anglesey barracks in the Dinorwig slate quarry, a place I have visited once before when I first started landscape photography. On my first visit it was just a general walk around and I didn't really know the area so didn't really explore to much, but over the years and thanks to the internet and google maps I have got a good understanding of the area and where the locations are that I wanted to photograph. I had parked the car on the car park by the lonely tree on the side of Llyn Padarn and had made the decision to walk to Dinorwig slate quarry as I had always wanted to walk up the zig zag path into the quarry, and just happens to lead you straight to the Anglesey Barracks.

Street view of the Anglesey Barracks

I enjoyed going up the zig zag track and the first half is quite uneven and rocky, but after that the track becomes good. I was also hoping to find the Goats while visiting Dinorwig slate quarry. I have a soft spot for these feral goats and have photographed them before when walking around Llyn Idwal, and would love to get some in a differnt setting. Although I didn't get the photographs of the goats I had in mind I was more than pleased to come across them on the path up to the barracks through the woods. I have to say I was quite taken back by the amount of goats I came across along the path. I have never been this close to the goats before and at first it felt a little intimidating with the goats complely blocking the path. The larger billy goats were challenging each other with some good head butting going on. I had visions of me being on the receiving end of one of these blows while I made my way through them. I took my time and thankfully they just moved out of the way.

Billy Goat.

After photographing the barracks the sun was starting to make an appearance so I had a choice to make. Spend the day in the quarry or move on, I decided to move on and would go back the way I had came. I hadn't really thought about getting any more photographs on the way down, but then this tree caught my eye and I though another lonely tree shot. It was the tree against the stone wall that first made me feel there was an image to be had. The closer I got to the tree I started to notice the golden grasses with the dark mountains in the background and thought I have to make this work. The sun was proving a problem so I chose to use the trees foliage to defuse it.

Lonely tree.

Once finished I returned to the path back down to Llannberis, but I didn't get to far before finding another image to be taken. The wall along this part of the track is low and allows for some nice views across Llyn Peris with the Llechog mountain range behind.

View across Llyn Peris.

I had now worked my way back down to the road and was making my way to Ceunant Maur which is a waterfall in Llanberis. I had not been to this waterfall before but I have seen photographs of it and thought how nice it looked. On arriving at the location it was clear it was going to be one of those images were timing is everything. There was plenty of water in the river but it was going to take a lot more rain to get the kind of image I was hoping for. I've never been one for taking photographs if they don't work for me, but I can see that this is worth a return trip when the conditions are right. On the way back I could see the clouds were now moving in and though I would just take a walk up to Dolbadarn Castle. By the time I had got there the clouds had now covered the sky. I found a composition I quite liked and set the camera up. Sadly the light never broke through but I did get some nice cloud detail behind the castle. The colour image was never going to be anything more than a record shot. But the sky behind the castle had possibilities and I though I wouid give this a try in mono.

Moody Dolbadarn Caslte.

The cloud had now well and truley moved in and the drizzle had started. So it was time to make my to Porthmadog where I would be staying. Once settled in it was time to make a plan for day two, but the weather forcast was not good. Well sadly the forcast was right with rain and quite a brisk wind, and looking across to the mountains which could not be seen due to the low cloud. This was always going to be a trip of play it by ear so the decision was made. Full english breakfast and then I would go for a walk along the coast path and just enjoy the scenery and hope to find some pictures along the way. A small walk from Portmadog to Borth-y-Gest to start my walk along the coast path to wards Criccieth. This really is a beautiful walk with its many coves and the views are just a pleasure to take in. The coast path itself is quite good but getting down to the coves can be abit of a challange if your not in the best of health so please take care. It was when I reached the Ynys Cyngor area that I came across first photograph of the day.

Ynys Cyngant Powder House.,

I had a little bit of look with this shot with the tied was just going out and the sand was in perfect condion. After walking around I settled on this compostion using the rocks as a frame looking through to the Powder House. I had this to my self for around fifteen minutes, before the tied went out far enough to allow people to approach from Black Rock sands. Sadly for me this meant the sand infront of the Powder House would soon be covered in foot prints. Its was now time to carry on with my walk but when putting the cameras away I just happened to notice a few Turnsones on the rocks just to the left of me. I spent the next three hours trying to photograph these beautiful birds, and would be the end of the planned walk.

Turnstone having a good stretch.

The rain had now returned and being lets say quite damp from lying on the sand to get a low angle of the Turnstones. With the rain also came a much stronger wind making the walk back not so pleasent and I was quite pleased when I had returned. The rest of the day stayed the same so I just settled down and when through the pictures of the Turnstones. Out of the hundreds of photographs I had taken I kept five, with the one posted being my favourite.

The forcast for the next day didn't seem to be much better than the day before, but boy did they get it wrong. I had packed up the night before ready for an early start and when looking out of the window I could see good breaks in the cloud and the wind was very calm.

New plan back to Lllanberis for another go at the lonley tree on Llyn Padarn. On arrival it was looking really good but some cloud moved in just before sunrise robbing me of the picture I would have liked. I never got the sunrise shot but I waited to see how things would unfold, and was rewarded with quite a nice image with some nice sutle colours.

Lonley Tree Llyn Padarn.

Once I had finished I though to myself I wondered how the Ceunant Maur waterfall would look like after all the rain we had the day before. Again the rain had helped but still not the picture I was looking for. My time in Llanberis was now done and I had made the decision to make my way to the Ogwen valley. I didn't think I would be stopping again before reaching the Ogwen valley, but along the A4086 you have one of the most icon shots in Snowdonia.

Llyn Mymbyr was calm and the moody skys over Snowdon were just to good.

Llyn Mymbyr with moody skys over Snowdon.

In the picture above on the Left you will notice the conifer woodland, and it was while waiting for the sun to light up the golden colours on the left, that I noticed a another possible picture. The angle of the sun was giving some nice contrast in the woodland. I think has photographers we are lucky to see things most people will just never see untill its captured.

Backlit woodland along Llyn Mymbyr.

It was now time to get to the Ogewn valley and I had decided on my location. I have photographed this scene many times before and will most likely photograph it many more times in the future. After heavy rain the steams coming down Pen yr Ole Wen produce some nice small waterfalls, but be warmed it also gets very boggy so make sure you have some good boots. The composition are endless and each time you come you never know what will work and what want. The amount of rain decides what will work one day and what want. The classic shot is looking down the stream with Tryfan on the left and Llyn Ogwen to the right.

Waterfall in Ogwen valley looking towards Tryfan.

The sun was now going down and I had another picture in mind so quickly packed up and moved on. While working my way up I could see a brown animal what I thought at the time was a Highland cow. Bonus shot time and thought how good this would look agaist the backdrop of Tyrfan. It turned out to be a couple of horses and what beautiful colours they were. I worked my around them slowly not sure how they would be around me. Thankfully they were not too bothered by my presence and I quickly go a few shots in before they move on.

Horses of the Ogwen valley.

I finally arrived at my next location and is a photograph I have seen many times before by other photographers and one I thought I would like to add to my own portfolio. The sun had now almost gone and the cloud cover was coming in fast, so I quickly setup and waited to see what light I might get, and was rewarded with a break in the clouds putting a small amount of light in the valley.

Moody light in the Ogwen valley.

It had been a long day and it was now time to go home or so I thought. While driving back to Capel Curig I could see that although the sun had now gone down behind the mountains in Ogwen valley, it was still high enough to be above Snowdon. I turned back on to the A4086 and went back to Llyn Mymbyr to the classic shot of Snowdon. I just about made it with the sun just going behind the Snowdon mountain range.

Sunset reflections of Snowdon in Llyn Mymbyr.

One thing you learn over the years is after a nice sunset the best is sometimes yet to come.

The after glow when the setting sun lights up the clouds from underneath and give us those beautiful colours in the sky.

Llyn Mymbyr Snowdon reflections.

Well I didn't know what to expect on this trip and I dont think I have worked this hard over three days before to find photographs. Looking at the pictures I think I can say I am more than pleased with the results.