Why Go?

If you want an opportunity to have endless chances to brush up on all genres of photography, both night and day, then this is for you. Hong Kong Island isn’t just skyscrapers, it is about a mass of humanity. Escaping modernity is easy; it is a place of contrasts where poverty rubs shoulders with vast wealth, where the old ways of life are still visible and remote but accessible trails within the New Territories take you far from the crowds.

Since the handover in 1997 Hong Kong has become a ‘Special Administrative Region of China’ that is embedded within the world’s largest Communist country. It is also one of the cleanest and friendliest places I’ve visited. Open a map when you are lost and within moments someone will stop and ask if they can help.

Travel is easy. The public transport system a revelation. Prices from accommodation to food and photographic equipment leave you almost offering to pay more.

The itinerary:

View Google MAP

Day 1 Transfer to hotel via taxi on Silvermine Bay, Lantau island. Catch the ferry to Hong Kong harbour to experience the skyline and get a feel for the city. Travel back on the ferry in the dark to witness the city at night.

Day 2 Visit the Giant Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery by bus as early as possible to avoid the crowds, the bus takes you through Lantau’s mountain scenary.

Move on to the Tao O Fishing Village.

Day 3 Transfer to hotel in Mong Kok (Kowloon) which has the highest population density in the world. Investigate the camera shops. Relax in the park and in the evening  take your tripod and gets those shots of the light and laser show from Kowloon then walk the night markets.

Day 4 Up early to get to the Ng Tung Chai trail by train and bus. Walk the mountain track past stunning waterfalls.

Day 5 Explore Hong Kong Island by day and night. Be at the top of Victoria Peak at dusk. Take a boat  trip to Aberdeen harbour.

Day 6 Travel to Sai Kung and  Tai Long Wan in the New Territories. Walk the trail to Big Wave Bay.

Spend an evening at the Sai Kung fishing harbour photographing the catch coming in on the fishing junks, transferred to tanks in restaurants and then take your pick for your supper.

Day 7 Explore the gardens below Victoria Peak before catching the Airport Express to Hong Kong Airport.
Sleep.

Highlights of my trip:

The Sai Kung fishing village in the evening, seeing the weird and wonderful sea life caught in the South China Sea and then eating some!

The laser show from Kowloon and the amazing deals on photography equipment on Nathan Road with shops full of all the latest equipment with sales staff who really know their stuff. One young lady with an encyclopaedic knowledge of tripods spent an hour with us. Stick with the bigger stores and don’t be tempted by impossibly cheap prices. Tin Cheung Camera Co is recommended

Lowlights:

The smog and heat.
We did too much in a week to get good quality photographs, one has to stop and look and wait to really get “that” shot but I feel I actually know this area, know the places to go back to and how to get there. Quite as achievement in a week for such a huge area covered.

When to Go:

Avoid summer. The heat and humidity even in October was a challenge when hiking. The hotter it gets the more the pollution gets trapped. In October the skies can clear but days with blue skies are rare. The coast in the new territories feels fresher but that haze is there until the light drops and then the colour show starts but even a promising sunset can fizzle out if the ground level pollution is dense. I’m told the best time to visit is November to December, temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius; there is not much rain, the sun shines most of the time, and it’s not as humid.

Access:

Fly into Hong Kong Airport and from here catch a cab, wherever you are staying it will be cheap enough. The taxis are controlled and there was no worry about being ripped off. Just be aware that only some cabs are licensed to go onto Lantau but if in doubt ask. Everyone is helpful. While at the airport buy your Octopus swipe card that can be used on all major public transport systems (buses, MTR and ferry). I suggest HK$200 (about £12) to start with is plenty and can be topped up all over the city. Ferry crossings cost around 30p.

How to Get There:

From UK the airline prices have been dropping but as from 9th April Oasis Hong Kong Airlines is in liquidation. Some deals were too good to be true.

Where to Stay:

I can only say that the two hotels we used were clean, efficient and great value. The food we ate for breakfast stunning. The reception excellent. The choice you have is over whelming. If I went again I’d just book a night online in Mong Kok, Kowloon using all the reviews online to locate a deal. If I hated it I’d pack up and walk to the next one (probably next door). Hotels for me are places to sleep, location is more important than facilities as I’m out from dawn to late and never get to use the pool.

Advice for travellers:

Buy that Octopus card.

Use public transport and taxis to get to more remote locations – ask at hotel reception for help when you first get there. It really is easy. Everything arrives on time – to the minute. Either do what we did and visit everything or be more selective and have a shot in mind you want and really “work it.”
Don’t be afraid to head out of town and to the coast. The trails are well signposted and there is lots of online literature that will help you plan a good day out. Long views over Hong Kong can only really be realised at dusk and night due to the haze. Night views are stunning from Victoria Peak. Arrive early, walk a bit and watch the city slowly light up.

Look for details and reflections in buildings during the day.

Look for people shots. Spend more time than I did just standing and people watching.

You HAVE to watch the laser show from Kowloon. Go early and plan your spot. Try long and fast shutter speeds. Long, slow ones will, like fireworks, capture more of the action. TRIPOD ESSENTIAL. The Chinese celebrate Halloween big time and the evening parade is worth a look.

Equipment for this trip:

What you don’t have but feel you need; you can buy.
Every piece of equipment you own could be useful. It depends on what you want to do. I’d certainly take a fast mid length zoom to just hang around your neck, as your camera will never be in its bag for long.
A way of downloading and viewing images will be useful especially if you are venturing into new photographic territory. You can go back to hotel, review, learn and return.

When The Light is good:

If you find light with colour use it wherever you are as it is rare. However, bright, diffused light has advantages in some situations, just avoid the sky and wide angles.

When the Light is Bad:

This means monsoon rain. Find a restaurant, eat great food and wait for the rain to stop. The light afterwards just might be the best you see and it will be cooler.

Will I Go Again?

This is on my “hit list” of places I’ve been but will go again as I feel I now know where to linger and could make more of the location photographically. From the UK it is a bit of a long haul but you are guaranteed an interesting experience and photo opportunities. It is now cheaper than ever before to get here. On my next trip I’d head out to more remote locations and would probably stay at the fishing village for at least two nights and spend more time just watching rather than moving to the next destination. I found it incredibly friendly, a place I’d travel on my own and have fun.

Given a chance and the money I’d head to the real China but as an introduction this is to be recommended.

Recommended links Trip Advisor Hong Kong Outdoors

UK Insurance for your trip recommended by PTR:

Travel insurance and camera insurance.

By Claire

View map here.

Why Go?

Whilst the whole of the Antrim coast has huge photographic potential with its rugged coastline and beaches with interesting stacks and arches, the lure for me was The Giant’s Causeway. It is an area full of myths and legends and awe-inspiring geology.

About this Location:

The Giant’s Causeway is an area of  basalt columns, formed following volcanic activity. It is located on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about two miles north of the town of Bushmills.  It is truly a natural wonder.

Highlights of my trip:

A magnificent sunset over the Giant’s Causeway one evening coupled with treacherous seas gave me my most memorable evening of photography ever. It was challenging and totally absorbing. The crowds had gone and just my brother and myself remained to battle with the spray and dodge the waves.

Lowlights:

Wild winds are great – the weather keeps flowing past with new vistas every few minutes. The down side to this is a rocky crossing on the ferry; the family sat near us ran out of sick bags. Sea spray was also infuriating at times. Filters were cleaned after every shot. A tip I’ve since learnt from Mel – use kitchen towel to clean them. It works.

When to Go:

The Giant’s Causeway is a major tourist attraction and Northern Ireland’s only World Heritage Site. As such it can get crowded. I was there during Easter when one would expect visitors but the weather seemed to drive them home early. In the mornings we had the place to ourselves until well past 9am (which is time to head back for breakfast anyway). I’d prefer to go anytime from October to April when the sunsets and rises are at (almost) sensible times.

Access:

Turning up in the dark on my first morning (car park by the visitors centre is pay and display) I was a little alarmed, as I couldn’t see how I gained entry to the track down to the shore. You actually have to walk through the visitors centre but there is open access at all times. During the day there is a bus that takes the tourists down to the causeway but the walk is easy and there are points of interest on the way down.
For facilities visit The National Trust site.

How to Get There:

Travel to and within The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is easy with many regional airports and ferry crossings from England, Wales and Scotland. We chose to sail from Holyhead (Wales) to Dun Laoghaire Port (6 miles south of Dublin in the Republic of Ireland) as this is a short and fast crossing and good value with sensible sailing times. A leisurely 3-hour drive got us to our destination. The roads were a joy; whenever I’ve driven in Ireland it has been stress free.

I’ve flown from Coventry and Bristol to Shannon before on budget flights and this is certainly viable for a fly-drive holiday from the UK but Londonderry and Belfast International are nearer.

If you use Londonderry  (City of Derry Airport) onward flight connections are available to many European and World destinations via the hub airports at London Stansted and Dublin. Connections may also be available via Glasgow International, Liverpool, Glasgow Prestwick and Nottingham East Midlands.

In my experience car hire is cheaper than I’m used to paying in many parts of Europe. Petrol prices (as in all of UK) can come as a shock to US travellers.

Where to Stay:

By choice I stay in self-catering accommodation. This gives flexibility as an early start is essential and I’m usually back home after the sun has set. On wet days one can pour over a laptop, catch up on sleep and wash the thermals. Some B&Bs will cater for early starts by offering a packed lunch instead of breakfast but I’m always aware my pre-dawn preparations may disturb other guests. Early booking to get the best cottages in prime locations is essential as many are booked years in advance, especially during school holidays. I try and find somewhere with a good view so I can watch the effect the changing weather has on the land around. I’ve always booked accommodation through the Internet. I have only once been disappointed, turning up in Barcelona to find the accommodation had been double booked.

A good place to start would be Irish Country Cottages great deals can be had off season.

I’ve never hired a touring van but plan to do so and suggest this is a great location for this.

Advice for travellers:

Do your research before you go. Get a good guide book and OS maps. Use a sunrise and sunset calculator with your maps to work out where the sun will be and with experience you can get a fair idea when / if the light will first hit your point of interest.

This site will help you work out times of sunsets and sunrises.

Research weather conditions and expect the worst. Northern Ireland, like all the UK has totally unpredictable weather. I’ve needed full winter gear in August and worn T-shirts in October and February. Waterproofs are always essential no matter how promising the day looks. Footwear has to be a priority on the causeway – you’ll be clambering over slippery rocks and dodging waves.

Equipment for this trip:

I use a Canon 5D. The full frame ability and good resolution make it the ideal landscape tool. My wide angle (17-35mm 2.8L) was rarely off the camera during this trip.

A tripod is an absolute MUST. Neutral Density filters another essential. I like experimenting with slow exposures and will often add a full grad. I use Lee filters and polarizer.  A backpack like the Lowepro mini trekker is another must. I’ve carried this on board planes with up to 10kg of kit.

You’ll need either plenty of memory cards or a way to download. On a good day I’ll use 4gb with a 12mp camera shooting in raw, so I always carry 8gb. I use an Epson downloader that I download onto each evening. I always carry 3 batteries – rarely use one but when it is cold they can drain quicker and you never know when one will fail.
The rain is never far off – my secret weapon is a shower cap that I pop over the camera when on the tripod!

Experimenting with Shutter Speeds

Fast

Slow

Research:

Sites like Irelandscape are invaluable. Some of my photos from this trip can be found here.  Look at what other photographers have achieved and aim not to replicate them but seek out new angles and better light.

When The Light is good:

Stay focused. Don’t waste a minute of early and late (golden hour) light. When tired it can be tempting to pack up and hope the weather will be the same the next day – it won’t. At this location the prime shots will be taken those few hours before sunset, you’ll be working like mad during a good sunset and still hanging on when the sun has set as there can be a startling after glow. Sunrise can be interesting but it takes a while for the sun to hit the land, at this time I look for pools to reflect any colour in the sky such as here:

Once the sun has risen move on.

When the Light is Bad:

Review your shots. Be critical and plan for good light. Take a walk in a potential location. Visit the Old Bushmills Whisky Distillery, Carrick-a-Rede or Dunluce Castle.

Will I Go Again?

To Northern Ireland certainly. I feel lucky to have got the shots I wanted of the causeway but also discovered many more places along this coast that hold potential.

White Rocks. Stretching from Curran Strand to Dunluce Castle are the limestone cliffs that have fabulous caves and arches.

White Park Bay, County Antrim Whitepark Bay. This is a beautiful sweeping bay. At one end lies Portbraddon and at the other end the basalt islands that surround Ballintoy harbour. I had a glorious morning here and would like to return.

Glenariff, the Queen of the Glens, is considered by many people to be the most beautiful of the nine Antrim Glens. On the day I visited it was grey but this area in itself would be worth at least a week’s visit.

UK insurance for trips recommended by PTR:

Travel insurance and camera insurance.

Recommended link: North Antrim.

Recommended reading:

UK buyers click here:  The giant’s causeway and the North Antrim coast (Paperback)

USA buyers click here:  The giant’s causeway and the North Antrim coast (Paperback)

Why Go?

If you love mountains, enjoy hiking and want to be able to stay in unforgettable mountain huts with scenes every landscape photographer dreams of just outside your door; this is for you.

About this Location:

The High Tatra are situated on the border between Slovakia and Poland. The majority of the peaks and valleys lie in Slovakia but out of the main ridge lead valleys and terraces where many mountain lakes (tarns) can be found. The three biggest are located within the Polish High Tatra and it is these lakes that make this a photographer’s wonderland.

The Tatra Mountains National Park is one of the largest parks in Poland and the most unique. Together with the Slovak Tatra Mountain National Park it forms a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. 11.5 thousand hectares of the park area is strictly protected. The rest of the park is accessible to tourists – walking, climbing, caving and winter sports are allowed. There are 250 km of mountain trails and routes varying in the level of difficulty but many are walking tracks.

The most characteristic plants of the Tatra Mountains are Swiss stone-pine and edelweiss. The animals most often associated with these mountains are: alpine marmot, bear and chamois (the only European species of antelope). I saw a chamois and bear spore and this in a restaurant ! (photo by Kaz).

Our Itinerary:

After a day in Krakow, worth a visit in itself, we headed for Zakopane and a beautiful wooden house that we used as a base. This popular skiing resort is just 2 hours drive from Krakow.

The second day took us along the Morskie Oko Valley and lake and its more elevated twin, the Czarny Staw Lake. Either walk or take a horse drawn carriage. The lake is the largest and fourth deepest in the Tatra Mountains. In the past, Morskie Oko was called “Rybie Jezioro” (“Fish Lake”) due to its natural stock of fish, which are uncommon in Tatra lakes and these were clearly visible in the clear, still water.

Czarny Staw pod Rysami is a mountain lake on the Polish side of Mount Rysy in the Tatra mountains. At 1,583 m above sea level, it overlooks the lake of Morskie Oko. A walking path circumnavigates the lake  and I’d certainly recommend taking this detour.

Two days and a night in the Gasienicowa Valley. An easy enough walk led us to the mountain hut. After a good meal we headed out to the lakes and valleys.  As the sun started to dip we got some good light, so much so we arrived back too late for supper!

Five Lakes Valley. Another two days and a night in the mountains with a walk that was a little more testing. It was worth it. The trail leads off from the track to Morskie Oko (use the horse and carriage and ask to be dropped off). We encountered a lot more snow and I’d recommend spending two nights here to really explore.

Highlights of my trip:

Waking at dawn, walking a few yards and being in the high alpine mountains and then watching the light arrive.

Lowlights:

The heatwave in Krakow in May on arrival – not really a lowlight but totally unexpected as I’d travelled expecting spring and got summer.

When to Go:

The lower level trails are open all year unless an avalanche alert is made.

In April thousands of tiny crocuses bloom on the Tatra clearings.

May is when spring arrives.

The high level trails had only just fully opened when we were there at the end of May, there was still quite a lot of snow in the high mountains and one trail demanded a bit of careful negotiation over snow and a head for heights (I just closed my eyes).

In June Zakopane gets quiet, the days are long and mostly sunny.

July and August can be very crowded as can weekend in the skiing season.

September is a very good month for hiking trips, the days are still long enough, the weather usually good, there are no more holiday crowds. October might both be very sunny and chilly and sees the first snowfalls in the mountains.

How to Get There:

Fly to Krakow – many budget flights from UK

Zakopane is easily accessible from Krakow. An easy 2 hour drive. Good bus and train services (the bus is more frequent and quicker). Taxis are relatively cheap.

Where we stayed:   (Note 10 Zloty = about £2.30.)

Zakopane: Book well in advance for major holidays and weekends. Our trip was in May half term and there was plenty of accommodation available. I’d happily turn up here without booking at this time of year if I just wanted a room.

There are 8 mountain hostels. We stayed in the two below and visited the one at the Morskie Oko Valley. They are delightful wooden buildings, warm and welcoming with food available and bedding to hire.

The Gasienicowa Valley Mountain Hostel You can book online. Prices about 35 Zloty. Food available.

Arrivals: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm.

The only way to reach the shelter is by foot. The route through Kasprowy requires the least effort, but the most popular trail is the one that leads through Bozcan. In winter, when there is not much snow, both trails are open for hikers. When avalanches threaten, hikers use the route from Brzeziny. Hania has used this route many times in winter.

Five Lakes Valley (Dolina Pieciu Stawow) mountain hostel.

Located at 1672 m on the edge of the Przedni Staw Lake, near Siklawa (the biggest waterfall in Poland).
30  Zloty in a room for 4. There are 68 beds. Food available. Only accessible by foot with a bit of a hard pull at the end.

This is like a British hostel so you may end up sharing with strangers but it was very quiet when we were there. Bedding is available to hire. Even if rooms are full you won’t be turned away but offered a space on the floor! Food is available.

Incredible value, a beautiful building and you can’t beat the location.

Advice for travelers:

Use the trails, visit the hostels.

Once in the mountains ensure you follow all sensible procedures and have the right gear for all conditions, the trails are very well marked but the weather unpredictable. If you hike in the Tatra Mountains, you may experience all four seasons in one day from Summer to Winter.  You need a reasonable level of fitness to get yourself, your kit for an overnight stay and your camera gear up to the huts. The Morskie Oko Valley hut however can be visted using the horse and carriages and the walk around the lake is easy. The down side is that it is a lot more crowded.

The whole of the Polish Tatras are a National Park and you have to keep to the trails.

This is a great trip if you are on a budget. Those used to hostelling will be very pleasantly surprised by the accommodation and knocked out by the locations.

No dogs allowed within the national park.

Equipment for this trip:

Tripod.

A good back pack that will take camera gear, water, rations and extra clothing for the nights in huts. I used my lowepro mini treker but only took my wide angle lens, Canon 5D, plenty of memory, 3 batteries and Lee ND grads on the overnight trips.

A microfibre towel was invaluable.

You can buy water bottle holders to loop onto your bag our belt and these save space in your backpack.

Research:

I was fortunate that my dear Polish friend Hania had organised this trip. One of the pleasures of photography is finding friends from all over the world and sharing your passions. I had met Hania and her cousin Kaz in Skye and they were kind enough to host this holiday. They have extensive knowledge of the Tatra Mountains so I had very little research to do, maybe I should have checked the temperature in Krakow before I’d left though!

When The Light is good:

Get up early enough to find yourself amongst the mountains and look for water for reflections. Predict where the early and late light will catch the peaks.

When the Light is Bad:

Walk the trails, shoot waterfalls and flowers.

Will I Go Again?

Yes. Without question.

UK insurance for your trip recommended by PTR:

Travel insurance and camera insurance.

Recommended links:

For guided tours. Bag Outdoor Agency.
Summit Post for information about huts, weather, guide books and maps.
Hiking – epswalks.
Mountain shelters

by Claire

Every trip, no matter how poor the weather, has its moments that will be recorded in the brain even if not caught on camera. Bringing home memories and stories to retell is a good second best to having a memory card full of images. This trip failed to produce the light that I had envisaged but there were two events that are etched on my mind and will cause me to smile for years to come.

The first involved a pine marten. If you were to ask me what my genre of photography is I would answer landscape but I get huge kicks from seeing wild animals. We watch the nature programmes on TV but if most people actually recount how many truly wild mammal encounters we have in the UK it would be small. I spend hours wandering around the countryside but rarely glimpse anything other than road kill. The prospect of seeing a pine marten was therefore exciting and Mel, Dougie and Bill had assured me I would as they had seen one on a previous trip in the garden where we were staying.

In preparation for this I had brought peanuts with me. The first evening (they tend to come out to feed close to houses at dusk) had not produced a result but I had remembered that they love peanut butter so I zipped up a concoction in the blender. Again no result. I therefore grabbed a few jars of peanut butter from a shop. The shops in this part of the world are almost as rare as the animals so this was a bonus. I decided that a large dollop was needed to waft in the wind so found a small glass dish and filled it. The following morning it had gone. I don’t mean just the peanuts, I mean the dish. Gone.

Undeterred I filled the lid from the jar and placed it close to the window on the picnic table. As I was cooking supper the beastie arrived. We had a fabulous view. The onions were burnt but it didn’t matter as I had seen something few people have – and they are BIG, the size of a cat. As it left it picked up the lid and carried it away. We had a laugh about what Mrs Pine Marten would make of the latest treasure brought home.

My final attempt to see and keep the animal in view involved the whole jar. Surely a whole bottle would be safe?  I was wrong. This too disappeared. It was probably a good thing I had to go home. Who knows where this experiment would have gone and I am sorry that I have inadvertently left the countryside littered with items from our kitchen. I just hope Mrs PM has uses for them….. What she doesn’t know is that I have a huge smile on my face recollecting this event. A precious memory.

The second encounter is one I have waited for years to see. The Scottish otter has proved so elusive to me. I’ve had glimpses but never been able to say I have really watched them. This time I was able to see three playing and diving for about 45 minutes, too far away for my camera to record them well but the event is imprinted on my brain. A real hallelujah moment.

So what about the photography?  I can only imagine what this area looks like in good light. We had a few hours with sun but most were when it was too high, we had some interesting skies but they were brief. Here below are the few shots that are worth showing. I wasn’t able to stay for the Mull part of the trip but I just ask you to imagine what Ardnamurchan has to offer with  frosts and mists – I will return and next time I will work out a way to photograph that beautiful peanut lover.

Melanie: A couple of months ago I suggested to Claire that we have a weekend away in December, she came up with what turned out to be a fantastic suggestion: Anglesey, and to be more specific with an objective Llanddwyn Island. Not long after we had a couple more interested parties to join us.

As always, the problem with anywhere in Britain there is no guarantee of the weather. My heart was sinking as I left a snow covered Cumbria in the early hours of Friday morning to reach a sunrise point on the way. I’d seen many pictures of the Point of Ayr Lighthouse at Talacre and thought it would make a good stop on the journey and encourage me to leave home early. After days of perfect calm and frost at home I was greeted on arrival by a howling wind and spitting rain. I got some light but not the kind of light I was expecting:

Claire : What a shot Mel! Rainbows are your signature and I’d love to read a PTR review from you on them so I can get a few tips.

We hadn’t planned it but this weekend turned out to be one almost entirely devoted to lighthouses.

Melanie: Thanks Claire I will try to remember that. The rain well and truly came down as the rainbow got brighter and soon saw me back on the road. After a detour in Bangor to stock up on groceries I met up with one of our party at the parking area for Llanddwyn Island. The light promised little, but spurred on by my companion we headed to the beach and the walk along it to the island. The island itself is only an island at the highest tides but the wind that day was fierce and it was not without some concern that we crossed the sandy causeway, with waves rushing towards us from the west. I had studied the tide times, and was reassured by a guy in a Land Rover doing maintenance work that at most we might get cut off for 30 mins or so. We struck up a march to the end of the island but my companion stopped at the sight of a small herd of ponies I was ready to walk by. Not to be left out, I duly got the camera out of my bag and approached the ponies slowly. Only then did I realise I had on my widest angle lens, so had to creep in even further.

The glow of light that had stopped us here was brief, so we soon headed to the tip of the island to its beaches, cliffs, buildings and relics that give the place so much character. There was a stormy mood to the sky that drew us initially to a high vantage point taking in  St Dwynwen’s Cross and the lighthouse of Twr Mawr. This required heavy use of grads and underexposure. It was a spot I went back to after the sun had gone down and took advantage of a different angle.

In between the two shots we were joined by our two other companions and Misty the dog who was having a fine time exploring the place. (Please be aware that we were there in December, between May 1st and September 30th dogs are not allowed on the island or the beach, there are clear signs indicating this.) The clouds remained dramatic and the mood dark we set off in different directions and got busy with our cameras. It must have been close to another two hours before we had some fun trying to find our way back to the car park in the dark.

Claire : On Saturday morning we arrived at Newborough Warren in the dark, with stars in the sky. I was very glad that the others in the party had checked this site out the day before as it was a long walk through  dark woods, to avoid a hard walk through soft sand, before we reached Llanddwyn Island. The sky began to glow but it was obvious a good sunrise would elude us as it was far too clear. After wandering around a bit I settled down to doing what I like best – playing with the surf.

One of the reasons I had been interested in this location was the view one gets across the straits to the  Snowdonia Mountains (as seen in Mel’s atmospheric shot above) but without a decent sky it was a bit disappointing and until dawn broke there were too many lights from the towns spoiling the view. This therefore was a compromise.

As the day progressed I continued to find ways to exclude that sky. We must have been the only people in the UK complaining about the sun!

As Mel has said the island has lots of relics and interesting structures – these are the Pilot’s Cottages, one of which is now a museum.

Mel: After our visit the evening before I found the cloudless skies of the next morning something of a challenge. I wandered around, not seeing stuff with my favourite from the morning being one taken early and even then perhaps a little late as the colours in the sky were on the wane.

Mel: Somehow  everyone managed to spend at least another 3 hours or so there such is the amount of interest around the place. As we made our way back to the car park we happened on a number of camera clutching individuals and were thankful for our early start as we had the best light of the morning to ourselves.

Claire: So it was back to base, and lunch sat outside in the garden (December, Wales and lunch outside are words rarely seen together!) while we recharged our batteries and decided on the evening shoot. It was decided to explore the western coastline and we headed towards South Stack Lighthouse.

This proved a difficult location as the gate to the actual island that the lighthouse is on was closed and there wasn’t a great angle to exclude the sky. We sat it out hoping for a sunset to add some drama but it wasn’t to be. This is the best I could achieve but gives an idea of the location.

Melanie: I failed to get anything I was pleased with from here. Again it was the absence of cloud in the sky and I was concentrating too much on the setting sun to think about going in closer and keeping out the sky. I like the way Claire found this ‘cruciform’ composition.If you look close you can just see another of our group blancing on a rock closer to the lighthouse!

Claire: The following morning we woke well before dawn, defrosted the cars and arrived at Penmon Point (Angelsey east coast) as the sky was beginning to lighten. We were greeted by the sound of a tolling bell that told us the direction to walk to find Penmon Lighthouse. A small concrete path led us safely down to the shore. The next few hours found us totally absorbed as the sun rose, the tide fell and clouds came and went.

Melanie: I’d forgotten about the bell. The frost of the night before gave us clear skies once more, but arriving in the dark meant we could get in some long exposures. It was a little tricky finding a spot to stand having to negotiate the slithering, seaweed-covered rocks.

Claire: It took quite some time for the sun to climb high enough to strike the lighthouse due to the mountains on the Welsh mainland but it was a pleasure to stand and watch the changing light.

Melanie: As we watched and waited cloud started to drift in.  By the time the sun broke through we finally got some of the sky detail that we’d been missing for the previous 24 hours.

Claire: The small island is called Puffin Island. The Puffins bred in considerable numbers at one time, with up to 2,000 pairs recorded. The Brown Rat was introduced accidentally to the island, probably in the late 19th century, and reduced this population to a very few pairs. A programme of poisoning these rats started in 1998 by the Countryside Council for Wales appears to have eradicated them, and the Puffin population has shown an increase since that date.

Melanie: I think we spent another hour here after the sun broke through and sadly it was time to say our goodbyes. As we drove back along the road to Beaumaris, it was clear looking back that there was a lot more to that little area than we had realised in the dark. I think it is the only UK trip I’ve been on when I’ve been without the appropriate OS map, I won’t do that again.

Conclusion

Melanie: For a short break I felt this was a very worthwhile trip. It was not as far from home as I had expected, our accommodation was good value for money. Llanddwyn was a real gem but it was clear the area had a lot more to offer than we had time to see.