Ellesmere canel walk 1.11.20.11

I had been asked to accompany a friend on a canal walk in Ellesmere and it was a new place to me as I hadn't been on this part of the canel before. I regarded this as another adventure day especially as I hadn't driven to Ellesmere before on my own.

 This may sound strange to some but normally I am the driver while someone else is the navigator. I of course had an idea - I left the house with confidence as my guide. I had visually planned my route in my mind but when it came to the slip road on the bypass  I was going to get off. Then I had to quickly revise my plan anyhow and with another map in my mind quickly drawn up I eventually got to my destination with plenty of time to spare. With this extra time I was able to ask the locals directions to the designated meeting place.

This was at the start of the walk.

I was shown some of the art work that had been made and placed at the beginning of the walk. I found a few that I liked,  one especially was that of an upright top of a boat. I was captivated by the thought process that must of gone on behind the preparation. It seemed elegantly composed, with immaculate detail lovingly crafted  into it. There was a small seat inside  it with lots of decoration inside, the photos seemed special due to they were originals made into a form where time could protect them for all to now see. Like a sort of time capsule where past and present meet.

                           The photo  above of the boat was kindly borrowed from the site below.

http://miceforlent.blogspot.com/2010/08/ellesmere-sculpture-trail-eventually.html

The above photo of inside the boat sculpture was also kindly borrowed from the web site below.

http://beefur.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html

I hope he can swim and doesn't go too far out of his depth.

I liked this tree as it reminded of what I see as being typically British -

just a shame the colours where not exactly as I saw them.

I wanted to try to capture the reflection to make a complete circle.

This is where we stopped for a small lunch break and saw two Kingfishers

quickly flying past.  Wow what a lovely site it was too!

I was trying to capture an Autumn reflection

The Winter carpet.

As we headed towards Lake Colemere, I was greeted by another great sight. My eyes were glued to this chimney in sheer appreciation of its beauty of structure.

Chimney on the boat house

Due to the washed out sky I converted them to black and white to give a nostalgic feel.

Tree roots

The photo above I saw as an extraordinary sight, as it was the first time that I have seen an tree up rooted with soil still visible. I couldn't miss the chance of examining closely the roots and analysing their detail.

A view of lake Colemere

 

This was visible from the canal walk, it was where someone had been living. The way in which the twig hut was constructed reminded my friend of Andy Goldsworthy.

 

 

The next two photos I couldn't make my mind up which I preferred, so I have put up the two versions.

MMMMMM...... What do you think?

 

Return to Liverpool 14.12.2011

I had managed to fit in the return trip to Liverpool  just before Christmas and the children breaking up from school. The purpose for my return was to capture more of the Christmas decorations and window displays.
Things kind of all changed once I arrived!
As usual it was the same routine early train that arrived at Liverpool at 9 a.m. then straight up to Bold St's Cafe Nero for coffee. I knew all those stamped cards would come in handy and this time managed to get a free large latte!

I had already checked the weather report for the day there before I left home so knew the morning was going to be sunny then overcast in the afternoon. Once I had finished my fix I then looked to the skies literally and there it was....... bright blue skies with the hint of sun peeping through that it had promised.

I headed down town towards the dock with my head stuck to looking above to the roof tops. The light reflecting on the buildings I thought was amazing and there were also lots of interesting shadows. My feel good emotion was off the Richter scale - I guess it takes small things that others would maybe dismiss as naff for me to feel that beauty of the world around me...MMMMMM? Strange as it sounds I even had  other people's heads turning that day up to the skies to see what I was photographing. I like moments like this especially when other people also stop to take photos of what I see - maybe they wouldn't necessarily have noticed if I hadn't been happily snapping away?

                                                        The past meets the present.

                                                                   Glass entrance

                                                        Casting shadows

                                                     Neptune with his trident?

                                                              Spheres with reflections

                                A winged victory angel holding a trumpet and olive leaf

                                                             A view up a side street

 

                                                              Morning  roof top

                                                                     Queen Victoria

                                                                  Morning shadows



The photo below took me at least 10mins to capture due to there being traffic lights and the constant stop and start of buses.Trust me to find it on a freeeezzzzing cold corner! I really liked the dark clouds accentuating the building.

I had found myself right at the top of the dock area - unexplored territory - it was really cool to see so many new things. They have done an excellent job on the area with  newly designed buildings that don't look out of place at all as they blend in well. I felt that I was in the right place at the right time so to speak but time was of the essence, due to the sun coming and going behind the clouds and the opportunity of getting the photo I wanted being limited. I really liked the dark cloud in the background and the sunlight on the buildings in the photo below. It looks like someone had the same idea as me in the photo hey?

                                                                 Dark skies

                      The statue of Edward VII mounted on his horse with the Liver building behind.
                                                     



It was absolutely freeeezzzzing by the dock! I zipped my coat up sooo tight! I then put my mp3 player on to save the draft going down my ears and my thick fingerless gloves on to try and stop my hands turning any more shades of red and purple! I was so glad that I had brought these. Looking at the waves on the sea I had that sickly feeling as I watched the boats swaying back and forth quickly. Between the vision and feeling that I had, I was being drawn back temporarily to last year's uni Paris trip and my first experience on a boat. I came to the conclusion then that I haven't got a sea bearing stomach. I was so glad that the sea on the crossing to Paris was not like this, even though I did back then feel better on top deck. I strolled further down the dock also thinking "If I don't get a chill after the cold and wind sweeping away any cobwebs that I may have acquired then it will be a miracle"!

                                                           
                                                       Morning dock silhouette

                                             
                                                           A view across the dock.

                                                                 Choppy waters

                                                         Resting sea cormorant



I couldn't resist the photo above and I felt lucky to have had my camera with me. In the photo below I wanted to capture the view in between the two clear openings, hence the block of flats and the metal capstan sticking up on the lower one. I felt that this photo didn't work in black and white.

                                                                        Derelict.

This was a statue on the dock area of Captain F. J. Walker and was commissioned by Captain Walker's Old Boys Association to commemorate the battle of the Atlantic convoys.



Lunch break was calling me and I was lucky enough to be down by the dock area. I was a little daunted at 12.15p.m.as there was only me in there. It soon filled up thankfully - I looked like a "Billy No Mates" as it was! This was the second time that I had been here for lunch and not to sound like a cheapskate I found this eating place the best for price and food on the dock. It has mixed reviews I have just found on the Internet but I will be going back some time again there. If in doubt try it for yourself and see what you think?

Below is a link to the restaurant

http://www.localstore.co.uk/store/297957/la-crepe-rit/liverpool/

 

                                                        Liverpool special pillar box

                                                              Inscription on the box.

                       ( note  just the picture above of the inscription is kindly borrowed from the Internet.)

                                                         Liverpool  Eye, Eye!



I actually nearly missed taking the photo below so I did a double take and went back to capture this.  I'm glad that I did. I really like the strong rich red colour.

                                                                         Funnels

                                                                  Reflections

                                                        
                                                               Albert Dock entrance

Days end.

 

This photo of  the sunset was actually taken at Bidston train station. I had to wait ages for the next connecting train, so my mind wandered watching the plane lights in the sky over head and  when I had finally arrived back home I was frozen to the bone and couldn't seem to get warm all night. Despite this I had an excellent  photo day in Liverpool and was glad that I  hadn't  missed the opportunity of going.