In Dark Places

Repetition

Through The Brambles

I could hear this small waterfall but trying to get to it was tricky the first three attempts were blocked and failed. Eventually after following a sheep trail through gorse and down a steep slope I managed to get to it. A 30sec exposure taken at 2pm in bright sunshine not a cloud in the sky with just a polariser and an ND4 @f/9.5.... yes it was that dark and gloomy down in there!

Darkwood

Tomb With a View and the Crimea

Graveyard.... founded by the Earl of Carrick in 1193 around the time when William I 'the Lion', King of Scotland was about, he who founded the Auld Alliance with France, unfortunately he was captured at Alnwick and forced to acknowledge Henry II as Scotland's overlord in 1174.




I digress back to the graveyard, Kirkbride it's pertinents was granted to the convent of Cistercian nuns at North Berwick in whose possession it remained until the Reformation.

As to one of the occupants below this cold stone he was in the Scots Greys and participated in the charge of the heavy brigade (yes heavy not light) at Balaclava. We have all heard of the charge of the light brigade at Balaclava technically a military disaster, less so the charge of the heavy brigade a success, under no less difficult circumstances/odds.

Lord Tennyson who wrote a his more famous poem about the charge of the light brigade also wrote a lesser known poem about the charge of the heavy brigade.

Here's a wee snippet from the poem.... the full version can be found HERE

"The charge of the gallant three hundred, the Heavy Brigade!"

Down the hill, down the hill, thousands of Russians,
Thousands of horsemen, drew to the valley - and stay'd;
For Scarlett and Scarlett's three hundred were riding by
When the points of the Russian lances arose in the sky;
And he call'd "Left wheel into line!" and they wheel'd and obeyed.
Then he looked at the host that had halted he knew not why,
And he turn'd half round and he bad his trumpeter sound
To the charge, and he rode on ahead, as he waved his blade
To the gallant three hundred whose glory will never die-
"Follow", and up the hill, up the hill, up the hill,
Follow'd the Heavy Brigade.

Sheep and Cloud

Behind Twisted Oaks 2

The last shot from Hermitage down in the borders. In October 1566 it was visited by Mary Queen of Scots, when she heard the Earl Of Bothwell who held the castle at that time was injured in a fight with border reivers. She rode the 25 miles from Jedburgh to be with him. As she was still married to Lord Darnley she could not stay at Hermitage with the Earl of Bothwell so after a short two hours she returned the 25 miles back to Jedburgh, en route she stumbled into a bog (marsh) and contracted "man flu" (a cold) from which she nearly died. click pic to bigger it

Behind Twisted Oaks

Just couldn't get a decent angle to include the river and the castle to show Hermitage castle to it's best because of the trees. Some brutal architecture in a brutal landscape miles from anywhere (let me tell you!!) created for brutal times in the heart of wild border country, the Scottish borders.

Originally built around 1240, firstly just a wooden Norman Mott and Bailey castle later built in stone around 1371 to 1390

As this shot was taken in the harsh light of the early afternoon I wasn't to happy with the resultant blue-green casts in the colour version. Even after some colour correction I still thought there was to much of a green cast, so it called for a B&W conversion! Using a simple blend of the red and green channels. I posted both for comparison but it's the B&W for me... click pics to bigger them :)

The Gate

Not much time to post due to ultra slow PC and heading off to Reiver country hopefully as far as Lindisfarne and hopefully taking a few shots.... hopefully!

Taken for RGB assignment

Not That I'm repetative or anything ;)

The colour version, only cause I likes the colour in the sea and bein of a sanguine disposition I hope it doesn't bore to much :) a sanguine disposition I hope it doesn't bore :)

Crash Bang Splash b&w