Golden Frosty Morning
0°c at 4am dropping to -2.5°c by 7am. A dry, frosty morning. I absolutely love this view looking down the valley on mornings like this. Cold mist, golden light on the trees. The sun is low and the hills of […]
Spoilt with Sunsets This Week
The dry weather and chill wind continues, and we’re being spoilt with fine days and warm sunsets. Temperatures seemed to lift towards 5pm this evening. I could certainly live with these conditions until spring.
A Cold Dry Snap
We’re currently in a cold snap. A week of dry weather is such a novelty after such a wet 2023. I prefer the bite of the wind and frozen fingers to the continual damp. I love the way on dry […]
Ystradgynlais Christmas Walk 2023
With so little walking under my belt this year, when by chance I spotted that the annual Ystradgynlais Christmas Walk was taking place, I knew I had to go. With visions of strolling across the Brecon Beacons in the crisp […]
Happy Winter Solstice 2023
The winter solstice is here. The shortest day. The longest night. I profoundly struggled with the darker, winter months in past years. These days I’m a lot better, but the winter solstice still holds a place in my heart. Not […]
Living in Sunsetland
Another sunset snap on Brecon Road, Ystradgynlais. Taken quickly on my phone while busy doing other things. But it did trigger the thought “I feel like I live in sunset land”. All my 30 odd years living in Sussex, it […]
Tesco Sunset
Something I love about winter is that with all the rain and the shorter days, skies tend to be really interesting. Even the most mundane tasks (popping into Tesco to get supplies for the weekend) grant sublime moments.
Sunset and Thaw on Brecon Road
A run of cold days this week with snow arriving in Ystradgynlais on the Wednesday and causing carnage on Brecon Road. Come Friday the thaw was in progress and the skies lit up like fire on the way home. I […]
First Walk at Penwyllt
My solo walks have been thin on the ground this year. So when I had the opportunity to go this weekend, I jumped at it. Having lived in Ystradgynlais for around three years now, there’s no shortage of nearby places […]
Winter Sunset on Brecon Road
Winter sunsets are special. A dull grey wall of cloud gives way to warmth and colour for a fleeting moment before darkness descends. They’re a reminder that whilst daylight is on part-time hours, longer, warmer days are on the way. […]
Candyfloss Clouds Over Waun Gyrlais
I find a certain comfort in seeing the Beacons in the distance when travelling around Ystradgynlais, and I also love the brief optical illusion that comes from a long cloud bank over the mountains. It takes a second differentiate the […]
Caehopkin in the Snow
Waking to snow, I packed my rucksack and headed out into it. Up onto Cycle Route 43, then through the forestry on the edge of Nant Helen open cast mine, all the way to Caehopkin. Whilst overcast when I set […]
Twilight on Waun Gyrlais Heath
This shot on the Waun Gyrlais heath with Cribarth in the distance gives me such a sense of peace. It was a cold but calm early evening and everything seemed very still. Whilst it’s not overly dramatic, I do love […]
Stormlight in Penrhos
I wish there was a single word for this sort of light. The closest I can find is ‘stormlight’ – but it’s not ideal – it’s not always down to a storm. It’s my favourite light and is the rare […]
After the Rain on the Trails
Not a sweeping vista or epic sky, but I love its vibe. I can almost hear the splash of my boots along the trail and the patter of droplets falling from the trees. I can almost smell the woodland damp, […]
Cantref Reservoir in Late Winter
Took the scenic route through the Brecon Beacons on the way back from a day out. Couldn’t help but pull over as soon as I saw this scene. The graduated colour in the sky was the epitome of clear winter […]
Rainbow Over the Estuary at Ferryside
I work a 10 am-2 pm shift today. I’m on the till closest to the entrance and through the glass I can see the weather changing by the minute — heavy rain, followed by spots of sun, and then more […]
Halfway Forest in the Snow
It’s Sunday 10th December, the first of my two consecutive days off from the day job. I lie reading in my bedroom, watching snowflakes flutter down onto the front gardens and carefully manicured lawns in my cul-de-sac. It’s a snow […]
My First Visit to Caio Forest
A change in my work shifts means I now start at 4 pm most days giving me the freedom to get out and enjoy the autumn for a few hours before work. It’s 8am on a misty November morning. In […]
Lone Walker on Bannau Sir Gaer
I took a walk up to Llyn Y Fan Fach in the Brecon Beacons. Walked up from the lake, up to the ridge (Bannau Sir Gaer) and along to the peak of Picws Du. The high ground was still covered […]