Sunday 4 November 2007

Another Sunday Morning Stroll In The Wilderness



Well, I awoke this morning with that "Sunday" feeling.... that warm feeling of knowing that I don't have to go to work and there is a world out there. I looked at my alarm clock and it read 6.50am. It was still quite dark outside, but when I looked out the window I could see that it was misty again. Well, in fact it was more than mist today, it was think fog. It looked so inviting and the cool breeze coming through through the window smelt so fresh.

So, I dived into the shower, got dressed, picked up my camera and walking boots and jumped in the car. 20 minutes later I was in the middle of Savernake forest, an amazing forest with an abundance of stunning walks.

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The atmosphere was eerie - nobody about, the mist slowly lifting, leaves falling, the breeze rustling the branches of the trees, birds breaking into their morning chorus, squirrels scurrying across the woodland floor, the occasional deer crunching through the undergrowth.



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I made may way down one of the tracks with camera in hand, my breath visible in the cool morning air, the sound of my footsteps resonating through the trees. The perfect morning.....



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Everywhere I looked, the trees were exploding with colour - full of browns, oranges, greens and silvers. The air was damp with the mist but the sun was beginning to burn its way through.



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Each tree told a different story, branches knotted and tangled. The ground below my boots was covered in leaves. The rays of the sun beaming through the treetops.



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Occasionally the path would take me deep into the darkness of the cover of the trees, but in the distance light shone through, guiding my way.



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Cobwebs on fallen branches glistened with dew in the morning sunlight.



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The forest path twisted and turned, as though it was purposely tryin to confuse me.



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Each turn revealed a new scene, some haunting, some stunning, each and every one provided a mesmorising setting.



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Whether I looked up, down or around, there was something new to experience.



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My journey finally came to an end. I returned to my car, pulled off my boots, switched on the ignition and turned on the heater.

Another day, another walk, another memeory...

...until the next Sunday morning, with a journey in my car, camera in hand....

...I can't wait.


Bye for now

Graham Ettridge x


If you want to see more of my photos from the day, or from my other adventures, you can access my 'flickr' account my double clicking on any of the photos in the post. Feel free to leave a comment on any of the photos that you like (knowing what people like and don't lke in a photo will help me develop my photography skills).

53 comments:

no more said...

very beautiful pics - you should make a calendar or something!

Sadly i don't get to experience leaves turning colors, the majority of tree's here in texas are evergreens. Once in awhile i may drive by a creek where there are some but mostly we have blossoming tree's like crepe myrtles, pear tree's and the like in the spring. So i guess it all evens out.

Looks like you have lots of nice outdoorsy places to "stroll", i guess england is known for it's countryside isn't it?

Marjie said...

I'm not one to enjoy much of the wilderness, but those photographs are beautiful. Exploring nature is a wonderful passion to have, and I'm glad that you are sharing it in the best way to everyone who visits your blog.

By the way, I have done the assignment for the meme I volunteered for. Thanks for making blogging so much more interesting for me :)

Have a wonderful week!

AZZITIZZ said...

Oh wow! What a way to start the day! I love visiting your blog.
Your photos are fantastic, I can almost see my own warm breath against the background of your cool misty morning pictures, they are so real.
Stunning!
Looking forward to you taking us out again next Sunday.
Thankyou.
:)

Elise said...

Wiltshire really is a beautiful place. Your pics are lovely. x

Daszzle said...

God bless you, you're a morning person. I definitely am not. Beautiful pictures however. Now I see all that I'm missing out on ;). You definitely have a talent with photography. I love how you caught the sun's rays shining bursting through the trees. God I love the turning of leaves.

Anonymous said...

Can't you just sleep like the rest of us !? :D

Okay, okay... nice pictures I must admit ;)

I love the spider web one. Must have been hard to capture...

Morning light looks beautiful. In fact, I missed my bus the other day just because I was busy taking a pic of the schoolbus in the nice sunrise light ! :D

Simon said...

Fall is in the air. The photographs are truly breathtaking! I'll use one of them as my desktop background, if you don't mind.

Weekend Warrior said...

Wow amazing pictures Graham. I could almost feel the forest here at my desktop.

cathy said...

AWESOME!

Azzitiz tagged me and I just popped over here for no particular reason from her blog.

I'm so glad I did:)

Deadpoolite said...

Do you take beautiful pictures like these only when yousleepwalk(referring to your early start to the day) or it is another of those "Grahamish" skills that you keep unleashing upon us "blog entry in, blog entry out"?

Please keep unleashing them, it brightens up our days!

Magical place, great timing on your behalf, beautiful pictures all around... you are really spoiling us you know:)

Well done and take care!

linda said...

Lovely, just lovely. I could feel the mistiness of it all.

Choc Mint Girl said...

Wow WoW WOW!!! I'm gasping for air!!! They were amazing pics, Graham...Thanks, for sharing!! :)

Okay, before you grab your camera again, hope you don't mind doing another fun tag. Check this out:-

38 Things About Me

Thanks!!

AZZITIZZ said...

Hi again Graham,
Already been to your 'Flickr' site and seen all your photos there, they are great. You really can take excellent pictures.
I look forward to your next Sunday outing and will check in when I get back.
Bye for now.
Loadsaluv Azzy.

Graham Ettridge said...

Muse, thanks! The spring in Texas sounds wonderful. The thing I love about where I live is that I am surrounded by courtyside. It is a walker's paradise.

Marjie, your words are truly kind, thank you :) I have read your meme post and it is wonderful!

Graham Ettridge said...

Azzitizz, for once I am truly proud of my photos. But to be honest the scenery was so beautiful anybody could have taken photos like these at that time. It has certainly given me a special reason to look forward to Sunday mornings. I'm already trying to decide where to go next.

Hello Elise :) Yes, I agree - Wiltshire is an amazing place full of wonderful scenery and history (and of course, I'm here!!!!)

Graham Ettridge said...

Daszzle, thanks for you r lovely comment. I am a morning person (the problem is, I am a night owl too - so end up being knackered all the time...oops!). The sun beaming through the mist was so emotional - at times I just stood there and savoured the moment. I am so glad I had my camera with me.

Hiya Zhu, and thanks for your kink comment on flickr. It is funny how some days you wake up and you know you need to be somewhere else. Well Sunday was one of those days. And I am so glad I went.

Graham Ettridge said...

neoauteur, I would be honoured for you to use one of my photos as your screen wallpaper. That is kind.

Weekend warrior, thanks for your nice comment.

Welcome Cathy, and thank you. I look forward to visiting your blog too.

DP hey friend! How are you? Thanks for your nice words and you take care too!!

Graham Ettridge said...

G'day Linda. Well you are the lucky one, because you are going to have the opportunity to visit here soon and enjoy the places around here for yourself.

Choc, hey! Thanks for your encouragement! I will look at your meme and start thinking about my answers LoL!!!

Choc Mint Girl said...

Hey, babe!!! I have an award for you. Collect it here:-

Super Star Award

Jen said...

Those are gorgeous photos, I don't see many trees like that anymore since I moved to the city. I miss it tremendously...

Get Loud, Get Active, Get Angry!

Anonymous said...

These pictures make me miss autumn even more.
Sigh.
Beautiful!

gypsy soul said...

hi..
everytime i come to this blog, there's always something new and amazing..!
and you write well too, i felt like i was taking a walk in the woods myself. you have a very colorful world out there..in my place everything is almost all green..

keep posting..

Max Coutinho said...

Graham,

This was magical!! I was slightly moved by looking at those photos! And the slide show above just swept me away!

What a forest!!!

I knew the UK was a gorgeous country, but not this gorgeous (when I lived there I didn't get the chance to visit the woods...)!

Cheers

Lorelai236 said...

Fantastic photos! You have quite a talent!!

The one with the spiderweb was especially beautiful.

Choc Mint Girl said...

Another tag for you, pal!! ;)

5 Things That Annoy Me Most

Thanks!!

Peaceful/Paisible said...

that's so great to travel on your side...thsnk you for that great walk...loved it...

Michelle said...

I absolutly love sites like that it makes me want to go camping or hiking. Gorgeous pics.

Olga, the Traveling Bra said...

Oh my gosh - what beautiful, awesome photos! Are yo sure you didn't stumble into the Garden of Eden!? Excellent photos!!! Thanks for sharing!

Practically Dutch said...

Hey Grahem! Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog, i was just saying to Jack how nice it is to know that people are thinking about you.. one of the things i love about blogging.

Have just looked through your amazing photos, i especially like the one of the cobweb, i am amazed at how clear your photos come out!

I will try and post as often as possible with updates on the flat hunting! Ineke was saying how the whole 'welcome to my world'title has taken a whole different meaning in the last couple of weeks!! very true!!

Take care!

B said...

Hi

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for not lurking because I love your blog!! I travel a lot and love pics - what I have seen here so far is beautiful. since I have some time off from my blog I will catch up!

Have a great day:)

? said...

I'm in love with the scenery, Graham! You are truly living life when you take in nature like that.

INCREDIBLE.

Choc Mint Girl said...

I'm a fan of your blog, Graham. :) Go and claim your award here:-

Be the Blog Award

Scottie Roy said...

Awesome photos. I am about to get a nice new digi cam and these are inspiring.

Tracy said...

Wow, Graham. These photos are simply stunning! I'm so glad I came by your blog today.

One could have a religious experience in a place like that! Many of the photos look like paintings because they are so perfectly amazing.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love the photographs. It is difficult to capture the stillness and beauty of an autumn season as you have. You have earned another faithful reader!

Unknown said...

This was awesome - beautiful pictures matched with perfect words. Poetry in motion. I'd love to take a walk in this scenery. Beautiful

elementsof123 said...

wow those pictures were very moving and you should def make a calendar with them- what a great experience please give us more of them-
also check out this web site if you would like-

great insite into blogging-

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Graham Ettridge said...

Choc, thanks for all of your kind words and awards. I appreciate them all very much :)

Hey Jenny, I am lucky living where I do. There is so much wonderful countryside surrounding me. Thanks for visiting.

nicole, thank you for your kind words.

elay, you must absoultely go and take a walk in a forest near you , if you can. It is a wonderfully relaxing thing to do, to be so close to nature.

Max, thanks :) I have found myself often sitting in front of my laptop watching the slideshow. It is a great way to relax. I was so lucky when I went out that morning - the scenery was just perfect. Everything was perfect - a rare moment in time that I was able to capture through the lense of my camera.

Graham Ettridge said...

Lorelai, thanks friend! The spiderweb was amazing to see in real life. It was like seeing one of those documentaries on TV. I'm glad it actually came out in the photo.

Mousie, thank you too. The great thing about blogging, is that you can share such special moments.

Hi Kasper, I love camping too. One can't beat being close to nature and waking up in the morning with the fresh smell of wet grass and a cool breeze...Mmmmmm heaven!

Hey Olga, I think I did actually walk into the Garden of Eden. The sounds, the sights, the smells... it was all like a surreal experience. I often have nice walks in nice locations, but this was something completely different.

Graham Ettridge said...

Rachel, I do hope things are picking up for Jack and you. I have my fingers firmly crossed! Thanks for your kind comments too, they are always appreciated.

Hi B, thanks for visiting my blog too. I look forward to reading more of your posts. Happy travelling!

Bottleblonde, how ya doing? You should have been there... It was magical. Thanks and keep writing... your posts always make me laugh loads and loads. Take care hun :)

Scottie and Ames, thanks and make sure that you post your photos, I would love to see them.

Graham Ettridge said...

Hey tracy, I hope you are well and happy. Thanks for your kind comments.

Marigold Jane, hi and thanks for visiting. Your new blog is great - I look forward to reading more of your posts soon!

Random Magus, thank you. A walk in the forest early in the morning is such an amazing thing to experience. When nobody is around you get the opportunity to see and hear so many amazing things.

elementsof123, that is a great suggestion. I will definitely have a go at making a calendar with these photographs.

Gayathri said...

Graham....that was a great photo directory...awesome...i was just waiting and waiting for more and more beauty....autumn is just beautiful isnt it....great camera...well i tried taking snaps and dint get them so well as u did...

have a gr8 time !!

prin said...

Beautiful pics. :)

Thanks for the stroll. :)

Michelle said...

I love all the pics but I think I like the cob web one the best. Great post.:)

Anonymous said...

Wow Graham, excellent photos. I especially liked the cobweb.

Anonymous said...

I've just found your blog through Blogsweluv, and I'm so glad I did. You have created a wonderful blog and your photographs are absolutely stunning. I'll definitely be subscribing to your RSS. Keep up the good work!

Gubernatrix said...

Wow!!!!!!!!!! Incredible pictures!

I live on the north coast of Cornwall which is very beautiful but....no trees (well, a few stumpy ones)!! I really miss them now that it is autumn, so your post was a real tree fix for me.

I'll get my own back in the summer when the sea looks incredible. Have you ever been down St Ives way? The light there in summer is stunning!

Inga Encinas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I can NOT believe I missed this post! I was looking for your video on the forest - your walk in the rain to show a friend... and I found this instead and I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. This forest seen through your eyes is primordial and personifies England to me. England before the industrial age, England of long ago when there were forests like this one all over the land. I cannot believe the beauty you see here and are able to capture with your lens. These photos should be hung in a gallery.

You need to put together a portfolio and take them to some galleries OR contact some of the conservation groups in your area or in England and show them these photos. Even if you had to volunteer them at firest, it would get your art work out into the world....known. You also ought to enter some into National Geographic's MY SHOT. They are the best I have ever seen.

The beauty in this forest moves me to tears. It feels so ancient and speaks of another time on planet Earth, sadly a time we humans are destroying.

I also popped in to also say hi and wish you a REALLY REALLY REALLY good coming year. I wish that ALL the beautiful dreams in your heart are fulfilled and that the hunger you have for Life, never dies. Never let anyone or anything take that from you, Graham. It is your shinning gift to Life itself and to all those you meet.

Thank you for all your kindness, compassion, inspiration, joy, love, friendship and...just the magic that is YOU!

Many hugs and much love,
Robin
("your forever friend") :)

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very beautiful pics - you should make a calendar or something!Sadly i don't get to experience leaves turning colors, the majority of tree's here in texas are evergreens. Once in awhile i may drive by a creek where there are some but mostly we have blossoming tree's like crepe myrtles, pear tree's and the like in the spring. So i guess it all evens out.Looks like you have lots of nice outdoorsy places to "stroll", i guess england is known for it's countryside isn't it?

Alan MacKenzie said...

I was just reading about Savernake Forest and found your website. Thank you for sharing these lovely early morning pictures. I am doing an autumn woodland photo essay and you've given me the idea to visit Friston Forest early in the morning too. Please take a look at my website, which you'll find by clicking on my name.

Graham's Photobook....Through The Eyes Of A Dreamer

Please click on the link below to view or purchase my new book.