Subscribe:
RSS feed
Wandering around looking for clouds and puddles
All aboard the Skylark
Tucked away in an hidden corner on the edge of Exmoor, near the highest sea cliffs in England, is Skylark Cabin. Perfectly isolated in the wooded pastures and big skies of never ever heard anyone land. A rustic cabin with an outside bath, built mainly of recycled materials and a perfect antidote to all the […]
Winter into Spring on the Moor
May 8, 2023
Moss, mud and much to appreciate In search of spring in three walks in three weeks along the river Barle, Baggery waters and a camping trip near the source of the Exe. Green, green my world is green. Except when it’s blue. Bells near Whithypool> Barle Beach hedge, 200 years later. Spring beach. Exmoor orchids. […]
Thurso streets
April 10, 2023
Thurso, Caithness. A street photography essay. Photos of a bimble around the town on a rainy day off. Sir John square park Sinclair street doorways Main road Johnston Cake Shop Comm Bar Thurso Bridal Scrabster through the alley Post […]
Here we go again
March 20, 2023
Back to the island for my 25th stay since my first one (at Old Light Upper) back in 2012, nineteen of those stays have been at Tibbetts, the solid granite lookout built in 1909 and a retreat loved by a small group of fugitives and absconders from the modern digital world, known amongst themselves as […]
Deep and Crisp on top
March 5, 2023
and even too. An early season dump on the roof and some pristine conditions with variable December light.. A short hike to the source of the Exe. Plenty of wildlife looking for opportunities to feed And some classic architectural trees coated in power Some timeless vistas with some nice light FUJI Film
Posted in: Exmoor, The Essential Contentment of Futile Wanderings
In the shadow of Dunkery: Snowdrops.
February 19, 2023
The highest point on Exmoor (and Somerset) is an ideal winter wander. Dunkery. It’s either in cloud and mist and you cannot see the expected views of Bodmin or, it’s in cloud and mist and you ….. etc etc To the north is the ancient Horner Wood and dramatic vistas whatever the weather . And […]
South West Coastpath
January 12, 2023
Photographer of the year competition is due to close on 31st January 2023 at midnight. (Personally, I think that it should be called the SWCP Photograph of the year as they are not looking for a portfolio of images, just that one banging shot but hay ho). There is also a prize for the Young […]
It’s here: The Beautiful North Devon 2023 Calendar
October 26, 2022
At last it’s arrived. The brand new Calendar, featuring stunning new shots of beautiful North Devon, including Lundy Island and Exmoor. Retro Cover January. Golden moss at Robbers Bridge. February. Misty views at Valley of Rocks. Everyones favourite month to gripe about, August, retains its atmospheric mood.. June. The best […]
Moor: Warts n’All
August 8, 2022
When it’s hot n’bothered and crowded with kooks, and, even your little ‘secret’ beach has been named in a Sunday supplement as a top one hundred secret beaches to escape the crowds too but, is full of Sunday supplement reading visitors in peach shorts and Waitrose attitudes. Then it’s time to escape to the roof […]
Posted in: Estpix Photography, Exmoor
Play misty for me
August 2, 2022
Timeline: Sunday 6.00am alarm for a 7.30am check in at Bideford to catch the Oldenberg for a sailing to Lundy Island for the ‘Air Day Hooray’. The airstrip on Lundy dates back to at least 1934 when Atlantic Coasts Air Lines flew tourist flights to the island from the airfield at Chivenor, near Barnstaple. These […]
Posted in: Lundy
Cooling down on the East river
July 17, 2022
Here’s a few abstracts and mood shots from this mornings bimble along the East Lyn. Even by summer standards, there’s not a lot of water in the old girl but the deep pools are still there and plenty of locals were cooling off in them. It’s prime fishing season too on this ‘catch & release’ […]
Bimble around Toms Hill
July 4, 2022
No one knows who Tom was, not even Sarah & Jack. The word could even have morphed from thumb to tom, as that is what this, big, flat top hill looks like. However, during my research I came across this astounding photo of the farmhouse that once stood atop the hill, and the amazing story […]
Joon Projeckt 22 #Joonprojeckt22
June 12, 2022
A selection of random photos taken during June 2022, hopefully one a day, please join in the Joon Projeckt and add the hastag #takemorephotos. Check back when you can for the latest photo, which is at the top of the pile, here … (click on the images to make them blossom). June 30. Well, the […]
Trudi n’ Dan n’ black n’ white
June 4, 2022
Hoooray!!!! xxxxxx Congrats to the hot couple and everyone who made it a fabulous day. Fujifilm XT-3 w/ Mitakon 35mm f0.95 manual focus with in camera B&W Jpegs using Acros with red filter.
Blue or Purple
June 3, 2022
It depends upon your age, but whatever you think bluebell time is always a most spectacular time of year. Always difficult to capture the atmosphere in photographs but here we go with this years attempt… Love these silver birch at Bugford wood, looking good in the […]
Return to Duncansby Head
June 1, 2022
I’ve been coming up to Caithness since the eighties, almost annually for a surf and more recently for photography and wildlife as part of my job to contribute to the Judging team at the Scottish Surf Championships. It was only recently I stumbled upon the the of the area around Duncansby head, the cliffs, the […]
Ex Fence Moore
May 30, 2022
It’s been a busy spring and I haven’t posted anything since before Easter, although I have been shooting regularly. Well I’ve finally got on top of things and you can expect a photo dump over the next few days or so, to start off here’s some early spring fence posts from on top of the […]
Lundy with Liz
April 10, 2022
Back to the rock for what I think is my 25th stay on the island, and to celebrate I’ve come with one veteran and two Lundy virgins. This time to Stoneycroft and it’s magical electricity thing… Crucifixion? One cross each… First sight of the Stoney Croft from the helicopter.. Here’s Liz, not looking too comfortable, […]
Posted in: Lundy, The Essential Contentment of Futile Wanderings
When the wind came
February 20, 2022
Storm Eunice wreaked havoc causing damage and disruption throughout the west country. Here at the beach, there were massive (20 foot plus) waves breaking way off the end of Morte Point and froth, lots of it. The morning started wild and the wind peaked around midday First light Combesgate Bins down Froth […]
Posted in: North Devon, Woolacombe
At last, a proper frosty day.
January 15, 2022
It’s been mild here in north Devon over christmas and it seems like it’s been raining for eva but, at last mid January – winter briefly arrived, with a few gloriously sunny and bitterly cold days. I love the frosty days and not just because they are becoming increasingly rare but mainly because, as a […]
Posted in: Exmoor
More Moor Moor
December 22, 2021
How do you like it? How do you like it? Up on Exmoor just before the longest night or shortest day, depending on your perspective, but with an amazing weather phenomenom a spectacular cloud inversion. This occurs when a layer of low-level cloud or thick fog is trapped with clear sky above it, caused by […]
Stories behind the Photos
December 3, 2021
Calendar 2022, the Misty beach shot. I had a twitter comment from a customer about this years Calendar saying it is ….. “super. A slightly different take, (and) not too chocolate boxey.” I really appreciate it when someone likes my work (naturally) but also it is so satisfying when someone actually ‘gets it’, that is, […]
Big trees down
November 30, 2021
Nothing lasts forever but these Sessile oaks in the East Lyn valley below Watersmeet have been there for ‘nearly forever’, or at least a very long time. That was until storm Arwen wreaked havoc on one end of November Friday night party that got out of hand – and blew the friggin doors off!. There […]
Beautiful North Devon Calendar 2022
November 18, 2021
It’s that time of year again. Over the last month I have trawled through all the photos that I’ve taken in the last year and chosen thirteen for the new Calendar. It’s always difficult to envisage what the final product will look like until you actually hold one in your hand. So it was a […]
beech tree time
November 16, 2021
The mild autumn (so far) and lack of strong winds here in north Devon has meant that the beech trees have held onto their leaves a little longer than they normally do. This has produced a magnificent display of autumn colour, especially along the east and west Lyn valleys with rusty oaks and wilting bracken […]
Posted in: Exmoor, Uncategorized
All six seasons in one day on top
October 29, 2021
We’ve all got a bit too comfortable with our weather prediction apps. “it’s not what they said” has replaced “it’s that fine rain that soaks you through” in our everyday greetings. Well at least where I live anyway. So it was at a promise of big skies that prompted a early autumnal visit to the […]
Woolacombe Village Hall
October 26, 2021
has got a new roof and to celebrate there has been a series of events recently to get the local community back in the hall. (My memories date back to when the hall was called ‘Hall 70’ (guess when it was built?) and as a visitor from Bristol on a family holiday; we saw Blithe […]
Last of the Summer Sunsets
October 19, 2021
Summer is hanging on, deep into October and we have enjoyed the mild weather along with sunset after sunset, day after day.. Here’s a few from my recent evening bimblings. Minimalist sunset experiments part 3. After hours Mill Rock Ripples In other news. It’s been a busy autumn but I’ve finally sent the Beautiful North […]
I remember, Septembers in love
September 15, 2021
It’s been a long old shit wave/ flat spell wait but finally, hurricane Larry delivered the goods; a classic and much fabled September swell. What’s not to love; light winds, sunshine, easy surf and every man and his dog straining at the bit, wound up by Medina and Carissa’s ‘World ChampionsHip” display the day before.. […]
When the year gets older it starts wearing purple
September 15, 2021
Well that was a hectic summer, busy, busy, busy. Congestion, snarl-ups, queues and everyone wanted to head to the beach when the sun was out. It was mayhem. We can now embrace autumn in a slightly less frenetic mood. Small tortoiseshell Common Blue (male) Common Blue (female) Looking into Somerset from Devon and looking into […]
At last of the Autumn kindling
February 19, 2023
So much went wrong with my plans to just wander around the planet and take photographs of nature to make people aware of what a wonderful planet we are privileged to live on, and make a million pounds (Rodney) on the way. But. I think I’ve finally managed to get on top of things and […]
All images and text are copyright protected and cannot be used without consent
Copyright © Ester Spears
esterspears 
May 22, 2023
0