Tag: landscape

Lake set among pine forests
The Lewis Burn inlet walk at Kielder Water

The Lewis Burn inlet walk at Kielder Water

Set in one of the more remote parts of Northumberland, Kielder Water may be man-made, but it is a haven of tranquillity. This lovely stretch of water is surrounded by forest; at over 250 square miles, the largest working forest in England. The lake is a popular place for water sports, while the forest offers miles of walking and biking trails. It is a haven for wildlife, one of the few places in England where you can see red squirrels. And on a clear night its skies are full of stars, as this is an International Dark Sky Park with the largest expanse of dark night sky in the whole of Europe and a renowned observatory.

Small round temple-style structure among trees
King John was not a good man: Runnymede

King John was not a good man: Runnymede

The barons of early 13th century England would have agreed with A. A. Milne (the creator of Winnie the Pooh) that ‘King John was not a good man’. In 1215 England was in political turmoil. King John had become vastly unpopular; his disagreements with the Pope over the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury led to a papal interdict against the country and the king’s excommunication, while the imposition of high taxes to fund the war with France led to mounting anger.

Man with green umbrella by a river in autumn
Where the gods descended: Kamikochi

Where the gods descended: Kamikochi

Nestled among the dramatic peaks of the Japanese Alps lies the high plateau of Kamikochi; the name means ‘Where the gods descended’. The Azusa River flows through a valley formed by great elemental upheavals, including glaciers and volcanic eruptions, over many thousands of years.

Rough wooden fence
What a difference a day makes

What a difference a day makes

It is well known that mountain climates can be unpredictable, and Mount Rainier in the US North West is no different. After a perfect day in Paradise we had fallen asleep under clear skies; but we woke to thick fog obscuring all the surrounding mountains and indeed everything apart from the trees closest to the lodge. A perfect demonstration for us of the way that the mountain creates its own micro climate, although not an especially welcome one.

Aerial view of green swampland with river channels
Video: flying to the Okavango Delta

Video: flying to the Okavango Delta

Sometimes how you travel to a place can be as much fun as the place itself. The small planes that serve the various camps in Botswana’s Okavango Delta operate much like buses, dropping off and picking up passengers along the way. For some people, a flight in a small prop plane would be their worst nightmare; for me it was almost as much of an attraction as the destination itself!

Sand dunes with shadow of a hot air balloon
Gallery: up, up and away, in the Namib Desert

Gallery: up, up and away, in the Namib Desert

Deserts take many forms, but to most of us the word conjures up rolling dunes as far as the eye can see. Such a desert is the Namib, home to the world’s highest dunes. Many of them surround the clay pan of Sossusvlei, and one of the best ways to appreciate the scale and sheer number of these dunes is from above, in a hot air balloon.

Mountain road with car on verge
Following the High Road to Taos

Following the High Road to Taos

There are two ways to get to Taos from Santa Fe. There is the quicker (but still pretty) Low Road, and the more dramatically scenic and historically interesting High Road. This winds through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains through high desert, forests and tiny communities. On the way there are stories to be discovered, stunning landscapes to marvel at and picture-perfect churches to explore.

Wetlands in low sun
Gallery: mokoro rides in the Okavango Delta

Gallery: mokoro rides in the Okavango Delta

Please don’t ask me to pick my favourite landscape – it’s impossible. I love the drama of high mountain ranges, and the huge open skies of the desert; the haunting light that illuminates certain lands close to our poles, and grassy savannahs strewn with baobab trees; gentle green rolling hills, and roaring waterfalls.

Mist hanging over a lake
Gallery: Morning mists over Matthew’s Linn

Gallery: Morning mists over Matthew’s Linn

Any photographer knows that light is everything, and that the best light is often found at the beginning or end of the day. Sometimes you can plan to be in the right place at the right time, but sometimes it just happens.

View of beach with icebergs and mountains beyond
Glacier Grey – or should that be turquoise?

Glacier Grey – or should that be turquoise?

Battling across the dark grey stony beach, hardly able to stay upright in the wind, which was whipping grit into my eyes and cheeks, I wondered if it would all be worth it. But one look at the turquoise blue icebergs floating on the water to my left reassured me that it would be. And it was.