I’d promised myself that I’d shoot more film in 2012, so the first proper opportunity I had was Dinorwic. As described in previous posts, I took along a digital compact, and two film cameras. Not ideal, but at least the X10 is small enough to slip into a waist bag and is out of the…
Category: Industrial Landscape
#252 – Return To Dinorwic – Details
Something I try to do when exploring somewhere is to go close in and pick out the smaller details. Not only does it give some variety to the wider landscapes and architectural shots, it allows for a bit more creativity and to look closer at textures, shapes, etc. If you read the Geotopoi blog, some…
#251 – Return To Dinorwic – Compressor House
Now this was an interesting surprise. I’d previously only explored the upper levels of the quarry, but down in the lower levels was another compressor house. It was not as exposed as the Australia Level building, and as such was in better condition. It was also much more accessible as it had a decent footpath…
#250 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 2
Throwing caution to the not inconsiderable wind, I decided to continue wandering along the Australia level, if nothing else to see if there was a less difficult way down. Seeing some buidlings ahead, I wandered over to see what they were. Various bits of scrap littered the grass outside which piqued my curiousity, and inside…
#249 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 1
Climbing the incline is hard work. I’d put the angle somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, and although there are some crumbling stone steps in sections, the rest of it is a combination of grass and loose slate. The gradient is relentless, and unless you are a Nepalese Sherpa or are seriously fit, it’s probably…
#248 – Return To Dinorwic – The Inclined Plane
Like my previous visit, the quarry was shrouded in mist, only this time it didn’t clear. This trip though I was determined to reach the Australia level as well as see a few other bits and bats I’d not seen before. Not knowing the ‘easier’ way, I simply went straight up the fearsome C3 incline…
#247 – Return To Dinorwic
Industry has it’s own unique way of shaping the landscape, but mineral extraction is one industry that leaves the most permanent mark. From the slag heaps of the coalfields, to the huge holes in the ground that quarries leave, once operations have ended, it isn’t just a case of pulling the buildings down and building…
#245 – Dinorwic Slate Quarry
Bridge Of Doom? No, the gallery had given way beneath this track panel, leaving it suspended precariously in mid-air. Remains of a weighbridge Could there be a more appropriate landscape in which to film ‘Clash Of The Titans’? OK, so I’ve not actually seen the film in its entirety, but when security told me that…
#244 – Belgrave Mills
I’ve had an IPad for a while and find it to be a monumental distraction – mine’s stuffed full of music, photos, games, books and various other apps. It’s ease of use and quick start up make our netbook feel like a Commodore 64. One thing I hadn’t really tried out until recently were the photo…
#243 – Failed Heritage – Dunaskin Brickworks
I’m a regular visitor to Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, and ever since my first visit, I’ve been intrigued by its industrial past. The cross country road from the M8 to Kilmarnock, Ayr, etc crosses a bleak, moorland landscape, pockmarked by past and current mining activities. Today, it’s exclusively opencast, but until the…
Mechanical Landscapes 