Discovering new places for a photography story requires good research. Many times, I have heard other photographers say they’ve exhausted their immediate area for pictures. I would reply that I have barely scratched the surface. So, as I was looking around on Google Maps, Majors Green Aqueduct caught my interest. I had two hours free while Monty, our dog, was being groomed. Yes, our dog is well looked after. I planned to park on Aqueduct Road and explore the structure before walking up to the Drawbridge Inn. Doubling back along the canal would allow me to take pictures of the aqueduct from above. Google Maps tags other people’s pictures to points of interest, so you can check the favoured points of view.
The Majors Green viaduct.
Parking my car near the aqueduct, I quickly gained an appreciation for the scale of the engineering that went into its construction. Many bricks had been used to allow the canal to cross over both the road and the River Cole. The River Cole passes through Birmingham and Coleshill before joining the River Blythe. At the bridge, the river passes underneath, and there are remnants of a walkway. I quickly discovered that the traffic around here moves quickly, and there are no pavements for pedestrians. You cannot access the canal from the bridge, so I carefully took pictures and then set off for the Drawbridge over the canal.
Red car over the Drawbridge Can you read the noticeboard?
The Shirley Drawbridge sits over the northern section of the Stratford Canal. The bridge is always down to let cars pass over, and it will only open with a waterways key. There is a famous public house, the Drawbridge Inn, next to the canal, and the road is a bottleneck for cars as it is a popular shortcut through Majors Green to Shirley. Upon reaching the canal, I turned north and very soon encountered a heron fishing for its dinner. The heron was on the opposite bank, but fortunately, I had my 100-400mm lens with me, and I was able to get some great close-up pictures.
It is rude to stare.Can’t you see I am fishing.Yes I am!
The aqueduct at canal level is covered with colourful graffiti, and there is a steep drop over the bridge. I’ve taken a documentary course, the Stirchley Observation Project, which has tuned me into alternative approaches to photography. I see interesting pictures that others may miss. As you’ll see, there are flamingo statues, abandoned chairs, and remnants of some form of canal gateway. I now appreciate the small things in everyday life, which often have a story attached to them. My time to turn back was approaching, but not before I discovered an abandoned canal boat and a Woodland Trust area.
Looking over the aqueduct.Is that a heron or a flamingo?Slow down, take a seat and watch the world go round.A bus passing along the High Street over the canal.Under the bridge.
I returned the way I had come, and again there were new views to be photographed. The canals are always full of surprises, with wildlife and historical artefacts thrown into the mix. Both dereliction and new projects go hand in hand. All this adds up to a photographic adventure for the camera enthusiast.
Stop
I have several posts on the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and I have included a link to the Kingswood junction which is further south.
Manchester is an old friend who I do not recognise anymore. My undergraduate degree was in dentistry and after a year, I returned to undertake research, obtaining both a masters and my doctorate degree. I then took up a clinical academic appointment at the University of Birmingham. However I still look back on Manchester as a good friend to me during my early years. There were so many good times in the City. Shopping in Kendal Milne, watching Manchester City at Maine Road and nights out on the town when I was a student in the late seventies and early eighties. All that was several decades ago and since 1985, Birmingham has moved on from being a stranger to a very close friend. Birmingham and Solihull are now home. The city of Birmingham has undergone so many positive changes that it is barely recognisable from when we first arrived.
China Lane
Manchester has also changed. All those old haunts are either no longer there or gentrification has changed them beyond recognition. A good friend, Tony Jacobs, invited me up to visit Manchester for the day to take photographs. I know Tony was excited about my visit as he had researched locations and had several plans in place for our walk. We met up at Piccadilly station and our enthusiasm about the day ahead led to our conversation jumping around several subjects. Interestingly dentistry was not one of them and the subject of teeth was only touched upon much later in the day. Once our greetings were completed, we walked down the station approach and set off on our photographic walk.
Overlooking the Rochdale canal from Ducie Street
Tony took me along Ducie Street where we admired the street murals. Tony had planned for us to walk along the Rochdale canal by Piccadilly basin. We marvelled at the renovated warehouses which were now repurposed as either accommodation or businesses. The area was not a place I would have visited as a student and I was enjoying seeing the developments taking place. We selected China street to walk along to gain access to the canal. The day was bright with reflections everywhere. We came across artwork showing the city of Manchester which was created by Mehaart . The mural was colourful and stunning to view. The various iron bridges along the Rochdale canal have been restored with some new additions. All this gives real character to the area.
Manchester mural on the Rochdale canal by MehaArtThe cobbled towpath along the Rochdale CanalThe Kitty bridge central to all the reflections.
The Kitty bridge is a uniquely designed structure which allows access to Redhill street. There the old cotton warehouses blend in with the new surroundings. Tony was taking me to Cotton Field Wharf Marina which leads onto New Islington marina, a recently restored canal basin. All this is in striking distance of the Manchester City Etihad stadium. My camera was working overtime. I had never seen this area of Manchester when I was a student and was amazed at the new developments. It was now lunchtime and our next stop was Hallé St Peter’s where the Café Cotton served up a delicious meal.
I ‘m not a number.New Islington and a part of Manchester that I had not seen before.Artwork outside the Cafe Halle
After lunch, we picked up an Uber that took us to Castle street in Castlefield, an area that I have been to before. The canal basin is under the railway and tramlines which provide an atmospheric feel to the area. We stumbled upon the place being set up for TV/filming. There were local street artists, dndwalls, painting a backdrop to the area. One of the steel supports was being transformed into a surreal covering of various objects as my pictures show. We chatted to Teresa, whose barge had been loaned to the film set that was being prepared. Everyone we met were on non-disclosure agreements but, as we were in a public space, we could take photographs of the installations. I will be interested to see where this filming ends up. We wait and see.
Through the arch, the new world beckons.Underneath the rail and tram tracks at Castlefield.Street artists, Dillon and Dutch (aka @dndwalls)Graffiti backdrop for the film set.Rings and torsoSteel circlesDiscarded dollsThe surreal installation being put on one of the steel bridge supports
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Portrait of Teresa one of the participants helping in the installations being set up.
On the other side of the train and tram tracks is Castlefield basin where the Bridgewater canal passes through onto the Rochdale canal. This area has become a hive of residential property. Overlooking the older buildings are the imposing high rise Deansgate Square residencies. I attempted to get pictures of the old and the new but the buildings are so tall and required sticking two photographs together. We walked around the Castlefield basin and then picked up the river Medlock that flows past the Deansgate Square residencies. I ended up with many pictures of these high-rise buildings. I am not sure what it must be like living in these flats but I expect you have super cityscape views.
A panorama of the Deansgate buildings with the canal basin in the foreground.Tony standing in front of the Tram bridge.An enthusiastic resident says hello.Another view of the old and new buildings.Looking up the Rochdale canal.
A short walk along the river took us to Tony Wilson Place not far from where the Hacienda was situated. So good to see that Manchester remembers Tony who did so much to promote the music scene in the city. I was an avid concert attender in the late seventies and one band that I wish I had seen was Joy Division. Sadly it was not to be. However I do remember their first appearance on Granda reports in 1978 which was hosted by Tony Wilson.
Bridge over Castlefield BasinFuturistic Manchester
I digress and after a coffee with a delicious slice of Pecan Pie in Essy’s coffee shop, we set off past Deansgate back to Piccadilly station. It was nearly time to get the train home but Tony had one last place to visit, Mayfield park. This is another area that has changed and the public park adjacent to the abandoned Mayfield train station was landscaped along the banks of the river Medlock. A glimpse of this area was all that we had time for as my train waited to take me back to Birmingham. Standing on the platform at Piccadilly station, I was already thinking about when I would return.
A bear at Tony Wilson placeA snapshot of the buildings overlooking Mayfield Park.
Thank you to Tony for the insight into the new and old Manchester and making the day so interesting. I found it fascinating to compare the two cities of Manchester and Birmingham.
A last look at Piccadilly station.
So this was my recent view of Manchester and you may wish to view my last visit to the city in 2022. Enjoy
The golden ticket on a beautiful September evening was a 155 metres journey to the top of the Octagon skyscraper. The invite from Core-marketing on behalf of Paradise Birmingham brought out the great and the good of the photographic fraternity in Birmingham. There were many people disappointed that they were not there to celebrate the “topping out” of this iconic skyscraper. Over 60 photographers gathered at the base of the Octagon waiting to be taken up the 49 floors to the very top of the building. Our “lift” was a hoist which was a platform cage that pointed away from the building. This took up the first 25 photographers. Then there was an anxious wait as the hoist came back down for the rest of us. We did not want to miss the sunset. The cage of the hoist was bordered by a metal grill and as we climbed the outside of the building to the very top , our mobile phones recorded the journey.
Our “hoist” to the top.
We were greeted with a beautiful golden sun that was setting in the West over Edgbaston reservoir. The 360 degrees view was spectacular and with time the familiar landmarks around Birmingham came into focus. There was Broad Street, the Rotunda, the Cube and the BT Tower. Further away the Aston Expressway together with various mosques and churches scattered around the horizon could be seen. The serious photographers were very active. Cameras were pointed at the view and many pictures were taken. There were two levels at the crown of the Octagon, the main level with a metal barrier around the periphery and then a central raised column accessed by a metal staircase, provided a clearer view. There were various cameras on display ranging from super zoom telescopic lenses right down to the humble mobile phone. The social media channels were going to be saturated with views of Birmingham. Nicky Warwickshire, James never Jim and myself (dammodammo) were there representing the IgersbirminghamUK team!
The crown of the Octagon.The view of the sunset over Edgbaston Reservoir.Capturing the sunset.
Sunset was upon us and we gathered to pay homage to the setting of the sun. I was reminded of the Bowie song “Memory of a Free Festival” and the lyrics of the song resonated with me. “The sun machine is going down and we are going to have a party”. This time there was no music just the quiet clicking of camera shutters. However, the fun wasn’t finished. The lights of the city came on and car headlights lights started streaking down the streets like small silver dots. Suddenly you could see into the illuminated offices hidden during the day by reflective glass. Trams and buses were gracefully moving along the streets. Particular views that I enjoyed included Moor Street station and the Birmingham canal navigations.
The view from the OctagonThe Cube103The BT TowerMosques on the skylineSnow Hill 1 to 3Moor St and the Rotunda
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Needless to say we all took so many pictures that saturation point was quickly reached and then the time came to descend back down the hoist and catch the train home. In my excitement, I forgot to get a picture of the moonrise but luckily many other photographers filled that void and I was able to see their views of the moon. One photographer Pete Davies was at Edgbaston reservoir and he captured the moonrise next to the Octagon. You can just make out the photographers on the top.
Tram passing through Victoria Square.Cars on the Expressway.
We were discussing the visit and how spectacular the tower construction was on the train home. One of the Octagon project leaders was on the same train home and he gave us a fascinating insight into how the structure had been built and what was involved in its construction. Our conversation took in previous buildings such as the Cube and what was in store for Birmingham in the future. This was a really enjoyable evening and I knew that there was still the morning sunrise to look forward to. However the weather forecast didn’t look too promising but then again we wait and see.
Final look at the sunset glow on our way home.
The sunrise shift.
Getting up at 4:00am was not easy but once I got moving, I was wide awake. After a quick breakfast and walking the dog, I drove into Birmingham and parked up in Brindley Place. Birmingham City Centre was very quiet with only a few people moving around. I walked briskly through Centenary square, past the library, into Chamberlain place and on to the Octagon for the morning session. There were far fewer photographers gathered at the base of the building. Getting up early appears to be a much more difficult activity for a photographer than the evening sunset. The weather was dull and the golden glow of yesterday evening was quickly forgotten as we checked in and made our way to the “hoist”. Soon we were back travelling on the outside of the building. This was now familiar territory and recording the journey up was much easier the second time around.
Going up the Octogen
When we arrived at the crown, the first thing I noticed was the wind and the cold. Night had not loosened its grip of the new day and the bright city lights were still shining. I got out my camera and started taking pictures. There were some opportunities to take some long exposures of the rush hour traffic that was starting to stream into the City. Reviewing other people’s photographs, I realized that I had missed some buildings and I made sure that I got St. Paul’s church and the Big Pen in the Jewellery Quarter. There were a few other places that I had forgotten all about from last night and this was the most exciting part of the visit, taking new views of the city.
The rush hour into the City along Suffolk Street Queensway.A Bus moving down Broad street.Centenary Square Cambrian Wharf.St Paul’s ChurchThe Big Pen and the JQ in the early morning mist.The mist rolls in.
Slowly the dawn crept forward and banished the dark of the night. The wind seemed to be increasing and I was glad that I had my jumper with me to add to the layers of clothers that I was wearing. A mist started rolling in and unsurprisingly, there was no sunrise but I knew the sun was out there somewhere. With my remaining time, I started looking for unusual shots around the building. BBC West Midlands radio were present, interviewing people who were getting ready for the topping out ceremony that was taking place later that day.
Interviews for BBC West Midlands Radio.
This visit was a quieter affair. Mindfulness is a wonderful feeling and I stood taking in the view which was much more rewarding than just wanting to use my camera. I had taken all the pictures that I needed and went back down the hoist for the final time. There was a touch of sadness as I had really enjoyed my two visits to the top of the Octagon. This 49 floor skyscraper is ready for future residential living and the plan is to rent out the apartments. The building will soon be completed and then the army of construction workers will move on to the next tall building. Birmingham is an exciting place and is changing all the time. I hope to go up the next building that gets finished, but in the meantime, I left with good thoughts as I wandered back through the city to my car. There were more workers out and about getting ready for the day, I had already completed a day on top of the Octagon and now I was getting ready for a second day. I looked forward to getting my pictures together and telling people how much I had enjoyed my visit to the Octagon.
Bolt and BokehHoist CallHook and crane
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all at the Octagon who allowed these amazing visits to take place. I do hope you enjoyed reading about my visit to the Octagon. Thank you to Paradise Birmingham and Core-Marketing for the opportunity.
Sunset memories.
I have given a link to some of my other visits to skyscrapers and hope you continue to read my photographic journey.
The alarm was set at 4.15am but I was awake long before the music “Insomnia” kicked off my waking routine. Early starts are a necessary evil if the early bird wants to catch the preverbal worm. Within 20 minutes, the dog had been out and I was ready to leave with a hot cup of coffee in a thermos. My destination was Middleton Lakes RSPB where I wanted to photograph the wildlife. The lakes are easy to get to from the M42 and there was no traffic at that time of the morning. Passing the Aston Villa Bodymoor training grounds I reached the lakes and parked the car. There was a lovely mist over the meadows and when I passed over the canal there was a dreamy quality about the air. I was the only person around and had the place to myself.
A canal boat on the Birmingham and Fazeley CanalEarly morning flightFirst light on the lakesButterflies are back and soaking up the sun.Fish are jumping and catching flies.
Then there was the decision, the wetlands or the woodlands. I am glad I made the decision to visit the lakes. The Canada Geese were taking turns to set off on group flybys In the lake, I saw fish jumping out of the water to catch insects on the water. I saw a heron and other birds which I need to identify. The butterflies were waking up and enjoying the sunshine. I moved onto the meadows to see if there were any owls hunting. Whilst the owls were not out the Konik ponies were moving around. I walked around the meadow and came close to the riverbanks where there were several dragonflies and damsel flies. I was not quick enough to catch the dragonflies but the damsel flies were more sluggish. The sun was warming up the vegetation and my landscape picture was selected for the main BBC weather photograph. One downside is that there were many midges around and I found later that day that I had picked up many insect bites that persisted for several days afterwards.
A heron waits patiently.Looking for fish from above.A damselfly takes in the sunMy picture on the BBC Midlands evening news.
If you enjoyed this visit to Middleton Lakes RSPB then please read my previous blog.
The HS2 construction is transforming the landscape around the Curzon Street building. Once this was a sleepy backwater and a relatively quiet part of Birmingham. However first came Millennium Point and then the ThinkTank museum. Then HS2 rolled into town. Birmingham City University also moved location so that they were near to the station. This series of pictures provides a construction update of the area and the viaducts that will carry the trains into the station which are starting to appear. The area around the Birmingham canal allows a view of the enormous construction taking place.
Back in 2013 the scene was very quiet then before construction began.20202024
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Life goes on around the HS2 changes.Curzon street is quiet for now. This will be a busy station thoroughfare in the future.The scene from the canal onto the City.Viaduct sentinelsCranes oversee the site.
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A few interesting stories developed whilst I was taking pictures. I added to my 100 strangers project whilst I was walking around the perimeter of the HS2 development works. As I was taking pictures over the canal bridge looking towards the new viaducts for the trains, I met Mace who was from London. He was on a stopover in Birmingham on his journey to Scotland. He immediately engaged me in conversation and was a lively personality. After discussing the state of play of the HS2 and Birmingham, he willingly posed for my 100 strangers’ project. (More of this photographic project at a later date). The sun was out creating lighting difficulties so I asked Mace to stand under the shade. In the portrait, Curzon street is to the right and the view is down towards the ThinkTank museum and Birmingham City University. The new Curzon Street station is further down the road.
Mace who I met on Curzon Street.
Another interesting finding was that to my surprise I found a narrowboat moored up on the other side of the Curzon Street railway bridge near to the Birmingham Gun Barrell proof house. It is a rare sight to see canal boats on this stretch of the canal. However as the area starts to receive more investment then it is likely that such occurrences will be more frequent.
A narrowboat tied up near to the Curzon Rail bridge overlooks the City
One of my photography projects is to photograph the changes occurring in other places of the HS2 development. You may wish to view the changes to 16 acre wood near Berkswell.
With the long summer nights upon us, the IgersbirminghamUK team came up with the idea for a photowalk that started at St Paul’s Square and finished at St Philip’s Cathedral. Along the way we could photograph interesting views of Birmingham. The walk went down Ludgate Hill, over the Pedestrian Bridge towards Church Street finally arriving at St Philip’s Square affectionately known by locals as Pigeon Park. The call went out a week before on social media and on the evening a group of photographers assembled outside St Paul’s Church. A list of some interesting places and buildings had already been circulated on our social media channels. Many of these suggestions were taken up by our band of photographers. I usually have my iPhone and my Fujifilm x100vi on any city walk. I just find these two cameras so useful to tell the story of the streets as they are easy to carry and use. They also take good pictures.
Canal CyclistCycle reflectionUnderneathPhotographersSelfiePeaky BlindersSt Paul’s ChurchTowpathon the bridgeThe big wheel
. The walk started with lovely warm sunshine and St Paul’s Square looked good in the evening light. As we moved down Ludgate Hill towards the Birmingham Canal, the sky clouded over but it did not stop us taking pictures of our favourite Brummie locations.
Steps on the canal
The canal passes underneath the BT tower. There is graffiti and concrete posts yet the canal locks blend in well with the surroundings. Further along, the pedestrian bridge is always a favourite photography location. The light was dimming so it was possible to practice a few long exposures of the traffic passing underneath.
Towards the tunnelTowards Snow Hill.
. As we approached St Philip’s Square along Church Street, we could see the recently installed Big Wheel lit up against the late evening light. Then came the rain. Just as we reached the square, the heavens opened and we got very wet. Some of us were fortunate as we had brough a water proof coat or umbrella. Others were less lucky. We first thought that this was going to be a miserable end to a good evening of photography. After the initial heavy downpour, we saw that the rain had created reflections on the surrounding pavements. The Big Wheel was lit up in different colours, and the resulting images with the reflections gave a range of interesting effects. Also people were walking past with umbrellas casting their shadows in the puddles. The picture opportunities were unending. After a while no one minded the rain or the fact that they were soaked through.
Part of the ramp from the bridge. Not the best part of Brum.
Those of us that were left behind after braving the rain finished our walk at the Wolf pub on Constitution hill. During our well deserved refreshments, the IgersbirminghamUK team planned our next adventure.
This are my own pictures from the @IgersbirminghamUK walk. If you want to see the pictures of all the other talented photographers that took part then follow the link #igbUK_meet_sq2park
The walk back from the Wolf pub to Snow Hill station was short but interesting and here is a set of five pictures showing how the light and reflections after the rain can create a wonderful range of colours.
Looking across the street at Old Snow HillWarm lights on Water StreetUnder the archLights and reflections on Lionel StreetPuddles at Snow Hill Station
If you have got down to here then there are other IgersbirminghamUK meetings to read about on my blog. Enjoy reading about our activities. The team at IgersbirminghamUK look forward to seeing you at one of their future meetings.
The appearances of poppies near to where I live is becoming unpredictable. Typically, poppies flower around the beginning of June. However, poppy fields are more difficult to find as farmers are changing their farming practices to be more competitive. The once large poppy fields around Worcestershire are undergoing a slow transformation into Heathland under the supervision of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. This makes finding the location of a flowering poppy field challenging, but with the help of friends and careful monitoring of social media, a few fields were reported near to Kinver Edge in South Staffordshire. The next challenge was the weather and to find a time when there would be a good sunrise or sunset. I prefer sunrises in the countryside especially for poppies. The light is clearer and cool but the biggest advantage is the lack of other photographers and people. If a field is popular then spectators and photographers will flock to the area. Morning is preferable.
There was a mist over the fields before sunrise.The beautiful colours of a poppy fieldThe white and red mix of wildflowers
Setting the alarm clock for 3am, I made the 45min drive to Kinver in South Staffordshire. There was some delightful early morning mist and I quickly stopped in a nearby village for some pictures of the misty landscapes. Arriving at the field, I met Simon Lea, an old friend, who takes some beautiful woodland and landscape pictures. We quickly caught up on news and then looked to our photography as the sun was ready to make an appearance. The field was south facing with a gentle slope towards where we were standing. The land is near to Kinver Edge and so there is an undulating landscape. I had been advised to take my 400mm zoom lens and I am glad that I did. The owner of the field had fenced the surrounding perimeter with barbed wire and did not wish any trespassers on their land.
The view of the poppy field landscape
The field was nearing its peak and the poppies were set back and interspersed with a mix of white feverfew and purple vetch. Just before sunrise, the light was cool and the poppies took on a dreamy feel in the mist. I took several pictures at this time. Once the sun had risen the light became intense.
Poppies in the sunlightThe heat glare of the sun burns off the mist
Most of my pictures were taken with my Canon 5D MKIV with a circular polariser. I also had my x100vi with me which I used for a sunrise picture and hoped for the best. The picture taken with the Fujifilm was good and is the front cover of the blog. As the sun became brighter, I walked, with my tripod and camera, further up the road where there were several pictures still to be taken. There was one of three poppies against the barbed fence that provided symbolism of previous wars. The sun catching the petals of the many poppies provided some further pictures.
Poppies behind a barbed wire fence.An abundance of poppies
Then it was time to go. The mist in the distance was still lingering and I found a place near to Kinver to take more landscape pictures. My Waze satnav took me back over a sleepy backwater of the canals along Windsor Holloway. Then it was back through Churchill onto the main roads and home for breakfast at 7.30am. On such summer mornings, one is left with the feeling that you have experienced two days. The first a magical sunrise and then a day where I return to my normal life.
A view of the Staffordshire canal Mist over the Staffordshire countryside
I have included a link to last year’s field in Bewdley which sadly is not there this year.
On the Regent’s Canal, sitting outside having lunch at the Ragged museum and life is good. The sun is shining and sitting back watching people rowing on the Regent’s canal. This spot in Stepney is a favourite place of mine for photographs. On the bridge with its spikey railings, one has a wonderful view of Canary Wharf. The juxtaposition of old versus new is quite dramatic. Before sitting down for lunch with Peter who was accompanying me on this recent photographic walk, I took a picture down towards Canary Wharf and posted it on BBC Weather watchers. The picture was featured on the lunchtime news and by then I knew then it was going to be a good day.
On BBC London Lunchtime NewsUnder the bridgeBoats alongside the canalOver and under the bridge
Limehouse Basin is always active and with the DLR trains passing overhead and the buses and traffic nearby. the place is buzzing. We walked around the basin taking pictures of the sights. At one point as Peter was talking, I managed to get his attention and we looked down towards the lock gates. There was a heron patiently waiting for their catch of the day. The spot has water rushing in from the basin and this was the place to fish. Herons are beautiful creatures but lethal predators and several fish were caught whilst we were watching the bird. The Limehouse basin has everything you wish for in photography. There are reflections, symmetry and colours around the canal basin and we lingered in the area for a time.
Boats and trains in Limehouse BasinReflections… and more selectionsA heron just waiting for the moment.
The basin links with the Thames and the path through the town houses leads to the Canary Wharf estate. The tide was out and the river bank was accessible so I went down to the water’s edge and then looked back. There was a great view of the tall skyscrapers reaching for the sky overlooking the Thames. These high rise buildings reminded me of New Age sentinels that are keeping watch on everyone.
The skyscrapers of Canary WharfPeople living amongst the giants.Canary Wharf stationRed in-between the carriages.
The private owners of Canary Wharf have put much effort in promoting artwork around the site. This is much better than having to look upwards as there is an awful lot of skyscrapers. Whilst some of the architecture did look interesting, there is an overwhelming feeling that the steel and glass is very repetitious. One of the high points was the “captivated by colour” tunnel designed by Camille Walala which proved to be a great place to take pictures of people. I stood centrally and lifted by camera up to get some good views of the tunnel. A group of lads came through and had a great time acting up for the camera.
Colourful circlesTime waits for no-oneA story in the tunnel
Walking through the estate there were several reflections of the buildings in the water that provided good pictures. I did look up at the occasional skyscraper did catch my attention as seen by my pictures. Our final destination was a favourite pub of mine, the Gun. The pub is on the banks of the Thames overlooking the O2 arena. There is a lot of history attached to this Grade II building not least that Horatio Nelson secretly met his lover Lady Emma Hamilton when he was in London. We sat down in the outside Gin area and compared notes on our pictures. The view over the O2 arena has changed since I last visited with ugly blocks of flats suddenly appearing and obscuring the view. A long day walking and taking photographs and yet another chapter to my London Times. Finally a picture of Alfie and Bill who were sitting next to us and asked us for a picture of the two of them. Whilst I had a train to catch, Peter stayed on for the golden hour which is always good with the light catching the glass and water.
MotorbikingWater and skyscraper reflectionsThe oppressive nature of all the building taking place in Canary Wharf.Legs and reflectionsThe Gun The O2 back in 2012The view from the Gin Garden of the Gun in 2024Alfie and Bill taken at the Gun.Under the flight path
Hope you enjoyed this blog and there are more “London Times” Blog entries and you can start with the one below.
Leamington Spa has streets of white tall elegant buildings. All are fine examples of Regency architecture. Away from the Regency style avenues, buildings in the old town have become canvases for stunning street art several courtesy of the Brink Leamington Mural festival. The train station is a good starting point for exploring the streets of Leamington being close to the old town and the Grand Union canal. On the corner of Crown Terrace and the High Street, a mural advertising the Brink contemporary arts community is displayed. The cartoon character, Gru supervillain turned secret agent, greets you as your first introduction to the artwork that follows. Street art is always fun to photograph but ensuring the artist is always credited can be a challenge. Therefore if I have missed anyone out, I apologise and refer you onto the Brink Contemporary Arts links including a map of the art work and their Instagram page.
Future Synth by Void OneRoyal Leamington Spa by MIG 29Phone Home
The street mural next to the rail arches on Clement street is an attention grabber and at the other end near the canal is the Leamington Spa mural. We identified the Micro Pug, a small pub next to the canal, as a good place to visit and started a circular walk back to the pub. Part of our route would take in the Lady of Shrubland Street. This mural reflects the Victorian architecture of nearby Shrubland Street Primary School and was created by Tim Robottam. I have used filters for the colours and a Flickr friend to pose for the picture. The old part of Leamington has streets with character and this mural enhances the look of the area . Near to the mural stands the Green Man pub where the Lenny Henry TV series “Three Little Birds” was filmed.
The lady of Shrubland StreetCaptivating mural.Muscles of LeamArt and directionsFlowers on the canalUnder the London Line
The circular route back to pub took in the murals around the disused factory area which may be approached via Eagle Recreational Park. The murals line up alongside the Grand Union Canal and the path leads to steps and a footbridge taking you over the canal. As you go up the steps a glance to left reveals the stunning art by the artist N4t4. The canal was busy and a narrowboat passing by the graffiti strewn factory was an added bonus. We headed back to the Micro Pug for a drink and to plan the later part of the day.
Canal Boat passing by.Figure and face.
We took a general walk through the Regency half of the town. Jephson gardens was looking good in the sun with people enjoying the fine weather. The usual “honey spot” pictures of Jephson Gardens, the Parade and Clarendon Square were taken before finally it was time to go home.
Enjoying the water fountainsMind your HeadBridge over the River LeamThe architecture of the Royal PriorsBusy roads in Leamington SpaPhone boxesThe beauty of Clarendon Square
I have completed another chapter in my photographic blogs which feature Leamington Spa. My last blog picks up many of the other murals that are present in the town. Finally why the moniker Silicon Spa? The town has exploded in the digital world and is a hub for computer game developers and other computer software programs. The streets maybe lined with code but the artistic community is keeping up by painting the walls with colours.
Finally the “we” and “my Flickr Friend” is JohnBrum69 who kindly guided me around the streets of Leamington.
Emerging from a tunnel under Islington, the Regent’s canal begins its journey through Shoreditch. The canal is wide with a spacious towpath. Many runners and pedestrians take advantage of the scenic waterway as it passes through the east of London. There are many narrowboats along the way each with their interesting names and individual colours.
Joining the Regent’s Canal from Colebrooke rowPedestrians on the towpathTravelling towards the tunnel under Islington
Several roads pass over the canal allowing views up and down the waterway. Iron arched bridges spanning the canal, rumble as commuter trains pass over them. Old industrial buildings sit on either side of the canal and many are converted to city living whilst others wait for progress to overtake them. There are cafes, pubs and restaurants with people sitting at outside tables taking advantage of the mild spring weather. Along the way there are small recesses around the bridges that have been made into communal gardens. I particularly liked the bird boxes put up on the canal bridge wall. For the photographer there are lines, reflections and opportunities for street photography. The buildings offer a range of architectural styles and the boats often spring surprises with the way that people have either painted them or the objects that they have collected on their travels.
On the look out.A building and a boat.Typical view of this section of the Regent’s Canal.Colourful Graffiti on the buildings.
Hope you find what you are looking for.Beware of the dog.Beware of the leg!Canal bridges provide reflections and shapes.The Bird boxes look very cosy.
Yellow was a theme of my walk. I just seemed to find lots of yellow objects as you will see. They were either single, in twos or multiple!
The yellow let’s you know where you are.Two yellows I hope you are counting how many yellows there are.I did well with this one getting three yellow’s into the picture ( or are there more?)
My walk started at the Colebrooke Row entrance in Islington and finished at Queensbrooke Road turning around to go back to the A10. There were so many pictures and here is a final finish to my pictures featuring one or two of the eating establishments on this stretch of the canal.
Table with a viewOld buildings, new beginnings.Food preparations.More bridge picture funBoats, boards, lines, geometric shapes and colours.
This is just one of many photographic walks that I have taken on the Regent’s canal in London. I have mapped different sections of the canal as it leaves Paddington basin on its long journey across north London to Lime House Basin. There are many parts still to discover whilst revisiting those that have already been photographed. I have added some further links below and I wish to thank Peter Thompson for showing me this part of the canal. Please visit Peter’s Website for some amazing travel photography.
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