The Islands Interior 2022
The Islands Interior - 2022 Project Page
Can I find 12 locations that don’t have a sea view?
Welcome to my 2022 Project page, the Islands Interior. Whilst reviewing my images for the 2021 project, (and my images in general from 2021) I realised that nearly every photo I take includes the Sea. I seem to photograph either on the coast of the Island or close by, and with good reason of course, it is difficult to beat a dose of vitamin sea to give you a good start to the day. However I realised I am overlooking a large section of the Island, its interior.
This then became the focus for my 2022 project - Can I capture 12 portfolio worthy images from the Island, that do not include the sea.
This is going to be quite a challenge for me, the Island is only 13 miles wide at its widest point, and a good deal narrower than that at a lot of other points, so as soon as you get up high on the hills the sea comes into view. Normally one of the Islands selling points but a challenge for my project. It will be a good opportunity to get out and explore some new locations. I’m aiming for 1 image a month and will add them here as I complete each month.
Wish me luck.
Bembridge Lagoons - Although not featuring the coast my first photo for the project does nonetheless feature water. The Bembridge Lagoons sit between Bembridge Harbour and the Brading Marshes beyond. This is a scene that has always attracted me with the old derelict pump house rising above the trees and the spire of Bembridge Church on the Horizon. The Reeds on the far side of the lake providing a stark colour contrast to the surrounding trees. This image was captured on an overcast January day that was perfectly still allowing amazing reflections to be captured on the water of the lake.
Bembridge Windmill is the only windmill left on the Island, and during 2021 it had its sails reached after many years of restoration so it now looks wonderful again. Captured here on a rare frosty morning in February with these tufts of grass standing frozen in the early morning. It was an amazing sunrise as the clouds started to build just as the sun appeared above the horizon and the Sky went some amazing colours.
Winkle Street - Sitting near the centre of the Island in the Village of Calbourne Winkle Street is a short row of wonderfully characteristic cottages with a brook flowing alongside. It looks lovely in March with the Daffodils in bloom heralding the beginning of Spring.
Ventnor Downs - After spending April hunting for bluebells in the Islands woodland in May I discovered I should have been on the downs all along! Here on Ventnor down there was a wonderful carpet of bluebells. It was a long wait for the sun to rise above the down so the light caught the flowers but it was worth the wait. Fortunately I had the jet boil with me so could make a coffee to enjoy whilst waiting.
Goodwood Copse - Whilst we don’t have great Bluebell woods on the Island, we do have some wonderful Wild Garlic spots. Greenwood Copse just outside Shanklin is certainly one of the better ones. Captured here as the sun rose on a May Morning.
Wellow: Endless fields of Barley turning golden at Sunset. Large sections of the Islands interior is dedicated to agriculture and so this had to be included in the project. Captured here on a June evening.
Ashey: A misty summers morning in Ashey .
Brading Down: The harvest was early this year, no doubt a result of the dry weather we had through July and into August. Managed to capture these straw bales up on Brading Down as the sun rose one morning.
Appuldurcombe Down: The view towards Godchild and Newport from Appldurcombe down on a September day. The dry summer is still evident in the dark grasses as the ground starts to recover after recent rains.
The Longstone: A burning sunrise sky over the Longstone on the Mottistone Estate. The Longstone is a Megalithic monument and the only one on the Island, Made up of two stones one larger stone standing and the smaller lying down. Captured here under an autumn sunrise.
Mottistone Down: One of the line of Downs running through the middle of the Island, Mottistone sits in the West Wight. Captured here on an Autumnal afternoon under a heavy sky. Looking East back into the centre of the Island. St. Catherines Down is in the Distance on the Right hand side with Brighstone Down continuing on the Left hand side of the image.
Firestone Copse and the Old Mill Pond: At the start of December we had some really cold conditions and after a couple of days of not getting above freezing the start of the Old Mill Pond where Blackbridge Brook flows through Firestone Copse was looking like a winter wonderland.
The North Pole Express at Ashey: A bonus image as the Isle of Wight Steam Railways North Pole Shuttle steams through the frozen countryside at Ashey.