TR October Day 17

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

On the next sunny day I planned to visit the Black Mountains with Bill Grey, intending to climb Pen
Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr, a repeat of the Beacons expedition walk in the snow that Bill
missed out on. However, in spite of a clear sunny start to the day, as we drove up the Neath valley
the sky quickly filled with clouds, seemingly billowing over from the Rhondda area. I suspected it
might be valley fog rising to form cloud and. By the time we reached Hirwaun the sky was virtually
overcast and Pen y Fan was shrouded in hill fog. Unsure of conditions on the Black Mountain, we
decided to change our plans and walk up nearby Fan Fawr, since we were in the vicinity and it was
still lucky enough to be lit by sun.

Starting from the south side of the Beacons reservoir, we ascended west and followed the Cefn yr
Henriw ridge to the summit of Fan Fawr. The wind was much stronger and colder than previous days
and it was starting to become quite unpleasant in the wind. At the top we stopped for a while and
watched the hill fog over Corn Du slowly disperse. Eventually it cleared by the time we began our
descent, as the picture on the website shows. The purple bank of fog can be seen just behind.

As we descended we encountered numerous sheep, some of whom were engaged in head butting
competitions. I stopped for a while to photograph them and take some videos with my digital camera.
The north-easterly descent was very steep at first, but soon levelled off. The remaining stroll
across rough ground was easy enough, and I stopped to take a snap of Bill Grey with Fan Fawr in the
background. We saw a few interesting fungi back at the edge of the forest, including fly agaric.

Distance: 5.4km - Ascent: 340m - Effort Rating: 8.8 - Duration: 3 hours 32 minutes

As Paul has stated above, things didn't work out quite as planned. It was most disappointing to se
the low cloud/fog bank when we got to the upper Neath Valley. Things looked a bit brighter as we
left the A465 and went towards Brecon via Penderyn.

The start of the walk through some forestry indicated strong winds, and once on open ground this
became very evident. At the start of the walk my little thermometer showed 10 deg C later that
dropped to 5 deg. Paul hinted that the wind chill factor could easily send the temperature below
freezing. It was very cold!

In the sunshine at the top of Fan Fawr it was just a mild breeze and Corn Du to the east was
shrouded in fog. This dispersed and we enjoyed a great view, The tourist path from Pont ar Daf to
Pen-y-Fan was very clear indeed.

Anyway have a look at Paul - usually unseen in these reports.

graigroad.demon.co.ukfanfawr.htmOpen ↗
--
Bill Grey billboy.co.ukbillboy.co.ukOpen ↗

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| Sorry if you see this twice, but this post doesn't seem to have gotten through.
|
| On the next sunny day I planned to visit the Black Mountains with Bill Grey, intending to climb
| Pen Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr, a repeat of the Beacons expedition walk in the snow that Bill
| missed out on. However, in spite of a clear sunny start to the day, as we drove up the Neath
| valley the sky quickly filled with clouds, seemingly billowing over from the Rhondda area. I
| suspected it might be valley fog rising to form cloud and. By the time we reached Hirwaun the sky
| was virtually overcast and Pen y Fan was shrouded in hill fog. Unsure of conditions on the Black
| Mountain, we decided to change our plans and walk up nearby Fan Fawr, since we were in the
| vicinity and it was still lucky enough to be lit by sun.
|
| Starting from the south side of the Beacons reservoir, we ascended west and followed the Cefn yr
| Henriw ridge to the summit of Fan Fawr. The wind was much stronger and colder than previous days
| and it was starting to become quite unpleasant in the wind. At the top we stopped for a while and
| watched the hill fog over Corn Du slowly disperse. Eventually it cleared by the time we began our
| descent, as the picture on the website shows. The purple bank of fog can be seen just behind.
|
| As we descended we encountered numerous sheep, some of whom were engaged in head butting
| competitions. I stopped for a while to photograph them and take some videos with my digital
| camera. The north-easterly descent was very steep at first, but soon levelled off. The remaining
| stroll across rough ground was easy enough, and I stopped to take a snap of Bill Grey with Fan
| Fawr in the background. We saw a few interesting fungi back at the edge of the forest, including
| fly agaric.
|
| Distance: 5.4km - Ascent: 340m - Effort Rating: 8.8 - Duration: 3 hours 32 minutes
|
| wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober17.htmlOpen ↗
|
| Paul

Hi Paul, did you take any photos of the fungi? If so, I'd be interested to see them?

Thanks,

Ste

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Beautiful shot Bill! ;o)

I've never been called beautiful before! ;-)

But you stand beautifully still for a photo :-)
--
Bill Grey billboy.co.ukbillboy.co.ukOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, ste © <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

| > And the other one looked like you'd taken a bite out of it! :o)
|
| I'm not that stupid! I don't know what that one was, but that's the shape the Fly Agaric would be
| when it matures.

Well someone's taken a bite out of it! Are you sure it wasn't Bill? ;o)

Definitely not me - I haven't enough teeth to make a serious bite :-)
--
Bill Grey billboy.co.ukbillboy.co.ukOpen ↗

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders <[email hidden]> writes
| >On the next sunny day I planned to visit the Black Mountains with Bill Grey, intending to climb
| >Pen Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr, a repeat of the Beacons expedition walk in the snow that Bill
| >missed out on. However, in spite of a clear sunny start to the day, as we drove up the Neath
| >valley the sky quickly filled with clouds, seemingly billowing over from the Rhondda area. I
| >suspected it might be valley fog rising to form cloud and. By the time we reached Hirwaun the sky
| >was virtually overcast and Pen y Fan was shrouded in hill fog. Unsure of conditions on the Black
| >Mountain, we decided to change our plans and walk up nearby Fan Fawr, since we were in the
| >vicinity and it was still lucky enough to be lit by sun.
| >
| >Starting from the south side of the Beacons reservoir, we ascended west and followed the Cefn yr
| >Henriw ridge to the summit of Fan Fawr. The wind was much stronger and colder than previous days
| >and it was starting to become quite unpleasant in the wind. At the top we stopped for a while and
| >watched the hill fog over Corn Du slowly disperse. Eventually it cleared by the time we began our
| >descent, as the picture on the website shows. The purple bank of fog can be seen just behind.
| >
| >As we descended we encountered numerous sheep, some of whom were engaged in head butting
| >competitions. I stopped for a while to photograph them and take some videos with my digital
| >camera. The north-easterly descent was very steep at first, but soon levelled off. The remaining
| >stroll across rough ground was easy enough, and I stopped to take a snap of Bill Grey with Fan
| >Fawr in the background. We saw a few interesting fungi back at the edge of the forest, including
| >fly agaric.
| >
| >Distance: 5.4km - Ascent: 340m - Effort Rating: 8.8 - Duration: 3 hours 32 minutes
|
|
| As Paul has stated above, things didn't work out quite as planned. It was most disappointing to se
| the low cloud/fog bank when we got to the upper Neath Valley. Things looked a bit brighter as we
| left the A465 and went towards Brecon via Penderyn.
|
| The start of the walk through some forestry indicated strong winds, and once on open ground this
| became very evident. At the start of the walk my little thermometer showed 10 deg C later that
| dropped to 5 deg. Paul hinted that the wind chill factor could easily send the temperature below
| freezing. It was very cold!
|
| In the sunshine at the top of Fan Fawr it was just a mild breeze and Corn Du to the east was
| shrouded in fog. This dispersed and we enjoyed a great view, The tourist path from Pont ar Daf to
| Pen-y-Fan was very clear indeed.
|
| Anyway have a look at Paul - usually unseen in these reports.
|
| graigroad.demon.co.ukfanfawr.htmOpen ↗
| --
| Bill Grey

Beautiful shot Bill! ;o)

Ste

ste © said:

Hi Paul, did you take any photos of the fungi? If so, I'd be interested to see them?

On their way, nothing special though.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

ste © said:

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyway have a look at Paul - usually unseen in these reports.

Quoted message said:

Beautiful shot Bill! ;o)

I've never been called beautiful before! ;-)

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| ste © wrote:
|
| > Hi Paul, did you take any photos of the fungi? If so, I'd be interested to see them?
|
| On their way, nothing special though.

Thanks Paul, I got them this morning whilst at work checking my webmail. I was just curious as to
what you guys were seeing, as I've read about people taking fungi shots but I've never took any
myself. To be honest, I've never seen the ones you've sent pictures of, but I've never particularly
gone looking for them either. I will go to a dark and damp woods at the weekend and see what I can
find - I've seen mushroom-like things before, but they've always been too ruined to be worth taking
a shot of.

That red and white one you sent had really bright colours - I've seen a photo of one like this
before, but it was from the side rather than from above. And the other one looked like you'd taken a
bite out of it! :o)

| Paul

Thanks,

Ste

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ste © said:

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyway have a look at Paul - usually unseen in these reports.

Quoted message said:

Beautiful shot Bill! ;o)

I've never been called beautiful before! ;-)

Paul

..sorry, I meant to say 'beautifully taken shot Bill!' ;o)

(I'm sure I've seen that photo on Crimewatch one...!) :o)

Ste

ste © said:

To be honest, I've never seen the ones you've sent pictures of, but I've never particularly
gone looking for them either. I will go to a dark and damp woods at the weekend and see what I
can find -

Those were on the edge of the forest. You can find them anywhere. On Cribarth I saw lots of magic
mushrooms and puffballs.

Quoted message said:

I've seen mushroom-like things before, but they've always been too ruined to be worth taking a
shot of.

You need to get there early in the morning. Many mushrooms appear overnight or early morning and are
ruined later in the day. They tend to like certain conditions, damp and not too hot or cold I think.

Quoted message said:

That red and white one you sent had really bright colours - I've seen a photo of one like this
before, but it was from the side rather than from above.

That was Fly Agaric, a young one before it had opened out.

Quoted message said:

And the other one looked like you'd taken a bite out of it! :o)

I'm not that stupid! I don't know what that one was, but that's the shape the Fly Agaric would be
when it matures.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| ste © wrote:
|
| > To be honest, I've never seen the ones you've sent pictures of, but I've never particularly gone
| > looking for them either. I will go to a dark and damp woods at the weekend and see what I can
| > find -
|
| Those were on the edge of the forest. You can find them anywhere. On Cribarth I saw lots of magic
| mushrooms and puffballs.

I'll keep my eye out then, as I'm trying to get a diverse range of photos under my belt.

| > I've seen mushroom-like things before, but they've always been too ruined to be worth taking a
| > shot of.
|
| You need to get there early in the morning. Many mushrooms appear overnight or early morning and
| are ruined later in the day. They tend to like certain conditions, damp and not too hot or cold
| I think.

Early morning? That's not what I wanted to hear! :o)

| > That red and white one you sent had really bright colours - I've seen a photo of one like this
| > before, but it was from the side rather than from above.
|
| That was Fly Agaric, a young one before it had opened out.

I'll dig out the photo that I'd seen and email it to you - it was really nice.

| > And the other one looked like you'd taken a bite out of it! :o)
|
| I'm not that stupid! I don't know what that one was, but that's the shape the Fly Agaric would be
| when it matures.

Well someone's taken a bite out of it! Are you sure it wasn't Bill? ;o)

| Paul

Ste

ste © said:

I'll keep my eye out then, as I'm trying to get a diverse range of photos under my belt.

Many mushrooms are quite small.

Quoted message said:

Early morning? That's not what I wanted to hear! :o)

You'd better get used to it, it's by far the best time to take photographs. I *hate* getting up
early, but I force myself to do it. I'm always happy when I make the effort and am rewarded with a
wonderful sunrise. Try it sometime.

Quoted message said:

Well someone's taken a bite out of it! Are you sure it wasn't Bill? ;o)

Maybe a fox?

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| ste © wrote:
|
| > I'll keep my eye out then, as I'm trying to get a diverse range of photos under my belt.
|
| Many mushrooms are quite small.

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

| > Early morning? That's not what I wanted to hear! :o)
|
| You'd better get used to it, it's by far the best time to take photographs. I *hate* getting up
| early, but I force myself to do it. I'm always happy when I make the effort and am rewarded with a
| wonderful sunrise. Try it sometime.

I know, I've read a lot! But at least the sunrises will be occuring later now that winter is drawing
in. When I was on holiday a few months ago, I got up early on the last day and took some sunrise
shots - I'd never actually seen a proper sunrise until then:
usefilm.com197482.htmlOpen ↗ and usefilm.com201960.htmlOpen ↗

| > Well someone's taken a bite out of it! Are you sure it wasn't Bill? ;o)
|
| Maybe a fox?
|
| Paul

Ste

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| In article <[email hidden]>, ste © <[email hidden]> writes
| >| > And the other one looked like you'd taken a bite out of it! :o)
| >|
| >| I'm not that stupid! I don't know what that one was, but that's the shape the Fly Agaric would
| >| be when it matures.
| >
| >Well someone's taken a bite out of it! Are you sure it wasn't Bill? ;o)
|
| Definitely not me - I haven't enough teeth to make a serious bite :-)

:-D

It must be a fox then! :o)

| --
| Bill Grey

Ste

ste © said:

I know, I've read a lot! But at least the sunrises will be occuring later now that winter is
drawing in.

Yeah, but they're getting a lot colder too. What I hate most is getting all the frost off the car in
the morning blackness, and then having to get into it to drive to my destination. It's like being
inside a freezer until the heater eventually starts to take effect. Much easier to go out wild
camping, you just get out of the tent, no freezing car hassles.

Summer sunrises are much easier, because they're quite warm and pleasant. They may be early, but
that's not problem if you go to sleep early enough, or even if you stay awake late enough! It hasn't
been unknown for me to stay up all night, go out to photograph the sunrise, then return home to go
to bed... ;-)

Quoted message said:

When I was on holiday a few months ago, I got up early on the last day and took some sunrise shots
- I'd never actually seen a proper sunrise until then:

Really?

Quoted message said:

usefilm.com197482.htmlOpen ↗ and usefilm.com201960.htmlOpen ↗

Pretty good. Pity about the big overexposed blob on the first pic, but very nice apart from that.
Multiple exposures and later blending would be good for that. The second pic is very nice.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| ste © wrote:
|
| > I know, I've read a lot! But at least the sunrises will be occuring later now that winter is
| > drawing in.
|
| Yeah, but they're getting a lot colder too. What I hate most is getting all the frost off the car
| in the morning blackness, and then having to get into it to drive to my destination. It's like
| being inside a freezer until the heater eventually starts to take effect. Much easier to go out
| wild camping, you just get out of the tent, no freezing car hassles.

Yes, I've had that all this week. I drive to the train station each morning to get the train to
work, but from Monday, I've been scraping the windows and spraying de-icer. It's a pain in the [censored]
as I'm running late at the best of times, without having to do this too. Plus, like you say, the car
is freezing... I don't know about Wild Camping though, it's never really appealed to me. But I'm
sure I could cope with a clapped-out VW camper van one day! :o)

| Summer sunrises are much easier, because they're quite warm and pleasant. They may be early, but
| that's not problem if you go to sleep early enough, or even if you stay awake late enough! It
| hasn't been unknown for me to stay up all night, go out to photograph the sunrise, then return
| home to go to bed... ;-)

I get over-tired if I stay up all night, but 2-3am is about normal! :o) But this isn't good when I'm
getting up at 7am for work! :-( So were you taking sunrise shots when you were posting late
recently? ;o)

| > When I was on holiday a few months ago, I got up early on the last day and took some sunrise
| > shots - I'd never actually seen a proper sunrise until then:
|
| Really?

I've been awake a sunrise when I used to do a Sunday morning paper round years ago, but that doesn't
really count because I would only have seen a sunrise by accident and nothing actually sticks in
memory. But this was my first 'proper' sunrise.

| > usefilm.com197482.htmlOpen ↗ and usefilm.com201960.htmlOpen ↗
|
| Pretty good. Pity about the big overexposed blob on the first pic, but very nice apart from that.
| Multiple exposures and later blending would be good for that. The second pic is very nice.

The photo with the overexposed blob was taken using a polariser and a ND grad filter, so there
wasn't that much more I could have done to prevent it in one shot, and I've never really been keen
(or skillful enough) to blend more than one shot, apart from the odd sky... But it's something on
the 'to do' list for my future experimentation.

The second picture was taken when some other photographer kindly walked past me and into my shot! I
felt like killing him at the time, but I think it worked well having someone there, plus, he'd be
easy to clone off if I wished.

| Paul

Ste