How convenient that this challenge has just started. After quite a long break from blogging on Say It With A Camera I’ve finally started to get back into the swing of things with some new posts.
Last week I took some time out to visit a place I have been meaning to photograph for years, Gwylfa Hiraethog, which sits high on the Denbigh Moors in North Wales.
Abandoned now and a total ruin, the lodge is reputed to be haunted, not that I saw anything.
But a photographer friend of mine say visiting at night takes on a more spooky atmosphere. At 496 metres above sea level, the lodge in the late nineteenth century was considered to be the highest inhabited house in Wales, with some fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.
Not the greatest of photographs, taken with 75-300mm lens at 300mm this is the view from Gwylfa Hiraethog towards the Snowdonia National Park.
And from another side you can see towards the coast. Looks so close, thanks to the power of the 75-300mm lens but in reality it’s about 20km away.
Now it might be lonely up there, but it’s far from quiet. This area is used by low flying military aircraft from RAF Valley, training future fast jet pilots. Gets quite noisy at times but I just saw it as another photo opportunity. More on that in another post.
Anyway, moving on. I love the moors, vast open spaces with the occasional tree to break up the featureless terrain.
There’s also a lot of reservoirs on the moors. It’s cold up there as well so swimming is not advised.
Being in Wales, we get all signs in two languages, Welsh and English. Can be confusing at times, especially with road signs, but you soon get used to it.
Well that wraps it ups for this post. I hope you enjoyed the photographs and all that is left for me to say is “thank you” to both Snow and Amanda for hosting the Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Mike
Say It With A Camera 
Thanks Mike for joining the challenge! Your photos are stunning – my favorites are the view towards Snowdonia and the lone tree. Also, the last one is powerful – I would say haunting even. As for the lodge, any plans of going back at night? 🙂
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A couple of us are waiting for a clear night when we can head up to the moors to get some stars. It’s not the easiest of terrain up there, so we would have to be careful how we walk it. But chances are yes sometime. It’s not somewhere I’d go on my own at night, mainly because of the terrain
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Good point, the terrain at night must be hard!
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Nice images, like the ones with the telephoto.
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Thank you James
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The telephoto lens is a remarkable tool and I can not imagine what photography would be without it. My favorite of this post is of the lone tree on the moors. I can imagine it to be silent except for the sound of the grasses and wind and maybe an occasional bird song.
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It can be quiet Yvonne, but sometimes a low flying fast jet will scream right over the top of you. It’s not too far from the moors to their base on Anglesey.
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Absolutely beautiful and alluring photos. Thank you for sharing.
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I’m glad you liked them
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Excellent photos, as usual, Mike! Looking forward to seeing you on Friendly Friday.
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Thank you Amanda
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Awesome views, especially the peaks and windmills
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Those peaks are my normal stomping ground, that’s where I do most of my photography, Arv. The whole bay is full of those wind turbines, generating electricity for North Wales and Ireland.. There are plans to put more in, some people hate them, some don’t. I don’t mind them out to sea as it breaks up a featureless horizon when I’m photographing on the coast. Hate them inland, when there’s some beautiful scenery and it’s broken by even one wind turbine, which looks like a blot on the landscape.
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Loved the images from Whales – looks like a great area to photograph!
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I think so, stunning mountains, gorgeous beaches and of course sheep, lots of them
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I’m with most of the other commenters – the lone tree is my fave. Also like the view towards Snowdonia. Looking forward to hearing about your journey up there at night!
Alison
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Too cold at the moment to venture up there, Alison, especially on my own.
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Took the time to check this place out on Google. What a striking structure in it’s day. What a shame it has fallen to such a state. Is it still privately owned or in the hands of the government? Imposing shot of the mountains. Great to have you back. Cheers.
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There are signs saying no trespassing, but everyone ignores them, Dan. Not sure who owns it nowadays, but it won’t be the government.
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Gorgeous country, beatiful pictures!
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Thank you…..
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