The Glyders - Castle of the Winds, The Three Witches, and The Cantilever.

[rob marshall]

Just back from another walking trip to North Wales. Superb weather, so good for photography! These were taken yesterday on a six hour circular walk around The Glyders It doesn't get much better than this.

Map of route

On the way up... the view of Snowdon and Crib Goch in the distance.




The "Cantilever".
The tops of Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr are a mass of huge rocks cast about the mountain-top. The Cantilever is famous due to its precarious balance. That's me in the shot. The Head Gardener took a break from plant-rustling.




"Castle of the Winds" Snowdon in the background. More info



"The Three Witches"

It's not called the Three Witches. I just called it that because it looked very Macbethian. It's on the summit of Glyder Fawr, and Snowdon and Crib Goch are in the background.

[Donald]

All straight out of the top drawer, Rob. The first one is, to my eye, particularly beautiful.

[JohnC]

Lovely set of photos. I've just come from Donald's B&W photos of France and B&W was not something I gave much thought to but these and Donald's have given me food for thought, they have more impact, they're more dramatic, particularly in this instance with the wild terrain.I really enjoyed them.

What was the drop from the Cantilever you stood on ?

[rob marshall]

What was the drop from the Cantilever you stood on ?

About 20ft. If you click on the link next to the title of the shot there's a better view of the setting. My wife got stuck on top and I had to rescue her...

[Katy Noelle]

You're back! Breathtaking - it's all breathtaking! You must still be able to hear the wind and be all filled up with fresh air. Oh, I am so happy for you! Super! Yup.

[manthos]

Hi Rob, I like all of them and especially the cantilever. It's the most bizarre rock I've ever seen.

[MiniChris]

The sky, atmosphere, light..all makes the Castle of the Winds somewhere between foreboding and ethereal. I like very much.

[CBImages]

Hi Rob

Great images!
Earlier this year I struggled up to the Old Man of Storr with all my camera gear, once up there I was struck with just how 'primeval' the landscape was, just the kind of place you could expect Raquel Welch to pop up being chased by a few dinosaurs. (well a guy can dream)!
Your images especially Castle of the Winds and the Three Witches convey the same feeling of a wonderfully wild, prehistoric landscape.

Regards

Chris

[KeithH]

A fabulous series Rob. I was struggling for a word that fitted the landscape and then I noticed Chris's 'primeval' - spot-on, thanks

[rob marshall]

The sky, atmosphere, light..all makes the Castle of the Winds somewhere between foreboding and ethereal. I like very much.

Thanks, Chris. I must admit it did have a very ethereal feeling on the top. Some of the rocks are enormous - I think 'Glyder' means 'rock place'. But on the way up there was a surprising amount of colour to the scenes, especially from the heathers, as in this shot...

[rob marshall]

Hi Rob

Great images!
Earlier this year I struggled up to the Old Man of Storr with all my camera gear, once up there I was struck with just how 'primeval' the landscape was, just the kind of place you could expect Raquel Welch to pop up being chased by a few dinosaurs. (well a guy can dream)!
Your images especially Castle of the Winds and the Three Witches convey the same feeling of a wonderfully wild, prehistoric landscape.

Regards

Chris

Hi Chris

I've been to The Old Man of Storr on several occasions, and yes, it is very primeval. But then, the whole of Skye is like that! It's places like these that are the real attraction of mountains. You can leave behind all of the dross of everyday life. Recharging points for the soul

[Seriche]

Rob,

First, another vote for Chris's 'primeval'

It obviously takes a lot for me to be stuck for words, but nos. 3 and 4 have left me speechess ( well, almost ).

I love rocks, and I can't think of anything that could give me more pleasure than looking at those two images. And I do mean *anything*

Cheers,

Seri

[ScoutR]

Such a wild beautiful country you live in. "Castle of the Winds" and "Three Witches" get my vote. I would love to see a worked up colour version of the first one. Somehow it looks a bit grey or flat to me in B&W. Just a personal preference thing I think

Wendy

[Katy Noelle]

Thanks, Chris. I must admit it did have a very ethereal feeling on the top. Some of the rocks are enormous - I think 'Glyder' means 'rock place'. But on the way up there was a surprising amount of colour to the scenes, especially from the heathers, as in this shot...

This is really, really beautiful - it's so subtle - the light, the color of the grasses. It feels so pure. All of these photos seem to transport me there. (I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that.) Yes, and very ethereal. Wonderful!

[rpcrowe]

I like these shots very much. Having interesting foreground subjects is, IMO, the key to interesting WA shooting...

[rob marshall]

... but nos. 3 and 4 have left me speechess.

I simply must show them to my wife... thanks for the comments though

This is really, really beautiful - it's so subtle - the light, the color of the grasses. It feels so pure.

It does feel like that when you are there. The mountains of North Wales are a very special place, as many people who have been there will testify. The hils aren't all that high (up to 3,400ft) but it's a very compact area, and quite dramatic.

Such a wild beautiful country you live in. "Castle of the Winds" and "Three Witches" get my vote. I would love to see a worked up colour version of the first one. Somehow it looks a bit grey or flat to me in B&W. Just a personal preference thing I think

It was quite lacking in colour on top, and it was getting a little bit hazy as the bad weather came in about 12 hours later. But I did this one in colour - it's Glyder Fawr. The 'Three Witches' is on the right - although somewhat smaller in this shot.

[rob marshall]

I like these shots very much. Having interesting foreground subjects is, IMO, the key to interesting WA shooting...

Quite right. I often see the foreground object first, as I did with shot #1. I liked the way the FO shape was the same as the distant first mountain (Crib Goch). FOs connect the front and rear of a shot, giving it much better depth.

[Donald]

... it is very primeval. But then, the whole of Skye is like that!

Especially the public bar of the Caledonian Hotel in Portree on a Saturday night after a shinty match (aahh, fond memories!)

[rob marshall]

Especially the public bar of the Caledonian Hotel in Portree on a Saturday night after a shinty match (aahh, fond memories!)

You forgot to mention the Seumas Bar at the Sligachan Hotel just down the road at the foot of the Cullins - bad memories of a bad hangover...

Now you've done it, Donald. I want to move back to Scotland again...

[Wirefox]

Rob

Castle of the winds is superb. Really captures the drama of that area. Now three Witches is a bit of an embarrassment for me...or at least the Crib Goch ridge is. I fell off it in 1982 - well not so much as a fall as a inglorious slide. It was a particularly bad winter and everything was sheathed in snow and ice. My mate took the dive first and before you know it the rope went tight and my goolies were in an iron grip. My crampons had been playing up all day as it was the first time I had used them on a Koflach overboot. My mate braked with his axe just as the rope dragged me off balance. The rest of the party were most amused at the sight of a 6ft 6in streak of piddle flailing about wildly attempting to get into the brake position. Needless to say I braked and came to a sprawling halt bruised and scraped but intact. After the goons had stopped laughing long enough to do something useful a rope was chucked down and we step cut the 50ft back up to the ridge.

Now, I dont ask for sympathy but there was much tittering and leg pulling for the rest of the day and by the time we were safe in the boozer that evening we were known as Torvill and Dean. Still I got my own back and removed all the tent pegs from their tents that night but only after peeing in their boots. There is some satisfaction in watching your mates trying to thaw their boots over a trangia especially when the smell kicks in

Trouble was the gits got me back when I fell from Dove Crag and they left me dangling by the danglies for 20 minutes. Needless to say health and safety did not feature quite as prominently as it does these days.