Sunday 10 January 2010

Spectacular Viewpoint - Durham City

A couple of weeks ago, the 27th December to be exact, I headed through to Durham City Centre to have a crack at more low-light photography. There had been more overnight snow and the roads were a bit ropey, but it didn't deter me as I went on the wander once again.

As far as photography is concerned I've done Durham Riverside to death and fancied a change of scenery. I headed up towards the railway station which was up a height and somewhere I'd never been before. The sun had vanished and the light was failing as I parked the car on the bank next to Wharton Park. There was no-one around and I entered the park and made my way up the steps in search of a good viewpoint. The snow was thick under my boots and the steps were very icy, making the journey an arkward one, but one that was worth a try. There were no lamps in the park so I was relying on the limited amount of natural light to get me where I was heading, which wasn't easy. The park is on a steep bank but it only takes a few minutes to reach the top and I was expecting a decent view of the City once I'd reached it. It was quite eerie and snow was falling from the trees behind me, causing me to doubt whether I should be in there on my own. Ahh, what the hell eh, let's get on with the task in hand...

On reaching the highest point in the park I noticed a set of steps that lead to an even higher viewpoint. Well, no time to hesitate - let's see what's up top! It turned out that the steps lead me up a mock castle tower and on reaching the summit I was greeted by an excellent sight. It was a stunning panoramic view of Durham City Centre and it's dominating Cathedral, illuminated, and making a great focal point for any photograph.

Well I quickly set up shop and got on with the job, firing off more frames than I can remember as the available light diminshed. Well, I found myself a great viewpoint and definately one for the memory bank. Imagine the views up here on a nice Summer's day, and in the Autumn when the colours are out. Be sure to see the results here - stay tuned!

Thanks for reading. Ash