2022 has been something of a “strange year” in one way it has been a year of contrasts and in the next way it has been a year of changes, changes in the climate and with that the summer has been questionable to say the least - with temperatures in some parts of the country reaching a barmy 40 degrees! I mean when we think of 40 degree heat it tends to be associated with places like The Middle East, Asia, America and of course Australasia; thinking that the UK would see 40 degrees many years ago was unthinkable - now of course though it is sadly reality and whilst the 40 degree heat was around during July, after then the heatwave sort of went away, instead a much more breathable heat stepped into its place and remained - warm but just where was 40 degrees? That of course was nothing more than a distant memory; but perhaps even a glimpse into the future. Of course though July progressed and we said goodbye to it, August turned up at the doorstep and with that a gradual change came yet again, with weather models showing,
“Yet another heatwave is on the way, instead of 40 degrees it will be above 30 degrees and unfortunately for many rather uncomfortable with the added bonus of tropical nights, when the night time temperature remains above the 20 degree mark.”
Of course though 30 degrees is more comfortable than 40 degrees, well yes it is to some degree, but slowly we said goodbye to the breathable temperatures of the mid 20s, and the heatwave came back again, uncomfortable to go out in the day - but what about evening? Dusk time just on the cusp of the sun going down, would that be a good time to go out? Perhaps it would be a good time to go out, I mean people in other countries where they are acclimatized to the heat tend to go out later when the temperature has dropped and using that synopsis I had decided where I wanted to go. “Somewhere with shade” of course is what sprung into my mind and somewhere that I could enjoy the last of the heat without it being too hot. Of course this particular August evening the heat from the day had dropped slightly, instead of 30+ degrees it was a barmy and rather cool 29.5 degrees, a refreshing change in some way yet something of sanctimonious torture in another way. Either way though I knew in the back of my mind that 29.5 degrees here in the UK during the evening is not exactly what you would expect or even call comfortable. But by now I had arrived at Moorgreen Reservoir, a glorious hidden Reservoir located amongst the rolling hills of DH Lawrence Country in Nottinghamshire, and a Reservoir that of course has links to the many novels that DH Lawrence published - yet this stretch of water is not owned by Severn Trent, instead it is owned by The Canal and River Trust; that aside though I have been visiting this stretch of water since I was young, but of course due to Covid the chance to explore it again when we were told “to stay at home and only travel locally” was something that plunged me back into exploring this silent yet beautiful stretch of water and the pathway that runs by the side of it, of course with the added benefit of the shade.
The pathway by the side of the Reservoir though is shaded and to some extent the stretch of woodland here paves the way for Moorgreen Woods, a magical area of woodland that flows towards Felly, and one where pathways can lead you on magical encounters of wildlife that exists in the woodland - not to mention the artwork that the trees and the landscape provide as they co-exist together in perfect harmony. But here I was at the start of the pathway, to the right of me the former lodge house, and to the left of me a dreamy scene overlooking the reservoir with a magical light - dreamlike almost and as I looked across the water a strange peace enveloped me.
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| Summer dreaming by The Reservoir. |
Dreamlike with the greens and the cool of the water in the distance; for was I encountering the first piece of magic that I would encounter? Quite possibly, but for now the track in front of me was leading the way, I continued to walk on, but then ahead of me I could notice the track providing a leading line towards what appeared to be something slightly autumnal, I stopped and paused and took the following photo.
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| Walking towards Autumn. |
“Autumn in the leaves, for this is August.” is what was in my mind at this stage, and lately though I have noticed something of an early Autumn, but is it really Autumn? No it is not, instead it is the effects of a heatwave; thus meaning that a lack of water within the earth has meant that the leaves are not hydrated, lack of hydration and that is the reason as to why in August things have been looking rather “Autumnal” to say the least. But then something to my right caught my eye; and this was shortly after I had noticed the autumnal looking scene that had been in front of me - this time a tree that looked as if it had been plucked straight from October and had travelled back in time.
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| Autumn Arrival in August. |
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| October tree in August. |
The autumnal looking tree was now behind me, the sun to the left of me had now started to glow orange and was seeping through the trees creating something magical, but ahead of me I could see the twists and turns of the track that I was on.
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| Moorgreen Twists and Turns. |
Before long I had reached a point where the track splits, to the left was a pathway and ahead of me the track that I had been walking along continued to private land, the only option now was to turn left, and it was here that things would begin to change even more. Looking ahead of me I noticed a scene like something from Lord of The Rings, perhaps now I was walking along a pathway to middle earth? But no; this footpath that I was on more than likely would be the same one that DH Lawrence would have also walked along; the shades of green now looking vivid, the light obstructed by the trees.
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| A path to Middle Earth. |
Walking along the footpath I noticed that around me I was surrounded by the most magical and magnificent artwork, all affected by the light, by the shade and it was more like being surrounded by sculpture; it really was sculpture but living sculpture and I knew I had to take some photographs of this living art gallery, a natural living art gallery that is something truly unique.
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| A Living Sculpture. |
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| Mushroom Tree. |
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| Statue in the light. |
A sense of magic, on the one hand a living art gallery I was amongst with living sculpture, to the left of me the sunlight doing it’s magical thing and then all of a sudden I had to pause - if only to document something that next year, next august possibly will never occur again, for this was the end result.
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| Split second Orange of the Tree. |
By now it was time to turn around and retrace my steps, I had not made it to the old sight of Felly Mill, but back along the magical pathway I had to walk back on, this time noticing some more interesting and curious things, artwork on the way and again a sense of something ethereal was in the mind, curious shapes and shades now lay ahead of me and on the right hand side of me towards Moorgreen Reservoir, the light had changed, from orange to something that a watercolour artist would paint, or a landscape artist would sketch, a pastel tone had developed and gone was the orange in the sky, I knew that ahead of me something magical would be waiting for me, but ahead of me the mysterious green pathway.
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| Woodland Harmony. |
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| Heatwave Shade. |
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| Along the alien path. |
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| Into the distance. |
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| Portal to Autumn. |
After a short while I had made it back to the track that I had originally walked along, now I was heading back in the direction of where I had started the walk, before long I got to a section of the track that I had walked on, but now to my left, something that I had missed out on, behind the small but perfectly formed purple flowers - majestic pine trees stood, but the purple flower really did stand out to me.
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| Purple beauty perfection. |
Purple, for that was the colour of the skies and I had literally taken a photo of something purple - a “sign of things to come?” Perhaps that was what the purple flower had told me and before long I was at the end of the track that I had set off from. But then I knew that I had to see the glorious purple light, the sun had dipped below the horizon and a little short walk I found myself overlooking Moorgreen Reservoir, what was ahead of me was magic, and I had clearly found this magic, it was right in front of me.
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| Serenity under a pastel sky. |
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| Purple is the end of the heatwave. |
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| A Purple Postcard. |
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| Floating on purple. |
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| Purple Vista. |
For I had walked along a track and a pathway that I had walked on many times before - but on this occasion I had found magic by the water, and that was during a heatwave, all be it when it was slightly cooler; but even if the landscape around me was looking parched, colour was still found and all that with the reservoir for company and that was just something else, something that as a landscape photographer I shall have in the back of my mind for a long time; for next time I do that particular walk, will I see scenes like that? Certainly not, and capturing magical scenes by the water is something that I shall not forget, neither will I forget the heatwave, but even during a heatwave beauty can still be found. All you have to do is find it.
