As the "United Kingdom 2012 Adventure" is history, I decided to make a web page that highlighted the images that I posted on my Facebook profile as well as saying a bit more about the images - I also wanted to post some additional ones. Most of the images are at 800px - some are smaller.
Note:
The GPS coordinates that appear do not represent the location of the images, but give a general location of the images.
If you want a specific GPS coordinate of an image I took, contact me.
Obviously, all images are copyrighted.
Inverness Castle - The Falls of Shin - The Northern Highlands - Ardvreck Castle - Urquhart Castle - Maiden Stone - Unnamed Stone Circle - Elgin Cathedral - Duffus Castle - Huntly Castle - Auchindoun Castle - Glenbuchat Castle - Castle Fraser - Corgarff Castle - A Road Less Traveled - Slains Castle - Esslemont Castle - Tantallon Castle - Bass Rock - Loch Leven Castle - Dunnottar Castle - Arbroath Abbey - Crichton Castle - The Waterloo Monument - Hailes Castle - Twizell Castle - Melrose Abbey - Dryburgh Abbey - Jedburgh Abbey - Kelso - Smailholm Tower - Egglestone Abbey - The morning mist south of the Scotland border - Barnard Castle - Helmsley Castle - Fountains Abbey - Scarborough Castle - Hack Fall - Richmond Castle - Easby Abbey - Bolsover Castle - Huddersfield - Anglesey Abbey - Castle Acre - Weeting Castle - Castle Rising - Newark - Thaxted - Hedingham Castle - Borely - Chepstow Castle - Caerphilly Castle - Corfe Castle - Nunney Castle - London - Stourhead - Tintern Abbey
Additional GPS locations and itinerary - Here
Equipment I used - Here
Here is the video - as part of my "Search for Permanence"
It is amazing what kind of images you can get when you get up just a little bit early. This was the image from our hotel window. Inverness is where the adventure began. We landed at Heathrow, took a cab over to Gatwick, then a flight up to Inverness.
What we heard - Falls of Shin
The Falls of Shin was a diversion - and a surprise. We were heading to the Highlands and over to Ardvreck Castle and Loch Assynt when we saw a sign for the Falls of Shin. Being on vacation, we made a quick diversion and found the welcome center for the Falls of Shin. In an instant, we realized it was a popular place for Kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The welcome center had a nice cafe and a web cam of the falls. The hike down to the viewing platform wasn't too bad from the parking lot. With the Sun poking out during the morning, and being there before anyone else, it was magical watching the water flow down the cascade.
Falls of Shin GPS 57.960755,-4.408699
What we heard - The Highlands
The image above was taken after we were heading back from Ardvreck Castle. It was taken along Loch Glascarnoch as I was sitting in the parking area just off the A835. It was a cold wet day. The image shows the highlands and the view that was pretty common as we drove along. It was a bitter-sweet day, as it represented the last day we would be in the Northern Highlands.
Parking Area GPS 57.71359,-4.848592
This shot was taken from a small pull-over up from Ardvreck Castle. We waited until some of the visitors left, but it was not to be. I like this shot because it was taken with a long lens. The foreground, Castle and Hills are all compressed in the image. The composition flows the viewer to the Castle and beyond. The expanse of distance behind the Castle is spectacular.
As we waited in the pull-over, (as expected), others saw me, the long lens, and decided that we must be taking images of something spectacular - so they pulled over too. I think they were a French couple traveling with another French couple. Maybe they saw the Peugeot 508 we were driving and thought we were their countrymen!
Location of the pull-over GPS 58.160109,-4.983177
What we heard - Loch Assynt
In the image above, Ardvreck Castle is behind me. The water is Loch Assynt. The A837 is behind the ruined building. I like this image in that it shows how windy and wet the day was. The single person in the image was someone that was either taking pictures as I was, or was fishing. I don't usually have people in my images, but in this case, the solitary figure on a cold morning worked for me and I placed him (her?) in the shot.
Building in the shot GPS 58.163974,-4.986849
I took this shot of Urquhart Castle - just as a group of Japanese tourists were filtering down to view the Castle as it was just opening. The sound of the weed whackers of the Castle grounds keepers were going, and it was obvious they were behind schedule. Opening a Castle is definitely the way to go if you want images without a ton of people in your images.
The Sun was very bright, and the darkness of the Castle was very challenging to get the exposure correct. I was using some graduated filters that had a blue cast to them, so I'm not pleased with the blue cast of the image. Urquhart is on the shore of Loch Ness, and it a very popular tourist Castle. We were only visiting the Castle because we had just come down from a vantage point high up in the hills trying to get a sunrise picture that looked different from all the tourist pictures you can see on the web.
GPS 57.324248,-4.445
In the image above, I found a spot (with help from a Scottish Pentaxian) that was different from what you see of the Castle on the web. I'm not sure there are many images of the Castle like it, and while I would normally post the GPS coordinates of the location, I won't on this one. Why? Well, the "road" to this location is a semi-private/shared road that is not suitable for tons of people to use as a photo location. The spot is basically a pull off next to a communal trailer-storage and junk location. The usual sheep are all over, and I knew we were being watched. I'm glad we got the shot, and were not chased off as sometimes happens when you get a location like this one.
The Maiden Stone above, was a shot that was totally unexpected. Somewhere in my reading I had "heard" of the Maiden Stone, but I was not actively looking for this stone. As we crested a hill driving to Aberdeen, we saw the sign for the Maiden stone and immediately pulled over. How did we manage that? Using CoPilot Live UK, on my tablet is the most amazing secret device for finding things as you drive. There is a navigation mode called "shortest" and CoPilot Live UK is so detailed, that the roads you travel are sometimes/often the ancient way from point A to point B. Having a direct path to a location takes you close to things that have been along that road for centuries, and therefore, you end up seeing more local things than if you were navigating the "fastest".
GPS 57.31203,-2.493065
Not too far down the road from the Maiden Stone, I was looking out the window and spotted something in the distance. After seeing many antiquities over the years, it appears that I have a subconscious "image-recognition-of-old-things" subroutine running and I told Bill (the Husband) to pull over - NOW.
I got out of the car, grabbed my long lens, and sure enough. I spotted a stone circle in a farmer's field. If you look at the Google Earth car image of the sight from the road, you will be amazed - or scared - that I can do stuff like this.
Here is a snap from the UK Ordnance Survey
GPS 57.306626,-2.441475
The ruins of Elgin Cathedral were pretty much what I expect when it comes to an Abbey/Cathedral that suffered during the dissolution of the Monasteries. What I had not expected was the Chapter House at Elgin. The soaring roof and the interior space were magical. As I took this image, there was a loop playing ecclesiastical music which made the space even more interesting. This might have been the first Chapter House I had ever been in, and I loved the circular symmetry of the room.
Above, it's always hard to expose for the darkness of an interior dome, while having bright windows. Sure, I *could* do HDR, but I am personally against HDR images as they are overused these days.
GPS 57.650618,-3.306474
When traveling in the UK, I like to find "unmanned" or "open at any reasonable time" properties. Why? These properties are small (usually) and non-touristy. Only the locals seem to visit them. They can be gems or disappointments. Rarely, are these properties a total failure in relation to the effort to find/visit them.
Duffus Castle was a gem. Duffus is an almost perfect Motte and Bailey Castle. The setting of the Castle in the surrounding farmland make for a wonderful experience.
Above, you can see the Motte and Bailey wall, with the Castle sitting on top of the Motte.
Above is a shot across the fields with the Castle, Motte and Bailey. A true gem of a Castle.
GPS 57.688598,-3.362943
Huntly Castle was a difficult Castle to photograph because of the dark shadows and bright sunshine. The view in the image above is the image that most people see when they look up the Castle via the web. Unfortunately, Castles that were once ornate/converted to homes - as Huntly was - tend to loose their "best photogenic angles" when they age. I loved the Castle, just not the angles I could take pictures from.
The entrance gate to Huntly Castle/Gordon Primary School was a bit more "photogenic".
GPS 57.454445,-2.782449
Auchindoun Castle is without a doubt one of the most spectacular Castles I have ever visited. The location of the Castle is superb. This Castle is on my short list of Castles to return to in the Castles in Winter photographic series that I am planning. The site and backdrop of the Castle is dramatic and the angle of light is perfect. The day I visited the Castle it was also the windiest day I have ever spent at a Castle. The road to the Castle is rough, rocky and uphill. The Castle is not an easy one to get to, but it is worth it.
GPS 57.422502,-3.089122
Glenbuchat Castle is "open at any reasonable time" and is easily missed in the valley it sits in. The Castle has a great view from one of the towers, and represents a "classic" Scottish Tower house/Castle.
GPS 57.220785,-2.997454
Castle Fraser was a "bonus" Castle as the fading light parted the clouds at the end of a long day. I didn't think we could get into the Castle grounds after visiting some of the other Castles in the area - as it was around 4:30pm. As it turned out, Castle Fraser has some incredible open times, as the garden and grounds close relatively late. Golden hour magic resulted in the image above.
GPS 57.203125,-2.460581
In researching Corgarff Castle, I wasn't sure of where the light would be in relation to taking pictures. I knew the Castle was white. I knew the Castle was relatively plain. However, a white plain Castle, against the heather and green of the Highlands, could have produced some magic. Alas, the light was in the wrong direction, the visitor's car park was at the bottom of a long hill, and it was late in the day. The best angle I could get was across the valley, with a long lens, with the sun above and behind me.
GPS 57.165364,-3.234709
Sometimes, when you get off the beaten path, you find amazing things. We stumbled onto this beautiful bridge and backroad on the way to Corgarff Castle, and I decided to take some video on the way back.
The most deadly Castle I have ever visited. No safety devices ANYWHERE. One slip, and down a hundred feet to your death. Awesome. The Castle has a Dracula connection in that Bram Stoker might have been a guest at the Castle as he was staying in a cottage near Cruden Bay. This Castle is often cited as the inspiration for Dracula.
GPS 57.415206,-1.832426
As for the Dracula connection? I can see how this remote location, is perfect for a Vampire to keep a low profile!
The rocks at Slains Castle. Down to the North Sea.
A ruined Castle that keeps disappearing into the brush over time. I saw the Castle on the side of the road. We stopped, got out of the car and did some exploration inside.
After our exploration of the Castle, we started to see additional "Tower House/Castles" in the area and realized that not all will be saved from decay.
GPS 57.3581,-2.1141
We arrived in Dunbar in the early evening and immediately headed out to Tantallon. I wanted some moon rise photographs, but the clouds and moon location did not cooperate.
The next morning, before the Castle opened, I went back to the same location and took some morning light images. The Castle was spectacular!
GPS 56.056319,-2.650631
Those white specs are birds. This image was taken from within Tantallon Castle, looking out towards the rock.
GPS 56.200754,-3.391852
Where Mary Queen of Scots was held. The image above was taken during a break in one of the storms that swept through the area.
As storms were sweeping through the area, we waited for the all clear to go out to the Castle via the boat. On our return, the storms picked back up. We were soaked/splashed/wet during the 20 minutes back to shore. We've got water-resistant lenses and cameras, so no problems!
Another Castle on the cliffs high up above the North Sea.
GPS 56.946001,-2.196869
A very nice Abbey, but without - that something. Red sandstone, and towers that were not the prettiest or most photogenic.
GPS 56.562208,-2.582704
Walking up to the Castle.
In the afternoon, after some of the clouds dispersed and from across the valley. A different vantage point changes everything!
GPS 55.839488,-2.9915
After a hike up through the forest, we see the Waterloo Monument.
Finally, near the summit, we see the Waterloo Monument at it's full height. Not only is the monument there, but an Iron age hillfort too. The hill is called "Peniel Heugh" in Scottish.
The Waterloo Monument is not open to the public. We managed to get the keys to the tower and get past these two steel doors. We were alone on the summit. I was alone in my climb to the top
GPS 55.52925,-2.550212
We arrived at the Castle before the sunlight warmed the frost down by the river Tyne. This Castle is "open at any reasonable time".
GPS 55.973217,-2.683309
Twizell Castle is an abandoned "Folly Castle" and once "Hotel". It's sad, in that there is no love for pretend Castles in the UK. Once, there was a medieval tower house on the site, but not much remains of that "legitimacy".
GPS 55.684017,-2.187669
A little Piggy? Razorback? This is the famous "Bagpipe" boar. I didn't know that when I took the image, as the bagpipes are best seen from the other side. All I saw was a funny downspout/grotesque/gargoyle.
GPS 55.599114,-2.717912
A very tranquil place. I had to lie down here, not so much because it was so relaxing, but because I had not eaten and I was feeling a bit faint.
GPS 55.577068,-2.64947
GPS 55.476614,-2.554957
Kelso Abbey in the morning light.
Some Spider webs at Kelso Abbey in the morning.
A Swan in Kelso, on the River Tweed.
Floors Castle in the morning light taken from a bridge in Kelso.
GPS 55.597235,-2.432506
Now with a grass roof instead of the slate one I remember last time! It appears that the grass is the authentic roof, and they put it in during 2011.
GPS 55.604287,-2.576165
Egglestone Abbey was a poor Abbey that was threatened with becoming a Priory - as if I knew the pecking order. Another site that is "open at any reasonable time".
GPS 54.531205,-1.904988
The fog and mist as we headed south on the A68 from Scotland.
Barnard Castle sits above the river Tees. There were even some Kayakers in the river! A very photogenic Castle!
GPS 54.543502,-1.926711
Helmsley is one of those Castles that I seem to come to, time and time again. The location of the Castle and the meadows around the Castle make for superb photography.
GPS 54.244977,-1.064183
Duncombe House is behind Helmsley Castle and I'm not 100% sure I was allowed to take this picture as the house is semi-private, but can be rented for functions. There was a car or two near the house, and I got a "look" when we drove up the drive. However, there was no gate-guard that stopped us, so up the drive we went, and I snapped this image.
GPS 54.239174,-1.074922
Like other properties that I have visited a few times, Fountains Abbey never disappoints. This image was taken after I "scouted" some new locations to take photographs from. This meadow is off-the-beaten-path and requires a bit of a hike to get to.
The image above shows Bill walking in the same meadow above Fountains Abbey. The sun was setting and the fog/most was drifting down into the valley. I guess Bill is walking in a fog, or is in a fog. Either way.
GPS 54.107635,-1.581388
Scarborough Castle is a Castle that is smack-dab in the middle of a very popular city. There is hardly any parking close to the Castle. If you can't get parking close to the Castle, your hike will be extremely uphill. Once there, the Castle is impressive in the scope and size of the Keep and surrounding bailey/curtain walls. I recommend the Castle on a weekday, but be prepared to share the Castle with School kids as it's a popular destination.
GPS 54.287514,-0.389545
Hack Fall is one of those locations that only the locals know about. Hack Fall is a managed woodland/estate/park that has a few "follies" spaced throughout the woods. Mobry Castle above, is one of them.
In the image above, the "Forty Foot Waterfall" is behind Bill as we take pictures within Hack Fall.
Before we got to Mobry Castle, we had to cross this stream with the wet/algae stepping stones. No problem for me, a little more so for Bill.
GPS 54.190478,-1.641555
I love Richmond Castle as it lies just within the boundaries of Richmond's "High Street". Once again, I've been to this Castle before, but I was scouting new photography locations when I took this image. The morning light never disappoints!
GPS 54.402153,-1.737556
Easby Abbey is within walking distance from Richmond Castle. There are many walkers who do the Easby-Richmond walk, and when I took this image, there were many people doing the "loop". Next to the Abbey, is a small local Church where an amazing mural is painted.
The mural was painted in 1250 A.D. and while restored/touched up a few times since then, remains original. As it turns out, in medieval times, literacy was not common and murals like this were needed to explain the Christian story to those that could not read. I was amazed at the age of the mural. Finding the mural was no surprise for me, in that I realized long ago (and on other trips to the UK) that gems like this are "saved" in local parish Churches all over the UK. It pays to stop in them, and look around.
GPS 54.397664,-1.716592
Bolsover Castle on a gloomy Yorkshire day. Photography on days like this require special angles and composition to highlight what is special. I used a low angle with some flowers to try and brighten things up.
Inside the Castle, looking up into the dome/cupola of the main tower.
GPS 53.231326,-1.296974
"Hudds" is home to some of our friends, and we always visit them when we are in the UK. Our Hotel of choice, is down along the canal, in the heart of the city. As it turns out, our friend works just to the left of this image location, just out of sight.
Anglesey Abbey is a National Trust property. We had no plans to visit the Abbey and "dropped in" because we belong to the National Trust and visiting is free. The Abbey doesn't actually have an "abbey" anymore, as it was converted into a large stately mansion a few hundred years ago. What Anglesey Abbey does have is wonderful gardens and flowers. Tons and tons of flowers and flora.
The flowers in shadow, are the real stars of this image. Depending on your monitor, they appear ethereal in the shadows.
GPS 52.236907,0.239543
Castle Acre has a Priory and a Castle. The image above is the priory.
From within the Priory, the image through these windows highlights how wonderful the Fall is in the UK.
GPS 52.700665,0.683781
We tried some night photography at Castle Acre Castle.
GPS 52.704093,0.6905
Where we stayed in Castle Acre. The Ostrich, which sat an equal distance from the Priory and the Castle. A typical English B&B. As for B&Bs? They are "hit and miss" and a "box of chocolates".
Sometimes, there isn't much left of a Castle. In the case of Weeting Castle, the ruins are in a little park, set in an out-of-the-way town. There were Juniper trees all around the Castle and the contrast of the red berries against the Castle walls were interesting to me.
GPS 52.470965,0.616321
Castle Rising was a fun Castle with great light at the end of the day. Getting to a Castle in the last hours of the day make for magical light and an absence of other visitors. "Closing a Castle" is as good as "Opening a Castle".
GPS 52.792879,0.468968
Newark has a great Castle set in the center of town. When we visited, the main tower/keep was just starting to get scaffolding for some repairs. Getting to a Castle when it's about to undergo a "makeover" renders it useless for photography. You never know what Castle is getting a "touch-up" until you are there. I'd love to return and spend some time in Newark as the river walk and other aspects of the town make it a "must see".
A building in Newark, just across the street from the Castle.
GPS 53.07781,-0.812656
Another night photography shot of our Hotel/B&B in Thaxted. The Swan was a great place to stay, and definitely one of the better experiences of our trip.
The Windmill in Thaxted. We ended up taking this picture accidentally. I wanted to do some night photography after the "golden hour" and we saw the Windmill from our Hotel. Funny how great images happen when you least expect them.
GPS 51.954602,0.341343
Hedingham Castle is a private Castle - and I mean private. The folks that own/run the Castle definitely march to their own beat, as just visiting the Castle can be a challenge. Because the Castle is private, the opening times are hit or miss. The website for the Castle shows the opening/closing times as a patchwork of private events and closures. I was thrilled to coordinate our visit!
The Castle is one of the finest Norman Keeps in the UK. Imagine the Tower of London without all the updates/modifications.
The Arch in the Great Hall is one of the rarest in all of the UK. Very nice Castle. People that run it? Not so much.
GPS 51.992506,0.601416
The picture above, taken on a Sunday in Borely is nothing spectacular. Just another parish Church in England. Borely? Did I say BORELY?!?! Growing up, the stories of the "Borely Rectory" and the "Most Haunted Place in England" kept me up at night - terrified. The stories of the mysterious happenings and hauntings that supposedly took place here are the stuff of legend. As we were traveling through/near Borely, it made sense to stop, take a picture, and put to rest any demons from my childhood. Did I say Demons? Ugh. Borely.
GPS 52.054739,0.693582
Chepstow Castle. One of my favorites. The setting of the Castle and the town of Chepstow are always fun to re-visit. I am always amazed at the inside of Chepstow Castle, especially the room that had a winch that took supplies from the river in medieval times. However, when it comes to Chepstow, I seem to have run out of new angles to photograph it. I have tried from across the river, but the light never seems to cooperate. Since I always seem to make Chepstow Castle in my trips to the UK, I will try something new next time. Hopefully some of the scaffolding that was present this time will be gone when I return.
GPS 51.644126,-2.67494
Caerphilly Castle. One of my favorites. The Castle is huge and has amazing water defenses. Much of the Castle was rebuilt to what is seen today. The Castle has many interesting sides, both from within the Castle and from the surrounding town. On the day we visited, I managed to walk over to the siege engine display looking for new angles to photograph. As I was examining the Ballista - a siege engine that looks like a huge crossbow - I noticed a metal bar that could be used to wind up the Ballista. Sure enough, I could wind up the Ballista. I realized that the tension I had, with just a turn or two, would be enough to cause serious injury to someone who was careless. I walked over to the Castle attendants, told them about the metal bar, and they quickly and quietly removed the bar from the display. They thanked me.
However, it also made me think about Castles in general in the UK. Often the safety devices we have in the U.S.A. are absent. I think it's a good thing that you don't see railings and signs warning of dangers all over Castles. It's obvious that a mature responsibility is expected, from the folks in the UK when visiting their Castles.
GPS 51.576138,-3.220416
Yes. One of my favorites. Is it wrong to have too many "favorites"? I don't think so. Corfe is situated on a natural gap in the downs that run along the southern part of England near Poole. Corfe is one of the first Castles I ever visited. I remember the day I first visited Corfe in early 2003. My mother and I arrived as they were closing. The attendant let me in, but said that I had about 30 minutes until she locked the gate. As my mother could not make the quick hike/run up to the Castle, she waited at the entrance and waved to me as I ran around taking pictures with my Sony Mavica camera. Back in those days 640x480 digital images were cutting edge.
Since the first time I visited Corfe, I have managed new angles and used better cameras. I've hiked up the surrounding hills and taken images down at the Castle. In the image above, it's cloudy and slightly misty. If the weather had been better, I would have taken my camera up to one of the locations and re-done some of the pictures.
GPS 50.640402,-2.059277
I consider Nunney a baby Castle and definitely a cute one. At first I put Nunney on par with Bodiam Castle in terms of looking like a "real" Castle but not actually being one - as well as being so small. The French influences at Nunney make me think "folly" as well as a moat that is small and shallow. All that changed when I realized that Nunney took a few cannonballs during the English Civil war. The Royalists held out at the Castle, and the Parliamentarians and their firepower convinced the loyalists to surrender. Nunney took some punishment, and that gives Nunney some "cred" as a real-honest-to-goodness Castle. Respect.
GPS 51.209884,-2.378519
The gate door on the Wellington Arch or the Constitution Arch or the Green Park Arch - depending on who you ask. I love the pattern and of course the color.
The Tower of London above, was taken from the water on the boat that goes from the Tower, up to the houses of Parliament. London is a tricky place for photography as pretty much everything in London has been photographed a million times over. It's hard to get different views of iconic buildings and settings. For all the tourists that visit the Tower of London it's extremely difficult to get anything not cliche.
These horses are within the Tower of London and appear to be used as mannequins for armorers and other aspects that required a "stand-in" for the actual horse. I think they also represented favorite horses, and their creation represents nothing more.
Stourhead is one of my favorite gardens in the UK and is the perfect location to escape for the day. This visit, I wanted to arrive during the Fall and get some images of the sunshine across the beautiful settings and landscape. It was not to be, as the day was filled with rain and mist/fog. As I sat along the lake, my twisted ankle pain was probably a good thing, as I was not up to walking around and trying to find something amazing to photograph. In addition, on the day I was at Stourhead, there was a group of teenage girls on a photography field trip. There must have been 50 or so girls - the majority of which carried expensive DSLR cameras. It made me think. When I was young, I had film and not enough money for an SLR camera. As I sat on a bench near the water, and the girls surrounded me, I wanted to call out and ask if anyone there was shooting Pentax. If any girl had said "Yes", I would have given them the DA*16-50 f/2.8 I was using. When I saw the teacher with her full frame Canon DSLR, I decided against it and kept my lens, and my mouth shut.
GPS 51.104967,-2.31804
Tintern Abbey, in the Wye Valley is not far from Chepstow. Indeed, the hike in the woods from Chepstow to Tintern is one of my favorites in the UK. Whenever I see Tintern, I remember the first time I attempted the hike from Chepstow to Tintern. Bill was with me, and we were hiking in the rain and fog. We got lost in the woods at a field crossing and lost our direction and lost the path. The best we could do was head downhill and try and catch the road that runs down the Wye Valley. On our path to the road, we happened into a farm. As we walked through the farm, in the rain, we realized the 3-4 inches of muck we were trampling through was not just mud. When we finally arrived at the bus station directly in front of Tintern in the pouring cold rain, we realized that we had barely made the last bus of the day back to Chepstow. We were soaked and cold standing waiting for the bus, and the "muck" we went through back at the farm, had washed away.
Tintern is an iconic place to visit, and requires fresh ideas and angles if I want images that are different each visit. We "opened" Tintern and in the morning light and mist, I worked my way around the Abbey looking for things different and looking at the Abbey differently.
Time and weather always change an image that I might have taken before.
GPS 51.696851,-2.677263
Oh, and during the last week, we brought over my niece and her mother so they could have their very first UK Adventure with us!
Here is the video of Dakota in the UK
The images above represent some of the better images that I took. However, it does NOT represent all the locations we visited during our UK2012 adventure. Below is the rough schedule we put together and where we stayed along with their GPS locations. Often, we switched activities depending on the weather or our "mood". We used the below itinerary as a framework and "free wheeled" it. Some of the locations we didn't get to, but I included them below to give you an idea of how we put together an adventure.
Thursday - 9/27/2012
Activities
Hotel
Friday - 9/28/2012
Activities
Hotel
Saturday - 9/29/2012
Activities
Hotel
Sunday - 9/30/2012
Activities
Hotel
Monday - 10/1/2012
Activities
Hotel
Tuesday - 10/2/2012
Activities
Hotel
Wednesday - 10/3/2012
Activities
Hotel
Thursday - 10/4/2012
Activities
Hotel
Friday - 10/5/2012
Activities
Hotel
Saturday - 10/6/2012
Activities
Hotel
Sunday - 10/7/2012
Activities
Hotel
Monday - 10/8/2012
Activities
Hotel
Tuesday - 10/9/2012
Activities
Hotel
Wednesday - 10/10/2012
Activities
Hotel
Thursday - 10/11/2012
Activities
Hotel
Friday - 10/12/2012
Activities
Hotel
Saturday - 10/13/2012
Activities
Hotel
Sunday - 10/14/2012
Activities
Hotel
Monday - 10/15/2012
Activities
Hotel
Tuesday - 10/16/2012
Activities
Hotel
Wednesday - 10/17/2012
Activities
Hotel
Thursday - 10/18/2012
Activities
Hotel
Friday - 10/19/2012
Activities
Hotel
Saturday - 10/20/2012
Activities
Hotel
Sunday - 10/21/2012
Activities
Hotel
Monday - 10/22/2012
Activities
Hotel
Tuesday - 10/23/2012
Activities
Hotel
Wednesday - 10/24/2012
Activities
Hotel
The MVP of the trip was a Samsung Galaxy Tab II, seven tablet. I bought the car adapter and loaded up CoPilot Live UK. It was an unbeatable combination for navigation. In addtion to navigation, I could check my email and websurf all through the UK at various WiFi hotspots. I still needed my laptop to download images each day since tablets are not able to connect to external hard drives - yet.
Photo GearIn addition to the above equipment, I have various clamps and custom machined parts that I use to support my video/photography
Lauren 2012