The latest photo trip for the Stratford Clicks group took place on 1st November 2015 with a visit to some of the waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. This was organised by the group’s expert landscape photographer Andrew Page.
The group of 10 all had an early start with a 6 am pickup at Bidford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in a 15-seat Mercedes coach driven by Clicks member Mark Clarke. With the mild spell continuing we now had to contend with thick autumn fog on our journey down to South Wales, which didn’t clear until nearly 2 hours into the journey as we went over the Welsh hills near to Rhondda.
We then arrived in Pontneddfechan Neath in Powys, for a brief comfort break, but with the facilities locked started to look for alternatives but were saved when the man from Neath Port Talbot Council came to unlock the facilities, which was well appreciated!.
We then traveled on a couple of miles to the car park at the start of the footpaths to the waterfalls at 9 am. The weather now was clear with bright blue skies which should help with getting some interesting images.
This was the second organised Stratford clicks trip, which this time was to the spectacular series of waterfalls on the river Mellte in Brecon Beacons National Park, on the other fork in the river.
After a briefing from Andrew we set on the trial armed with cameras, tripods and lunch along with layers of clothes, this being November.
We walked to the furthest waterfalls at Sgwd yr Eira which was a high fall in full flow after the heavy rain the preceding week. Getting to these falls early the group was mostly on their own to explore this stretch and find different images which best represented these famous falls. This fall could be walked behind to see its full splendour.
After a couple of hours, we had to climb up the very steep steps back to the top path so we could make our way to the second falls of Sgwd Y Pannwr with the Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn waterfall with only a short walk away in a cul-de-sac.
We also had a brief lunch break to eat our packed lunches and had the chance to chat about what we had seen and some further feedback from guide Andrew.
Again the group explored the multiple options photographically wise of both falls with the green moss and freely flowing falls giving great opportunities for long exposures to get the flowing water along with the autumnal trees and foliage close by.
We then started our trip back through the long and slippery path back to the top ridge path, so we could make our way back to the coach.
We left about 4 pm in still clear blue skies but with the sun starting to go down, and decided to find a restaurant in the town of Ross-on-Wye on the way back.
Again after going over the first few Welsh hills near Merthyr Tydfil it again started to get foggier and so driver Mark had to navigate through the main roads back to the M50 before we got into Ross-on-Wye. We managed to find a Fish and Chip restaurant open who were delighted to have a group of 10 and they served up delicious fish and chips to the hungry party.
So close to 8 pm we finally arrived back into Bidford-on-Avon with the fog getting almost pea soup thick. The group then decamped into the car park and finished their slow journey home back to their respective houses, but not before thanking Andrew for being our guide and Mark for driving in difficult conditions.
