Echoes for the Soul

Echoes for the Soul Echoes for the Soul is a series of of stunning photographs accompanied by deep reflections.

On a corridor wall here at Thornleigh there is a picture of this tree, possibly a silver birch, taken over a decade ago ...
03/04/2026

On a corridor wall here at Thornleigh there is a picture of this tree, possibly a silver birch, taken over a decade ago beside Ullswater. Last week, finding myself in the same place, I thought it was time I took another. There is something quite majestic about the tree as it reaches for the heavens, its thin branches and delicate twigs so clear against the blue sky. We haven’t witnessed a sky like this for many a week, all day blue. There is even a suspicion of a reflection in the deep blue, rippling water of the lake. In the mid-ground is the tiny island of Wall Holm, with its own distinctive tree, worthy of a separate Echo, its dark green contrasting well with the brown hillside beyond. This was an uplifting moment and provides an uplifting scene.

Coping with “the Struggle” was certainly worth the effort and strain if it enabled an opportunity to visit the boatyard in Glenridding which opens up to this scene. The air was fresh, the atmosphere clear, and the silence was disturbed only by the sound of running water as the river entered the lake nearby. It was one of those moments of tranquil wonder. It also confirms the validity of revisiting favourite places, and of being prepared to accept the effort required in doing so. Does this tune in with a recent experience in your life?

This is the last Echo for a while. I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Easter.

After the dark, wet weeks of winter, it was really nice to get a good, dry, bright and warm walk. This is a recent pictu...
02/04/2026

After the dark, wet weeks of winter, it was really nice to get a good, dry, bright and warm walk. This is a recent picture of the path alongside Brotherswater, as I headed back to the car. I really like the green moss on the trunk of the tree on the left, and the way in which its branch forms an arc to walk under. The background fells and the sky can just be seen behind a rather chaotic network of trees and branches. There are shadows enlivening the path as it disappears over the brow of the slight incline. Overall, I think it is a pleasant scene, worth a pondering pause.

I’ve come across the word “chaotic” several times when reading about woodland photography. The photographer’s task is to cope creatively with the chaos, introducing a little order, if possible. I’m not claiming for a moment that this was a problem here, but I feel that there is much chaos in our world and country today, chaos introduced and perpetrated by humans. There may be chaotic elements in our daily lives, and we have to find ways of coping. What do you think?

This is a photo taken near the start of Goldrill Beck as it leaves Brotherswater and heads for Ullswater, a few miles aw...
01/04/2026

This is a photo taken near the start of Goldrill Beck as it leaves Brotherswater and heads for Ullswater, a few miles away. The water was flowing fast because of the flooding. I like to attempt a shot of moving water, hoping to capture something of the sense of movement. But here I was captivated also by the colours appearing here and there. They are amazing. However, I’m puzzled as to their origin, wondering whether they are a reflection or something to do with the stones under water. Anyway, they have transformed this little stretch of water into a very attractive and fascinating scenario.

I’m delighted to have captured such wave-like movement in the water. The upsurge of white caused by an underwater boulder, adds further life to the scene. But it’s the streaks of brown which leave me puzzled and amazed, and which make the scene special. As I look at the picture on the computer, I’m deeply grateful for this totally unexpected gift which came my way as I walked back to the car. From time to time, life (or is it our God?) throws up special moments. Have you experienced one recently?

I thought that the crocus season was over, but recently came across this little collection alongside the car-park at Gle...
31/03/2026

I thought that the crocus season was over, but recently came across this little collection alongside the car-park at Glenridding, near Ullswater. The village of Glenridding holds many memories for me. A Salesian priest, Fr Frank Hughes, ran a small parish there for many years, and his house was a haven of hospitality where I spent a week’s holiday many times in the 1980s. I was pleasantly surprised to find this clump of white crocuses nestling within the leaves and grass, the yellow stamens and white petals standing out against the green and russet. It was a heart-warming scene, confirming the passing of winter and the advent of spring.

This little cameo provoked two feelings in me that afternoon. The first was surprise. I hadn’t expected to see crocuses still in bloom. It was definitely daffodil time, for they were everywhere on the roadsides and in gardens. Secondly, I was appreciative of their gentle beauty in their context, new life amongst dead leaves, Easter-like. This was another experience of nature’s miracles, an experience for pondering and rejoicing. Have you had any surprises recently?

Because of a landslide the main road up the Kirkstone Pass as far as the recently refurbished pub, one of the highest in...
30/03/2026

Because of a landslide the main road up the Kirkstone Pass as far as the recently refurbished pub, one of the highest in England, is blocked. The only way to be able to proceed to Patterdale and Glenridding, Brotherswater and Ullswater from the south is to take a tricky, winding and at times rather steep road appropriately called “The Struggle”. This we did, and managed to reach Brotherswater. After all the rain of recent weeks the lake is quite swollen, now covering some of the fields and the small island on which these trees are also “struggling”. Hartsop Dodd provides a pleasant background with its walls and variety of colours. The water of the lake is far from calm, and so there are no reflections. There is a welcome touch of blue in the sky.

I have visited Brotherswater several times over the past year, and, if I’m not mistaken, it has always been transformed by flooding. I’m amazed at the resilience of the trees on this small island, as they experience different levels of inundation. They also provide a beautiful setting for a photo. Resilience is also a significant human quality, the ability not only to survive but also to recover and even to thrive after a difficult and challenging experience. People who are resilient are to be admired; they show courage, they radiate hope. Do you know anyone whom you would describe as resilient?

I don’t usually take pictures of cityscapes. However, on leaving a pub called The Wharf near Deansgate in Manchester, wh...
27/03/2026

I don’t usually take pictures of cityscapes. However, on leaving a pub called The Wharf near Deansgate in Manchester, where I’d been invited for a late birthday celebration, I thought this would make an interesting shot. This area is called the Slate Wharf and is situated near the end of the Bridgewater Canal. There is an amazing canal system in the middle of the city, dating back many years. This contrasts with the skyscrapers now rising in profusion across the city, some visible in the background. The bridge is part of a pathway running alongside the canal. It looks as if it can be lifted, if necessary. The photo features barges and cars, high-rise buildings and a precarious crane, signs of human activity. There are also two beautiful willows coming into leaf, reminding us of nature’s presence as spring dawns for another year. The bridge seems to be inviting us to take a journey.

This visit to Manchester was very interesting. It was my first rail journey for several years, and Northern Rail trains, now electrified, are much improved. An elderly bus and rail card offers a free trip, and it’s always a thrill to get something for nothing! In the last few years so many tall building have transformed the Manchester skyline, not all of them attractively designed. The city is changing. And yet, people are still walking or running along the old canals, and the pubs are still offering traditional food and drink, and folk are still living in barges. But I know I’m still a country boy. How do you feel about the changes around you?

Whilst paying a visit to Thirlmere, the reservoir for Manchester many miles away, I noticed this tree across the road fr...
26/03/2026

Whilst paying a visit to Thirlmere, the reservoir for Manchester many miles away, I noticed this tree across the road from the car-park. On several earlier visits I’ve concentrated on the old barn-like building further up the field, but on this day the tree caught my attention, rising up beyond the rock. In winter the branches and twigs are bare, and the shape of the tree in its amazing intricacy is seen more clearly. There is a pleasant colour contrast between the green of the grass, the russet of the hillside and the grey of the rocks. There is still a little mist on the fell-side behind the tree, and some blue in the sky, adding atmosphere.

On earlier visits I did notice this tree, of course, but didn’t think much of it. This time something about it in its context struck me, and encouraged me to create a picture. I think it was its stark shape, the rock in front of it, and the mist behind which caught my attention. Viewing the picture on the computer, I notice so much additional detail, the dry-stone walls, the tall grasses here and there, the trees dotting the fellside. All these details come together nicely to provide an interesting picture. Have you recently noticed something new about a person or scene that’s familiar to you?

This photo was taken earlier in the year near Dungeon Ghyll on a very cold day. I wanted to catch the light brightening ...
25/03/2026

This photo was taken earlier in the year near Dungeon Ghyll on a very cold day. I wanted to catch the light brightening the mountainside effectively, revealing shapes and colours. In the background is the end of Crinkle Crags, dusted with snow, beneath a cloudy blue sky. A slight ray of light is gently touching and highlighting the snow on the mountain top. The photo was made possible by using the zoom lens, man and nature working together in harmony.

I like all the contrasts in this picture, contrasts of colour, shape and texture. I also appreciate what a zoom lens can do, as it brings elements of a scene closer. And, of course, we depend on nature’s magic and beauty coming together at the right time. Without some blue in the sky, the scene wouldn’t have been the same. This is one of those occasions demanding our gratitude. Have you experienced a similar “gift” moment recently?

To swim or not to swim, that is the question. This is a photo of a five year old female Golden Retriever recently releas...
24/03/2026

To swim or not to swim, that is the question. This is a photo of a five year old female Golden Retriever recently released from a rescue centre after five years of providing puppies. She is beginning real dog life all over again. So many things are new. Now she is unsure about this possible water adventure. Although retrievers are keen water lovers, Maya was reluctant to plunge into Yew Tree Tarn this time. No doubt a day will come when she will pluck up the courage to have a go and discover a new aspect of her retriever self.

For me this picture raises the issue of decisions. So often in life we are obliged to make decisions: to buy or not to buy, to go or not to go, to speak or not to speak, to change or not to change, and so on. Probably, most of the time the decisions are about ordinary issues, and the consequences aren’t uncomfortable. At other times decisions can be a serious matter, life-changing even, and the consequences considerable. How do you go about decision making? Have there been important decisions you made or wish you’d not made?

This is another photo of Kelly Hall Tarn. This time the iconic lone tree has competition from a delicate th*****me. It s...
23/03/2026

This is another photo of Kelly Hall Tarn. This time the iconic lone tree has competition from a delicate th*****me. It stands out strongly against the hillside and the dull sky. There is a welcome warmth in the grasses around the tarn and the reeds in the water. The tree’s reflection is struggling with the reeds. The three slender young trees offer an interesting contrast. There is even a faint touch of blue reflected in the water.

The professionals often recommend frequent visits to favourite places. It means that you get to know well a place and its photographic possibilities, and in different light and conditions can find a scene worth photographing. Actually, at this tarn, small though it is, there are always interesting subjects waiting obligingly. I came again a few days later when the tarn was covered with ice, offering different possibilities. Have you a favourite place which you like to revisit?

Returning from a short walk alongside Yew Tree Tarn near the small town of Coniston in late February, I took this pictur...
20/03/2026

Returning from a short walk alongside Yew Tree Tarn near the small town of Coniston in late February, I took this picture. This tarn is quite small and easy to access from the main road running alongside, linking Coniston and Ambleside. The stones of the foreground wall are so varied in shape, texture and colour. This seems more evident in the photo than in the original reality. I was initially struck by the deep blue reflection of the sky, balanced by the white of the clouds, as the surface of the tarn ripples slightly. The other partial reflections add to the scene. I like the dark green of the pines on the far side of the tarn, contrasting so well with the hillsides beyond, the Furness Fells. The scene invited a reflective and appreciative pause.

Walking along the path that afternoon, I came across two gentlemen intensely discussing tripods and filters. I’d forgotten my polarising filter, and I don’t use a tripod, so I felt I was of an inferior class. Nevertheless, I managed several acceptable shots hand-held. At Yew Tree Tarn water, trees, grasses and mountains are in such close striking distance, with a touch of sky as well. There is a feeling of ordinary unity and togetherness without drama. And that is welcome and healthy. Our lives can be like that too, don’t you think?

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