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| East Side Gallery, Berlin. |
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18 July 2016. Good morning from a warm and sunny west of Ireland. This week the photograph is of a Spanish Vineyard. Very neat indeed.
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| Spanish Vineyard. |
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9 July 2016. Another local shot this week and indeed the same mountain Benbulben, but from a different angle and in glorious colour.
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| Benbulben, Sligo, Ireland. |
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2 July 2016. This week a shot taken from my home area. It is an iconic mountain called Benbulben.
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| Clouds over Benbulben, Sligo |
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26 June 2016 This shot was taken a few years ago in the beautiful Pyrénées. Myself and an English couple lit a fire on a Moonlight night at the Refuge we were at, Refuge de Besines, we were the joined by hunters who were hunting for Mouflon.
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| Refuge de Besines, Pyrénées, France |
19 June 2016 Last week I posted a photograph of Rosses Point, Sligo, this week I go to the other side of the bay and post a shot of Strandhill, Sligo. A winter shot of the Wild Atlantic.
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| The Wild Atlantic, Standhill, Sligo, Ireland |
12 June 2016 Evening Light, Rosses Point, Sligo Ireland
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| Rosses Point, Sligo. |
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3 June 2016. The weather here in Sligo, Ireland has been beautiful the last week, as a result I am out and about taking some photographs I now post two photographs taken in beautiful Sligo, both taken quite near each other on the Strandhill area.
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| Seal bank, taken from Knocknarea, Sligo, Ireland |
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| Coney Island Sunset, Sligo, Ireland |
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30 May 2016. A day late posting this week because out walking most of the time due to the lovely weather here in Ireland. The photograph this week was taken in Andalusia, Spain in early February of this year.
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| Endless rows of neat Vines, Andalusia, Spain |
22 May 2016 While walking the Via de la Plata, a Camino Route in Spain, I took this photograph.
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| New Bridge Merida, Spain |
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15 May 2016 This photographs was taken on the Pyrénées near Vielle-Aure while walking the GR10.
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| On the GR 10 in France |
9 May 2016 Slightly late with photograph of the week this week because of a family wedding. Now I post a photograph taken last week in Sligo. Wild garlic for my salad and some bluebells to brighten up a room.
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| Foraging |
2 May 2016 An extra photograph this week to celebrate the Bluebells where I live. This was taken yesterday the first of May near the Holy Well, Sligo, Ireland.
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| Bluebells, Holy Well, Sligo |
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1 May 2016 The photograph this week is from Halfmoon Bay, Hazelwood, Sligo, Ireland
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| Halfmoon Bay, Sligo |
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22 April 2016 I have just completed making a seven minute you tube video about my Camino on the Via de la Plata in February of this year. Hope you enjoy it and feel free to share it.
Via de la Plata Video
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16 April 2016. This week I will post two photographs. Both of them taken last October on the very beautiful Camino del Norte. There is a lot of coastal walking on this route. I call both of these shots simply Pilgrim, they are of my excellent walking companion Antoine.
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| Pilgrim |
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| Pilgrim |
13 April 2016. Special day today, my blog has just passed the 30,000 hits mark, a lot of work a lot of fun, many visitors from all parts of the world. Many many more to come and don't forget to visit my website and maybe buy something, that will help to keep this whole project/concept/dream going. Now I will post three photographs to mark this day.
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| "The Cloud Sweeps Down to Coney" Coney Island, Sligo, Ireland. |
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| Vulture Arette la Pierre St. Martin, Pyrénées, France |
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10 April 20106. Be prepared, this shot was taken on my recent Camino in Spain on the Camino Frances.
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| "For a rainy day" |
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6 April 2016 Synchronized Swans Lough Gill, Sligo, Ireland.
Don' t forgot also that I have two new blog sections from my recent six weeks Camino in Spain, here are direct links. Camino Frances Photographs and Via de la Plata Photgraphs images of a 1,100 kilometre journey of the body, mind and spirit.
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| Swans, Lough Gill, Sligo, Ireland |
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3 April 2016 This photograph is taken in Ballygawley Wood, Sligo, Ireland. Taken on 31 October 2015.
Don' t forgot also that I have two new blog sections from my recent six weeks Camino in Spain, here are direct links. Camino Frances Photographs and Via de la Plata Photgraphs images of a 1,100 kilometre journey of the body, mind and spirit.
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| "Looking South" taken in Ballygawley Woods, Sligo, Ireland |
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1 April 2016 This is a photograph I took last year at the slipway near the Holy Well, Sligo.
Don' t forgot also that I have two new blog sections from my recent six weeks Camino in Spain, here are direct links. Camino Frances Photographs and Via de la Plata Photgraphs
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| Lough Gill, near the Holywell, Sligo |
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30 March 2016. I would like to let you know about two new sections I have created in my blog. This year on February 1 I flew to Spain and on February 2 started walking a Camino route called the Via de la Plata. I walked this route from Seville to Astorga where I meet up with another Camino route called the Camino Frances, I then walked from Astorga to Santiago de Compostela. The distance covered was approximately 1,100 kilometres or 684 miles. I spent 37 continuous days walking, some days 20 km some days 40 km.
Along the way I had temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius in brilliant sunshine, gale force winds on wide open spaces, days of endless rain, snow, sleet and hail. I attempted to photograph it all. On the Via de la Plata I had very little company and mostly walked alone but sometimes meet up with one or two Pilgrims for dinner. On the Camino Frances there were some more Pilgrims, a "Caravan" of about twenty, therefore there was a little more chat.
I will now give you the two links that will take you directly to the respective section. Camino Frances Photographs and Via de la Plata Photgraphs
I hope you enjoy them and please feel free to share them with your friends on social media, there are easy share buttons positioned at the bottom of each post.
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| Pilgrim on a frosty morning, Via de la Plata, Spain. |
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26 March 2016. Happy Easter everyone. Another Spanish shot. Taken in Foncebadón on the Camino Frances.
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| Kid on a cold tin roof (there was snow on the ground). |
25 March 2016. Still editing my work from my last six week long Camino in Spain. I have over the years avoided black and white in favour of colour. The reason for this was the apparent art snobbery in favour of black and white, the implication, you were not a "real" photographer if you shot in colour all the time. Now my attitude has softened and some of work looks better in black and white. I now work in both. Here is a photograph taken in wide open spaces on the Ruta de la Plata near Granja de Moreula.
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| Bare Trees |
21 March 2016. An additional photograph this week, it is from my recent Camino in Spain.
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| Clouds in Spain. |
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20th March 2016. A stork in flight, the temptation would be to crop this shot but I think it is better with the full sky. Taken in Spain on my recent Camino.
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| Stork in flight, Spain |
17th March 2016. Saint Patrick's Day from Ireland, have a lovely day and a great night, don't go to bed too early.
For those of you who are following what I do you will know that I am just back from six weeks walking and photographing a Camino in Spain.
I should post a photograph of Ireland on the the day that it is, but I am currently editing my work and personally I just love this picture.
I call it "Tender Steps" it is of a family of Goats on a rooftop in the snow in Foncebadon, Spain, on the Camino Frances. Feel free to share it on whatever social media you use.
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| "You can do it" |
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March 13 2016. I am back, sorry for no posts for the last six weeks. The reason, I have been walking a Camino in Spain about 1,100 kms. I started in Seville on February 2nd an walked on the Via de la Plata as far as Astorga then used the Camino Frances route from Astorga to Santiago finishing on 9th March. Thirty seven days of continuous walking, some days around 20km other days over 40 kms depending on accommodations, weather, fitness and the humour I was in. It was 27 degrees Cecilus when I started and later had snow, mornings of minus seven, gale force winds, drivings rain. I just arrived home to Sligo, Ireland last night. Will now star the long slow edit of all my photographs. In a few weeks I will post a special section on my blog so keeping checking the blog. Also don't forget that images can be bought as instant downloads on my website www.caminogallery.com , so that I can keep this whole project / adventure going.
The photograph this week was taken in Guillena, on day two of my adventure. The morning sunrise, what a way to start a long journey.
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30 January 2016. A simple and peaceful shot this week. The stream above Glencar Waterfall, Co. Leitrim.
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| Moss and water, Leitrim. Ireland |
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24 January 2016. Took this a few years ago near Emmental, Switzerland. Yes they make beautiful cheese, not just the one with the holes in it. I prefer this image in black and white rather than the colour version. At first you might think there is only person in the foreground, there is actually two, one behind the other, look at the arms and head.
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| Emmental, Switzerland |
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16 January 2016. Every long distance hike that I have done is important to me and I have enjoyed them all. That said there are some that stick in my memory more than others. The GR 10 which is the long distance hike coast to coast of the Pyrénées on the French side is special to me. This week I feature a shot of the Pyrénées it is actually not on the main GR 10 but a slight variant. It is of that special Catalan peak Canigou, 2,786 meters 9,140 feet. This is a shot taken going down the Chimney with my good French friends, Philippe is leading, Christian is in front of me and Mirelle is behind me (out of shot).This brings back great memories to me.
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| Going down the Chimney at Canigou, Pyrénées. |
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12 January 2016. I am doing an extra post this week of two very colourful doorways taken on Camino de Levante, which runs from Valencia to Santiago de Compostella, Spain.
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| Castilla la Mancha Spain |
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| Site Iglesias de Trabancos, Spain |
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10 January 2016. This is a shot taken in the Pyrénées. It is Lac d'Ilheou, Beautiful place.
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| Lac d'Ilheou |
5 January 2015. An extra post this week on the thistle theme. This is the stemless Carline thistle (Carlina Acaulis). I photographed this on a doorway in the Village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert in the South of France. The pinning of this type of thistle to a doorway is very common as a symbol of good fortune in the Basque Country, but this is indeed a good distance South. At one stage this thistle was eaten like an Artichoke hence its nickname "Hunters Bread".
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| Stemless Carline thistle. |
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3 January 2016. First post of the New Year. This is found only in the Pyrénées, the Blue Thistle, but in true terms it is not a thistle, it is belonging to the Apiaceae family (I believe).
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| The Blue Thistle. |
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31 December 2015. Another Year almost over, next Year I hope will bring many new adventures, go walk some long distance track, plan a little but not too much. Let things happen, just do things and enjoy.
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| Towards the Western end of the gr 65, the Le Puy Camino |
23 December 2015 I would like to wish a very happy Christmas to all of you who have followed my blog during the year. Have a nice relaxing time, and to those of you whom I meet on many Camino routes and other walks I hope I will meet you again. This photograph was taken In Doorly Park Sligo, Ireland. I think it appropriately seasonal. Nollaig Shona.
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| Robin, Doorly Park, Sligo Ireland. |
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19 December 2015. This week my native shores. It is taken in Glencar lake which cover the counties of Sligo and Leitrim in Ireland. I hope to do one more post before Christmas. Don't forget downloads of my work can be purchased at Camino Gallery
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| Glencar Lake, Sligo-Leitrim, Ireland |
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13 December 2015. Spent a few days last week in Lisbon, nice city. This is a shot of the old and famous tram 28. The composition is a little tongue in cheek. I call it electric meets diesel. I also like the pose of the lady in the front.
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| Electric meets Diesel |
5 December 2015 This week a photograph of a fern, I simply call it shapes. Don't forget with Christmas coming to consider buying a download from my website Camino Gallery.
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| Shapes |
27 November 2015. Christmas Gifts - buy a download from Camino Galery . This is the first Christmas for my website Camino Gallery and hopefully it will provide gift ideas for some of you. Even though the website is called Camino Gallery, it has photos Sligo, Leitrim, Alps, Provence, Pyrénées etc. Explore the site and see what downloads you like. I will now give you a brief explanation on how to use the site, also all the info you need is in the site itself. To view images, in the website go to the tab "Galleries" then you will see a drop down menu giving you four options, Camino, Ireland, Pyrénées, Alps and other. In Camino you will find eight different galleries of eight different Camino, Click on an image and it will open that gallery. In Ireland you find many photographs of Sligo and Leitrim, You have photographs of Pyrénées and then a section of the Alps and other. Take time and explore, there are many images on the site so it will take time to open.
To download an image or images of your choice, choose an amount you want to Pay10, 20 euro or other higher amount, then click Download High Resolution JPG. The image will then be downloaded on your computer and you can print it any way you want, saving postage costs and time. You could also use it as a screensaver or on your website. In the "This Site" you will find more information on how the site works. Any further questions send me an email by using the "Contact" tab. Your support is appreciated. Here is a screen shot of the site showing the drop down tab.
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An additional photograph this week. Taken on a Camino route, the Via de la Plata, Galicia, Spain. Stork guarding the nest in a beautiful tree.
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| Stork, Galicia, Spain |
29 November 2015. This week I select an image from Sligo. It is a nice tranquil scene taken at a lake just a few kilometres from where I live.
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| Lough Gill, Sligo. |
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26 November 2015. To all my American followers Happy Thanksgiving. I will give you something different for Thanksgiving, I call this photograph Sky-Dance a flight of fancy, taken near Zamora , Spain. (Click on image to enlarge)
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| Sky - Dance, a flight of fancy. |
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Sunday 22 November 2015. An extra post this week from my native area. A tranquil moment at Hazelwood, Lough Gill, Sligo.
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| Lough Gill, Sligo, Ireland |
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Saturday, 21 November 2015. This week it is the Pyrénées again. I posted a little piece on my personal Facebook page this week, it got a good reaction so I will post the same photograph here, I hope you enjoy it. It is taken on a variant of the Gr 10, I climbed up by Vignemale, stayed the night in the refuge at Bayssellance, which I think is the highest manned refuge in the Pyrénées. This shot was taken the following morning as I was descending to Gavarnie. You can see the Glacier of Vignemale in the distance, the young Calf drinking from the little lake, clouds, mountain stream, lovely morning light. Yes it is amongst one of my favourite Pyrénées pictures.
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| Near Bayssellance, Pyrénées. |
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Saturday, 14 November 2015. This week there is only one thing on my mind, that is the awful events that took place last night in Paris. My thoughts with those affected in any way. I have walked a lot in beautiful France, I have many good friends who live there, I like the Country and it's people very much. As a way of showing my respects I will now post a shot of the beauty of France. It is one of the eastern end of the Pyrénées.
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| Pyrénées near Bolquére |
This week a little true story of what can happen to you on solo long distance hikes. I go back to the 19th June 2014 to Crete des Gittes in the French Alps, using the GR 5. There was still some snow left on the ridge. That day I was walking a fairly long trek between Les Contaimes and the Refuge at Plan de la Lai. I stopped for something to eat at Refuge Croix du Bonhome and also to ask for advice about hiking the Crete des Gittes. I was told that further on there was snow still compacted on the lower path and that it was safer to stay to the upper path, these can be clearly seen in the photograph, good advice.
After walking some time on the upper path I found it narrow, a bit fragile and the wind was strong as there was no shelter. I still keep looking at the lower track and for a long while now (say after 30 mins) there was no snow. So in order to get off the highest ground and out of the wind I went to the lower track. All was fine for a while and I found it more comfortable, then I saw the path covered in snow and ice, but just a very short stretch, say three meters. I decided to carefully walk on it but because of the compacted ice was forced to walk to the very outer edge of the path. I must have been only one meter from the end of the snow when I lost my footing, as if the path underneath me just broke away. I was now at approx 2540 meters. I was now sliding down this alpine slope. I always use two walking poles with wrist straps, that is what saved me. I kept digging them into the slope. Eventually the left pole dug in the soil and stopped me. With some cuts to my leg and arms I crawled back up the very fragile and eroded slope and got the far side of the snow.
I believe I was the only one who traversed the Crete that day. I eventually got down of the Crete and meet a family on a day hike. My shoulder was sore for several days. I continued my Alpine trek for a further 7 days but because the snowline was about 2200 meters in the interest of safety I stopped and went to Provence instead.
Some day I will continue that GR5 Journey. This picture clearly shows the two paths.
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| Crete des Gittes |
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This week a shot from the GR10, Pyrénées, France. Just using a fairly standard zoom this shot of a Vulture.
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| Vulture |
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Had some annoying technical problems with the blog I hope I have them solved, had to delete some work now reposting it. This is a shot called dancing on the Camino, taken where the Del norte meets with the Frances. Lovely people.
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| Dancing on the Camino |
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Hello, I have spent the last month on the trail many in Spain but with starting my trip with friends in France. I have mainly been walking the Camino del Norte in Spain. It was an amazing trek mainly on a very beautiful coastal route.
Hello to all the friends I meet there and I hope those of you who continued on to Muxia and Finnesterre enjoyed it. I did check face book while I was away and the one things I noticed was the really exceptional Autumn shots of Sligo and Leitrim, also Fred Corcoranshots of Portugal amazing. I had major lens problems on this trip and in the end had to buy a new one, as a result I missed out on a large number of shots. I will edit what I have and post a few on here and my blog and website over the next few weeks. Here is one of a French Antoine I walked a lot of the journey with.
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| Antoinne. |
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The beautiful tree, Hazelwood, Sligo, Ireland. Taken from different angels at different times.
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An extra post this week. It is a personal favourite. It is taken from inside the Gallery of Photography, Porto, Portugal looking towards the colourful old town. It is framed by a beautiful window.
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| Porto, Portugal |
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This week we go to the Camino Levante, which runs for about 1200km from Valencia to Santiago de Compostella. This was taken in very early morning light.
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| A field of joy. |
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Another Butterfly this week taken in the Arigé, Pyrénées, France,
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| Beauty. |
A simple but beautiful Butterfly on a wild-flower taken in Lozére, France.
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| Butterfly on wild-flower. |
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This week a shot of the sky just after sunset in Muxia, Galicia, Spain. There are no filters used in the shot that was the colour of the Sky.
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| Muxia, Spain |
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This week a bit of fun, this is a shot I took in Budapest showing the Danube and some of its famous landmarks. I use the night light to paint the picture, hand held long exposure.
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| Budapest |
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A photograph from Glencar, Co Leitrim. The stream above the waterfall.
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| Glencar Co Leitrim |
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Just to let you know, the blog passed a major milestone-landmark last Thursday, it has now passed the 20,000 visits. I would hope to keep it going so that all the people from the four corners of the world can keep coming back to visit the bog. You are all probably aware of my website www.caminogallery.com where you can purchase instant downloads, I would hope that this can maybe in time help to fund this whole project, so that I can keep it alive. Looking forward to your support.
This week a Camino photograph from France. It is taken on the Le Puy route the GR65. it is the small Chapelle on the route out of Conques.
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| Into the Mystic |
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An extra photograph this week, taken on Lough Gill, near the Holy Well, Sligo
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| Ready for a SUP (Stand up Paddle) |
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The Glen , on the Coolera Peninsula on the south face of Knocknarea, Sligo. It is a Cleft in the Mountain about three quarters of a mile long and sixty foot deep by forty foot wide. It has very dense vegetation of ferns, ivy, honeysuckle, beech, hazel , holly, oak, Scots pine. Today I spent a few hours there as part of a long walk. It rained very heavy, which I think added to the sheer magic of the place. It is a place that has attracted botanists for over a century.
Here are a few photographs taken today 11th July 2015 that show the luscious green on a very wet day in the West of Ireland.
I have more Sligo Leitrim Images on my website, the website images are available for instant purchase by download. click here to go straight to that section. http://www.caminogallery.com/galleries/?id=8
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
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| The Glen Sligo Ireland |
A Golden Sea. This was taken at Rosses Point, Sligo. You can see some birds on the water in the foreground and the Lighthouse in the distance.
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| Rosses Point, Sligo. Sunset. |
This week Sligo Ireland. Taken from Benbulben.
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| Towards Donegal Bay |
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| The Patchwork fields. |
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I have finally edited my Camino de Levante and Via de La Plata photographs and they are now on my website, I have a few people shots on my blog this is a direct link and then it will easily take you to the relevant sections of my website Recent Spanish Camino
When you visit my website and if you enjoy what I am doing you might consider purchasing a download, it will help me to maintain the service. (if you don't want to print it, it would make a lovely screensaver) I have avoided up to now putting a donate or contribute button on my blog as I feel this gives a wrong impression.
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| on the way to Higueruela, Camino de Levante Spain |
Still working on editing my Spanish photographs. I think this works in black and white. Taken near Medina del Campo.
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| dawn on the tracks |
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Took this a few mornings ago in my neighbours garden, just used a very standard 18-135 lens. The Robin was very near me. It kept returning and going away with a very full beak full obviously feeding it's young.
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| A beak-full. |
I switch back to the Pyrénées this week. I meet some nice French people on the Pyrénées that have just stayed with me in Ireland, we were talking about this beautiful climb. This is of my favourite type of high mountain scenes when you get the morning light and the many misty shades of blue. This is taken looking Eastwards from climbing that sacred Catalan Peek called Canigou.
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| Pyrénées Orientales |
An extra shot this week. Also from my recent Spanish stroll. Taken near Escalona Castilla la Mancha Spain.
Those Wild flowers again.
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| Near Escalona, Spain |
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This week it is more photographs taken from my recent stroll in Spain the Camino de Levante. It is more Poppies because I have never seen as much Poppies and they were stunning. The editing of my photographs has slowed down because of shoulder pain as a result of too much time at the computer. It will be about another week before I have a full section on website and blog. These were taken four hours apart on the same long hot day between Moro and Toledo, a 42 km hike.
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Still editing. I like the movement in this one. I may have an entire section on Poppies they were so abundant and beautiful and all slightly different. This is the start of me using a different technical process and programme hopefully giving even higher quality, But the editing process is so slow.
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| Beauty |
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Time to open a new post for photograph of the week. This is mainly for technical reasons, the file will now open on your computer much faster. All the old photographs will still be there in Photograph of the week.
Well now still editing my photographs from my recent Spanish Camino, the Camino Levante.
This Week two photographs from that Hike. One is of a line of Ants. I have never seen as many Ants in my entire life. There were line of them everywhere. You would see this 20 to 30 times a day.
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| Busy. This second shot is taken in La Colegiata in Toro. I arrived very exhausted at half past three in the afternoon after walking 34 km in heat that was now 35 degrees Celsius. These kind people gave me loads of ice water and refilled my water bottle. The son (drinking coffee) drove me around the town to find accommodation and show me the sights of the town. They are looking at my credential my pilgrim passport. I had at that stage travelled almost 800km. They got great joy at looking at all the different stamps from all the places I had been. They were lovely people and you can see that in this photograph. |
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| Nice people in Toro. |
