December, 2009 | Cody Duncan Photography

Brecon Beacons Winter

December 23, 2009/1 Comment/in Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Panoramics, Wales/by Cody

We’ve had a fair bit of snow here in the south of Wales (and the UK as a whole, causing quite a bit of chaos) over the last week (snowing right now as well). My current location is right on the edge of the Brecon Beacons national park, so it’s been nice to get up into the hills over the last days. On Sunday and Monday I was up on Pen Y Fan and Corn Du. Tuesday was a wonderful day up on Fan Fawr and this morning (Wednesday) was a dawn patrol run up Pen Y Fan and Corn Du again in hopes of a nice sunrise, which never materialized.

Panoramic image of view from Pen Y Fan looking towards Cribyn. Sunday was a day of 50-60 mph winds blasting across the summits and ridges throwing snow everywhere. A layer of clouds sat about 200 meters above the mountains forming a constantly changing show of light and shadow. A constant struggle to keep the lens free from spindrift – actually better to keep the lens hood off, as it would create some weird wind vortex that would bring more snow.

Brecon beacons national park winter snow december 2009. Pen Y Fan in clouds

Pen Y Fan concealed behind clouds as seen from Corn Du. Monday was a much calmer day with slow moving clouds forming over the summits and then clearing again.

South Ronaldsay, Orkney

December 18, 2009/22 Comments/in Mostly Photos, Scotland, Travel/by Cody

Orkney travel stock photograph - Old boat sits abandoned in Barn, South Ronaldsay, Orkney

Staircase in abandoned derelict building, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland

living room of abandoned house, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland

Abandoned house, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland.

I wonder what stories these old walls could tell. Once it was probably the center of a large farm. Times changed and the old ways lost their charm. The young generation left home for the glamour of the city. No one wanted to live on the edge of the world anymore. The house sat alone, empty. The paint faded. The roof caved.