Winter. Howling winds, driving rain and slate grey skies are no fun.
But when it’s freezing cold and the sun is shining, walks are bracing and photographs shimmer.
Here are the fruits of recent walks around Manchester when the light was beautiful.
Autumn leaves radiated, canals dazzled with reflections and new buildings were stellar against crisp blue backdrops. What a time to be alive with a camera…
It’s a glorious October day. I’m straight on the train and heading for seaside icon Blackpool to enjoy a long walk in the sunshine. CONTINUE READING BELOW
My train from Manchester took me to Blackpool North station. The walk to the promenade takes you past the resort’s garish, seedier side – but the first view of the sea makes it all worthwhile.
For my long photo walk in sublime light I stayed close to the beach, kicking off with a first wander along the North Pier, which offered great views of Blackpool’s iconic tower.
Under piercing blue skies and sun that still radiated some warmth, I edged along the resort’s strikingly Brutalist sea defences and strolled along the sand.
The last time I came to Blackpool a winter storm was raging and the water was a very murky caramel colour, but this time it was like another place altogether.
A visit to a coastal town isn’t complete without going underneath the hulky struts of its pier – a box that was satisfyingly was ticked on this occasion.
After an obligatory fish and chip lunch at a place called Cod Father (yes really) I kept tracking south and moved away from Blackpool, catching famous rollercoaster The Big One in full throttle (from a safe distance!)
The broadening of the beach and deepening of the sand was a sign I was closing in on St Annes-on-the-Sea, near Blackpool but a real shift in style and substance. I really shrugged off city life and felt peaceful along this little stretch of the Fylde Coast.
As I made my way to the train station, the sun was still blazing away in an untroubled sky – the last time before moody Atlantic lows and Arctic freezes would dominate this island…
I recently visited Birmingham – the UK’s second city – on a quest to photograph some of its buildings.
And there’s a rich and varied seam of architecture to be found there. CONTINUE READING BELOW
The vibrant city centre of Birmingham is a mix of building styles, from concrete leftovers of the 1960s and 70s to innovative recent additions including the Library of Birmingham.
Encased in an elegant gilded cage, this building was my first port of call and was truly impressive. Head upstairs to enjoy an elevated view over Birmingham city centre.
Another innovative must-see is the outlandishly tactile Selfridges building with its many voluptuous curves, while the silver-topped Grand Central complex also grabs the attention.
I took a bus ride to the University of Birmingham campus at Edgbaston, where I studied for a time.
Memories came cascading back, while the library I once inhabited has since been demolished and replaced with a sleek new gold-framed building.
Birmingham may have struggled with its reputation down the years, but my architectural tour showed there is a lot to see. Even if you’re not looking up at buildings like I did, it’s a city that has a lot to offer.
The Selfridges building inspires with its curves and textures
My home city of Manchester is a heady mix of historical architecture and shiny new skyscrapers.
Travel north by train for an hour and you’ll reach Lancaster, a historic city that owes a great deal to its past… CONTINUE READING BELOW
From Lancaster train station it’s just a short walk to the city’s imposing castle, which was also a prison until as late as 2011.
Dark walls and deep crenellations give way to charming old houses around Castle Hill, some of them quaintly crooked, others with vine-covered porches.
As I wandered around the city centre on a sunny day, the dark sandstone of historical buildings persisted. There wasn’t a whiff of any new architecture, let alone the lofty glass and steel we have here in Manchester.
Lancaster may have an old shell, but it’s a thriving place filled with coffee shops, food stalls and everything needed by modern city dwellers. There was a pleasant hum of life walking around its historic streets.
Lancaster is also blessed with an old waterway and it’s well worth a diversion to wander along its towpath and under some low-slung bridges – they’ve been there some time too!
November in the UK can be dank and turgid. When a day of bright blue skies was forecast, I booked a train to the Wirral, one of my favourite coastal spots. Enjoy the photos and read more below
West Kirby is the last stop on the Wirral shuttle from Liverpool. It boasts a large marine lake, islands in the estuary and acres of sky.
But this day was different from previous visits. The tide swell was unusually high, filling the Dee estuary next to the peninsula.
Nearby Caldy Beach was underwater so I took the cliff path and enjoyed the views and winter sunshine.
After I headed back to West Kirby, the pathway which rings the Marine Lake was resurfacing. But my walk resulted in a pair of wet shoes and sodden socks!
Since that day Manchester has been cloaked in a blanket of dense cloud and is feeling truly wintry. Maybe some cheery, warm Christmas lights will provide respite from the gloom.
