Photographing landscapes in the United Kingdom can be something of a love-hate affair, especially in the winter months. With the weather changing suddenly, dramatically and often without warning, we’ve come to rely on weather apps more so we can avoid wasted trips or unnecessary hikes.
It’s almost the end of January and I’m on my way to meet Lloyd Evans. It’s a particularly beautiful morning as I drive to Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, passing the photogenic Chew Valley Lake on the way. I’m almost tempted to stop and fire off a few frames, but I don’t want to be late for our meeting.
We park up in a spot just outside Cheddar’s quaint town centre, next to the Black Rock nature walk, which is surrounded by rocky paths and dense woods on each side of a quiet winding road. Lloyd jumps out of his car and says, “Did you see the views on the way down here? Stunning! I wanted to stop, but I didn’t want to be late.” At that moment, I knew we’d get along just fine.
Lloyd loads up his backpack and we start our ascent to the top of the gorge. It’s a frosty morning as we pass by some cut timber,
