Northumberland Landscapes - Alnmouth

Welcome to our Northumberland Landscapes series of blog entries.

As the first in the Northumberland Landscapes series, our latest photographic escapade took us to Alnmouth in Northumberland. It is a site we've long wanted to visit. Despite driving past and through it many times we've never really had the chance to stop and take some time.

[caption id="attachment_1271" align="aligncenter" width="950"] St. Cuthberts Cross[/caption]

I've seen many shots of St.Cuthberts Cross on the hilltop on the southern side of the harbour, looking back to the town across the mouth of the River Aln and the Aln Estuary, but always wanted to nab one for myself and for the Northumberland Landscapes print range.

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St.Cuthberts Cross - Said to be the location where St Cuthbert agreed to become Bishop of Lindisfarne when petitioned by the King.

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Getting there ...

A bit of Google research beforehand revealed a track down to the dunes, on the south side of the estuary, from the A1068, NOT the turning going to Waterside House Farm if you're going North then it is the one before that. Turning onto the track you are greeted with a pothole strewn, rocky track that you really can't drive along at more than 5-10mph (if you value your suspension) but many vehicles travel this track so don't worry, just be careful. A slow drive down this track, avoiding the potholes and rocks, will bring you down to the dunes, crossing St.Oswalds Way and passing a warning sign about the track becoming flooded in places at high tides. PLEASE, check the Northumberland tide tables before you get there!!!



We parked up alongside the dunes and set off on one of the public footpaths heading North, we could see the cross and Alnmouth so navigation wasn't an issue. After crossing the flood plain area we stepped up onto what must be an island at high tide and headed up the hill towards the cross.

Taking the shot ...

It was VERY windy at the top, long exposures would be impractical as the tripod and camera would receive such a buffeting from the wind as to affect the shot so fast exposures were the order of the day, remote shutter release, weighted down tripod and standing to block the wind from the kit.

Jill went off to explore the lower part, towards the estuary, while I set up to get the shot I was after. I took a wide shot, a narrower shot and a bracket set to be sure I could produce something when back home. Then I repeated that sequence again, just to be sure. Belt and braces.

After taking in the view for a while we headed on back down the hill by a different path and came across an old stone ruin and some stumps so rattled off a few more shots for good measure. A quote from the Facebook page of Northumberland AONB clears up the ruin ...

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Mortuary Chapel, Alnmouth:
This little Mortuary Chapel was built 1869-70 at a cost of £177.6s.3d. raised by public subscription, as part of a plan to re-open the cemetery on Church Hill (site of the ancient parish church of St. Waleric, the remains of which were destroyed by the 1806 flood). The roof of the chapel was deliberately removed by the National Trust in recent times to deter squatters and is now a grade II listed building.

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Some may consider it to now be a cliche shot. I've made my case for cliche shots many times in the past but I'll reiterate again for new visitors, these landscapes are only a cliche to the people that have been there before and taken the shot, until then it remains a landscape shot that YOU have not captured. Don't let the views of others put you off, photography is a personal pursuit, capture the images YOU want to capture.

Other Useful Links ...

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alnmouth

Visit Northumberland - http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/historic-sites/st-cuthbert-s-cross