What follows is a compilation of locations visited and the best landscape photography during December 2022.
Round Barrow Appledore
Beginning of December 2022 was dull light and overcast. Needed to get outdoors so plan was to drive into the Kent countryside and scout out and explore some new locations. The first being round barrow in Appledore. Have visited Appledore in Kent before but back then more took a walk along the Royal Military Canal.
The first thing to say about this trip discovered round barrow browsing google maps rather than on OS Maps. So pays to use both when researching new locations to visit. There was no obvious parking nearby to round barrow so parked up nearby at Parkwood. From Parkwood could then follow footpaths to Round Barrow and get in a good walk. Found a nice composition of round barrow that has a couple of mature trees on top still holding onto some autumn foliage. Should have used a faster shutter speed here as some wind. Guess someone very important is buried there like over 3000 years ago.
Horne’s Place Chapel
Another point of interest close to round barrow in Appledore is Horne’s Place Chapel, worth taking a shot of.
At the time was keen to include the lake in the composition and the tree. The light was poor, should have tried a polariser to cut out the glare on the waters surface. Horne’s chapel is really suppose to be the focal point and subject of the composition but only takes up a small percentage of the entire frame. Should have changed to the 200mm lens but really is just a reference shot. With this light was not going to get anything outstanding.
Gusbourne Estate
From Roundbarrow the walk back to the free carpark at Parkwood took me through the Gusbourne Estate. The Gusbourne estate is a vineyard and provides some good views of the surrounding Kent countryside.
A mature tree with some sparse autumn foliage provided a good focal point in the vineyard, with some contrasting dawn colour in the morning background sky. One for the record.
Ham Street Woods
Further into the Kent countryside and the next stop was Ham Street woods nature reserve. Looked good on paper or the map with the Saxon shore way and Greensand way footpaths taking you through the heart of the woodland.
Deep in Ham Street woods was impressed with a few late autumn compositions. An impressive ancient woodland suppose to be thick with wood anemones and bluebells come springtime. Ill be back. Using a polariser made a significant difference to the colour saturation.
Romney Marsh, Kent Downs
After a good second walk of the day through Ham Street woods did venture deeper into the Kent countryside where the Romney marsh meets the Kent downs out near Aldington. But with the short days the light was fading and so was I so not find any good compositions. Makes a difference where you start and end on an active day. I did make some coffee and egg bacon sandwiches in the back of the car using some of my camping gear. This makes a huge difference and always tastes so much better outdoors, keeps you going.
Kingston Ridge South Downs
With it being December wanted to get some typical winter scenes, frost and snow would be ideal. Would need an expansive view to achieve this and early morning would work best. Kingston ridge on the south downs facing east between mount Caburn and Firle beacon would be a good choice for this winter visualisation.
The first visit to Kingston Ridge in December had frost and mist on the ground. The sun rose to far to the south east to include in the frame from this vantage point but bathed mount Caburn in beautiful warm sunrise light.
The following day on my first visit to Kingston Ridge there had been some heavy snow. It was a week later risking life and limb driving back to Kingston ridge for a second visit to photograph this winter wonderland. These conditions are becoming increasingly rare, was very eager to get out and photograph the snow on the ground.
Newhaven Lighthouse
It was a windy December day not a storm or hurricane needed to get outdoors. Took a drive along the coast from Beachy Head to Birling Gap but not much to report. Then continued onto Newhaven lighthouse. Newhaven lighthouse is a popular location in East Sussex with photographers when there are storms due to the waves crashing into the sea wall next to the lighthouse. As I drove into the west beach carpark could see the waves coming over the seawall.
Handholding with the 200mm lens wanted a fast shutter speed to try and catch the droplets of sea water crashing over the lighthouse. There was some good sidelight catching the water and the lighthouse. The tide was going out and the plan was to attempt to make my way down the beach to try and get Seaford Head in the background, behind the lighthouse.
As the tide went out could work my way further along the rocky beach and further out. You really need Vibram soles for this and a steady step, its dangerous but wanted that shot. As the tide goes out though the crashing waves are less dramatic against the lighthouse. Great December afternoon out exploring this new viewpoint. Need to return with stormy weather, maybe sunrise, tide going out with the 400mm lens.
Dry Hill High Weald Surrey
Discovered the location of Dry Hill in Surrey sometime back on the map when researching the highest hills on the High Weald. What makes Dry Hill interesting is a small part of the high weald extends into Surrey right on the borders with Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. Dry Hill in an ancient hillfort from the Iron Age.
During the Christmas break was visiting relatives in nearby west Sussex so decided to stop off and scout out Dry Hill. For late December was very muddy so take your Wellingtons. Managed to park up on a small country lane leading to Beeches farm. There are some footpaths that take you around the hill fort clearing but no complimentary compositions found just took one for the record, a line of poplars and some sheep grazing in the clearing. Its like no interest has been taken in the hill as a visitor viewpoint or historical location. Lots of private land even a small reservoir takes up half the hill. On the drive out along Hollows lane towards Dormansland “the gateway to the high weald” were some good views of Dry Hill and surrounding countryside but no obvious parking.
Caterham viewpoint Surrey Hills
After the Christmas celebrations on the return journey decided to scout out another nearby location that of the Caterham viewpoint on the Surrey Hills. Caterham hill is further east along the North Downs than when I was last on the Surrey Hills between Reigate Hill and Woldingham.
The Caterham viewpoint was a difficult composition. Wanted to include the park bench in the frame, the tree to the left, the road to the right and the distant surrey hills. Problems with Depth of field using F16 focused on the bench, the background is a little out of focus. The light was not good being overcast but then not matter too much what time of day you turn up. But late autumn sunrise, sunset would work good with the light hitting the woodland. While in that woodland, the sun did break through the clouds for a few minutes, but that was it for the afternoon. Had to crop a little and use content aware fill due to distractions around the edges, overhanging branches etc.
Tried a panoramic but had to exclude the park bench, but now everything beyond infinity could drop to the lens sweet spot of F/8. Still had to bracket as high dynamic range between ground and sky. A pleasant walk along the north downs way, but without these clearings there are no viewpoints.
End of December 2022
That wraps up landscape photography during December 2022. One third of the way through winter now and pass the shortest day. Roll on 2023 and springtime.
Check out the December 2022 Landscape photography gallery
Check out the Kent Landscape photography gallery
Check out the East Sussex Landscape photography gallery
Check out the Surrey Landscape photography gallery