midsummer hill sunset malverns

Mid Summer Hill Sunset Malverns

I had just a few days left in my rented accommodation in Pershore, I had finished my contract in Tewkesbury soon I would be leaving these shores to do some travelling but thats another storey.  It was a nice evening in May, I still wanted to take a look at chase end hill.  The sun was setting on my stay in the West Midlands and I was hoping to catch a sunset from Mid Summer hill of the Malverns on my last landscape photography shoot here.

Towards Chase End Hill

There is a free car park at Hollybush between Midsummer and Ragged Stone of the Malvern hills.   It was late afternoon, parked up and made my way up to the summit of Ragged Stone Hill.

Ragged stone hill malverns
Ragged Stone Hill 1/6 sec, F/13, ISO 100, 18mm

Late May and the Bluebells were now withering, only one week earlier up on the South Malverns and the Bluebells were in full bloom.  This time I continued along the path towards Chase End Hill.  The path is pretty steep in places.

chase end hill malverns
Trig point, chase end hill 1/20 sec, f/11, iso 100, 18mm

On top of chase end hill is a trig point with far reaching views over Worcestershire to the east with Bredon hill in the distance.  There is a lot less walkers heading across the south Malverns as far as chase end hill.  I did meet two people who were enjoying the late afternoon sunshine with a bottle of champagne, some people know how to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

I was not using any walking guides, just following the three Choirs way back around the foot of Chase End Hill clearly marked on the Ordnance survey online maps for this area of the Malverns.

Mid Summer Hill Sunset

It was time to hike back up the hills of Ragged Stone and Midsummer to hopefully catch a sunset for my last Landscape photo shoot of the Malverns.  I do love the Malvern hills.

Malvern Hills Red Sky
Malvern Hills Red Sky 10 sec, f/22, iso 100, 70mm

I was all alone, I was not dissapointed and managed to enjoy a sunset over the Malverns from the top of Midsummer hill.  One minute the sky was a bland grey, the next it was alight with red and orange sunset hues.

Technically incorrect

Facing west with views across Herefordshire and the Obelisk I just managed to catch the sun setting behind the distance hills.  Difficult to do as it was quite windy on top of Midsummer hill, you really need spikes in the end of your tripod.  Its low light situations like this I switch from Aperture priority to manual mode on my DLSR.  Using the histogram the cameras light meter a technically correct photo would be overexposed due to it naturally being a little on the dark side.

midsummer hill sunset malverns
Sunset Malverns Obelisk Eastnor 2 sec, f/18, ISO 100, 20mm

A sunset over Herefordshire from the top of Midsummer hill and the sun sets on my time here in the West Midlands and the Malvern hills.  Funny that my last picture is one of my favourite landscape and sunset photo from my whole time here.  It is so much more interesting taking photos at sunset and sunrise.

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