First landscape photography walk of 2019 was going to be from Swyre Head the highest point on the Purbeck Hills to Houns Tout Cliff on the Jurassic coast. On a cold and frosty January morning.
Swyre Head OS Walking Map
There are a couple of free car parks near Kingston in Dorset which are clearly marked on the Ordnance survey online maps.
Using the OS map I had a clear path to walk from the car park. Up to Swyre head to admire the views all round. Then down to the south-west coast path along the Jurassic coast to the Egmont Bight Waterfall. Then along the Houns Tout Cliff before walking back inland to Kingston for a pint.
Towards Swyre Head
It was a cold and frosty morning as I approached Swyre Head, it was overcast mostly but visibility was very good. Out to sea crepuscular rays were breaking through the clouds aka sunbeams or gods rays.
On top of Swyre head to the south-east you could clearly see St Aldhelms head which I walked to last time I was in Dorset from Worth Matravers.
Foreground Distraction
The foreground in the two seascape photos above, are a bit chaotic, distracting and uninteresting. Even with the telephoto shot on St Aldhelms Head, magnifying the sunbeams in the back, I could not quite exclude the dead weeds, I should have gone to my lens max of 85mm. I do not carry an array of lenses(not yet). A more powerful telephoto may have helped here.
Views West
Looking west was the folly Clavell Tower above Kimmeridge Bay then further along Worbarrow bay, in the far distant is Weymouth and Portland bill, all iconic landscape photography locations on the Dorset coast.
The above telephoto shot over Kimmeridge with Clavell tower as the focal and focus point, I was handholding the camera. It would have been better on a tripod and using a hard edge graduated filter of at least 2 stops.
The sky is too bright and the ground too dark due to cloud cover. Post processing is a wonderful thing.
Watefall, Egmont Point
Walking along the south-west coastal path towards Egmont Point, the cliff face is very dark, especially with no sun and there is no access below to the beach.
Eventually you come to the Egmont Bight waterfall which makes a good composition. I was back on my tripod trying some long exposures with a little stopper. But from a high angle not come out so well. You could just imagine a dinosaur down there, on the Jurassic coast.
Houns Tout Cliff
From the waterfall, continuing the hike, it was a steep climb up to the Houns Tout Cliff face.
Again, great views west out to Portland Bill, with foreground and mid ground interest. Post processing has taken a long time. I shot so many compositions that day. Dorset and the Purbeck Isle is great practice for your seascape and landscape photography. No end of compositions to shoot, even on dull light days. Next stop, walk back to Kingston and a well deserved pint in the Scotts Arms with good views south to Corfe Castle.