Insider Knowledge - Ceredigion Coastal Path

Derelict Farmhouse



Phil Jones Age 46

Occupation Consultant physician, Aberystwyth

Favourite photographers Charlie Waite, David Noton, Nick Brandt

Favourite location Coastal or inland water scenes Photographic approach Composition, preparation, exposure

• How to get there
  
  The Ceredigion Coastal Path extends along the western edge of Ceredigion in West Wales (Cardigan Bay). Train access is at Aberystwyth, close to the north end of the start of the path. Road access from the south is via the M4/A48 to Carmarthen and then A484 to Cardigan, or from the east via the A44 to Aberystwyth. The A487 runs up and down the coastal path.
  
  
• Where to stay
  
  There are many B&Bs in the towns along the coastal path with hotels in some busier spots. Many are in Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, New Quay and Cardigan. Campers are well catered for along the whole of the path. For a list of places to stay visit www.bnb-directory.com.
  
  
• Where to eat
  
  There are plenty of places to eat in the main stops along the route, although some are a little way off the path itself so go prepared with food and water. Check your route on an OS map to see how far it is between pit stops! For suggestions visit www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants
  
  
• Don’t miss
  
  The submerged forest at Borth is a very impressive sight at low tide and with a good sunset. The stumps are part of the Welsh legend of Cantre’r Gwaelod – a sunken land that extended many miles out into the Cardigan Bay.
  
  
• Reader offer
  
  To buy a copy of Phil’s book Ceredigion Coastal Path (ISBN 978-1848512139 published by Gomer Press) for £15.99 (rrp £19.99) including free p&p, call 01559 363 092 or email orders@gomer.co.uk and quote Amateur Photographer. Offer ends 30 June 2010. For more about Phil’s book, see the review in AP dated 22 May 2010.
  
  

Extending from Ynyslas in the north to Cardigan in the south, the Ceredigion Coastal Path weaves its way along the west coast of Wales offering myriad photographic opportunities. The route takes in a varied landscape of sandy dunes and beaches, rocky areas, cliffs and secluded coves. Opened on 3 July 2008, the whole walk stretches some 60 miles (96km), but can be broken down into smaller sections. The path is almost always next to the sea, but it strays inland at a couple of points.

Along the coast visitors can expect beautiful sea views, and on a clear day it is possible to see a great distance across Cardigan Bay. In addition to the picturesque landscapes there are other photographic opportunities, such as sightings of Atlantic grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and plenty of bird life. In autumn seals pup on beaches towards the south and the resident population of dolphins in Cardigan Bay is worth keeping an eye out for. Leather-back turtles are also visitors to the area.

Phil Jones has lived in Aberystwyth for 15 years and walked the path with his camera capturing a variety of images from multiple viewpoints. Here he looks at a few notable vantage points along the route.



Derelict farmhouse

Canon EOS 30D, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/10sec at f/22, ISO 100

Dotted along the coastal path between Aberystwyth and Llanrhystud are a number of dilapidated farm buildings that make great photographs. This particular barn is close to Blaenplwyf and its yellow roof caught my eye. The colours on the day were exquisite and the view extends all the way out to the Irish Sea. The intense blue of the sky and contrasting greens and yellows of the fields combine with the delicate cloud shapes to make what I feel is a timeless coastal image.

The ubiquitous sheep, a symbol of Wales, added a light-hearted touch, which sets this image apart from many other coastal images. I wanted to find a way to bring all these separate components together. To do this I needed to find a viewpoint that would enable me to make a feature of the barn, but also incorporate the surrounding sky, land and sea. I wanted to keep the horizon low to make the most of the sky with its dramatic cloud trails. After some deliberation I settled on a position where I could place the farm in one corner and balance the sky and land around it. There are also several lime kilns scattered along the path, which make interesting subjects.

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Moody Sea



Moody Sea

Canon EOS 50D, Sigma 18-200mm, 1/13sec at f/16, ISO 100

Carreg Bica, between Llangrannog and Cilborth beaches, is an instantly recognisable rocky outcrop. Legend has it that this is the discarded tooth of a Welsh giant. Llangrannog is a busy seaside resort and especially popular among surfers. I had planned to get a photograph of Ynys Lochtyn – a small island on the coast of Cardigan Bay – and had some time to spare.

I knew the tide was on its way in and so chanced my luck. I wanted the rock that is jutting out of the water to stand out against the twilight sky. The white house on the cliff in the top left corner adds a sense of scale. I always stand back and look at the entire scene before I start shooting to get an idea of how I can frame it for maximum impact. In this case I wanted to find an angle that incorporated the darker areas of rock with the sky to give the composition added drama rather than create a solely aesthetic image.

Curving Bay



Curving Bay

Canon EOS 50D, Sigma 10-20mm, 0.3secs at f/16, ISO 100

At the northern end of Aberystwyth’s promenade stands Constitution Hill with the longest funicular railway in the UK at 778ft (237 metres). There is also a camera obscura with a 14in lens that visitors can use to view the town below. The view looking south reveals the promenade, pier, castle ruins and Pen Dinas Monument on the hill. I have tried to capture a sense of movement by including the sweep of land as it curves around the bay.

I tend to shoot as wide as possible to show as much of the scene as I can. I took this at twilight in autumn as the light was fading. The path is west facing so sunset is the best time to capture the most dramatic shots. I was standing at the top of the hill just off the beaten track to get a clear view and levelled my camera on the tripod. I adjusted my camera angle to include the pastel-coloured cloud in the top right corner, which I felt added balance.

Jutting Branch



Jutting Branch

Canon EOS 40D, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/15sec at f/22, ISO 100

Just north of New Quay is the beach of Cei Bach. On warm days a boat trip from New Quay is rewarded with views of the resident bottlenose dolphin population, seals and a multitude of birds. On this occasion I was walking from Aberaeron to New Quay when I spotted a tree branch jutting out from the side of the beach. It was an obvious opportunity to capture a very different photograph of Cei Bach.

The light falling on the bark illuminated the texture of the wood giving it an extra dimension, and the shape of the spindly twigs is an interesting compositional feature in its own right. I framed the image so the branch stretched across the full breadth of the frame to make the most of it and provide interest against the bright but blank sky behind. The tree has since succumbed to gravity as I discovered on a return visit, so this shot can’t be repeated.

Inviting Gate



Inviting Gate

Canon EOS 30D, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/160sec at f/5, ISO 100

The trek from New Quay to Cwmtudu is hard going, but the landscape becomes progressively more impressive so it is worth persevering. This island is just north of Cwmtudu. There used to be an Iron Age fort, although the remains are scant due to erosion. The open gate brings an enticing quality to the image and invites the viewer to peer further into the scene. Here the gate, slightly ajar, takes the eye to the beach below.

I was standing on the fence and angled my camera to include the gate and cliff edges below. An open gate is a recognisable sight along any coastal path, and when photographed from a conventional viewpoint is unlikely to result in an exciting image. Yet from above it takes on a new significance and becomes a central component in the scene.

Waterfall



Waterfall

Canon EOS 20D, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/5sec at f/22, ISO 100

There is an impressive waterfall just north of the main beach at Tresaith and small rainbows of colour are visible at certain times of day. I often shoot in portrait format for landscape shots and here it worked well because of the waterfall’s vertical shape. Shooting in this way allowed me to keep a tight composition and not waste space in the frame.

Whether I choose to shoot landscape or portrait format depends on what is happening around the main point of interest. If there is a strong foreground but little else of interest on either side, I tend to shoot portrait to give greater emphasis to the foreground subject. Working in this way avoids leading the eye out of the frame as it removes empty space or uninteresting subjects.

Dunes



Dunes

Canon EOS 30D, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/8sec at f/22, ISO 100

Ynyslas is a wonderful area at the southern mouth of the Dyfi estuary. Adjacent to the beach is a large tract of dune land with a designated walk slicing straight through. This area is part of a protected site so the landscape is well preserved. I wanted to capture the bird footprints leading into the sand dunes. They bring an extra dimension to the composition by drawing the eye into the scene.

Other factors that draw the composition together include the faint cloud outline that fits neatly into the left of the dunes on the left-hand side of the image, adding to the symmetry. The key factor, however, is the camera angle. I set up my camera just off the ground and adjusted my shooting angle to bring out the undulating shape of the dune. The low angle combined with the flush of grass hints at what is over the brow of the hill, bringing intrigue to this oft-seen subject.