the river stort

March 25, 2025

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 20 March 2025].}

Last summer, I spent three weeks in Bishop's Stortford, sitting two cheeky puppers, Dudley and Betsy.

On the last Bank Holiday of the year, I popped out for a walk with my camera along the River Stort in the canalised section that runs through the town, known as the Stort Navigation.

I have a series of photos to edit and share with you from that day, but this one looks back along part of where I'd walked.

I'll be back in the town for ten nights next month, sitting those cheeky puppers again.

a mathematical bridge

January 3, 2023

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 December 2022].}

Connecting Queens' College in Cambridge.

lifebuoy

April 19, 2022

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 April 2022].}

rievaulx

March 22, 2022

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 18 March 2022].}

Rievaulx is a lovely little spot in the North York Moors.

untitled #1 [rievaulx bridge, rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

Visiting there in 2012 (when these photos were taken) inspired me to encourage my parents to visit there during their visit in 2017.

untitled #4 [rievaulx bridge, rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

Unfortunately, on that visit, we had sleet and rain instead of smatterings of snow.

untitled #5 [rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

It was a lovely spot to visit on Valentine's Day.

untitled #15 [river thames from trinity buoy wharf, poplar, london, england, 2019]

Love letters to London: Rivers, canals and waterways

November 18, 2021

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 November 2021].}

It's been a long time between drinks, but I'm finally sharing another love letter to London!

This was supposed to be a project I published once a month this year to celebrate my ten-year Londonversary. Despite being well behind target for various reasons, I am hoping to complete the project this year. (Or, failing that, by my eleven-year Londonversary in January 2022.)

So, if you've been thirsting for more, you'll be pleased to know this one is bursting with water. Perhaps not so pleased to hear it's not the potable kind.

As mentioned in my ode to the wild life I've discovered (not that type, this type), the subject of this love letter isn't vaguely exclusive to London or even the UK.

But rivers, canals and waterways are prominent features in this city. Even the subterranean or "lost" rivers.

Here are just a few of my favourites.

River Thames

It's hard to imagine London without the River Thames threading through it from east to west. It's been such an integral element of the city since its establishment, and according to Wikipedia, "has played several roles in human history: as an economic resource, a maritime route, a boundary, a fresh water source, a source of food and more recently a leisure facility."

Probably my first awareness of the Thames' existence was through the title sequence of EastEnders and the Thames Television ident. Both of which I regularly saw on Australia's ABCTV during my childhood.

Growing up in Brisbane and Melbourne, where the Brisbane and Yarra Rivers are central to each city, the Thames just seemed like more of the same. And it kind of is, except at London Bridge, the Thames is about double the width the Yarra is at Princes Bridge, which is what I was comparing it to when I first crossed it.

untitled #74 [thames barrier from silvertown, london, england, 2019]

Like the Yarra, it mostly takes on a muddy brown tinge. But in the right light, it appears a lovely blue. And at night - with the various bridges spanning it and buildings and landmarks lining north and south banks lit up - it has a beauty about it that almost always stops me in my tracks.

untitled #18 [trinity buoy wharf, poplar, london, england, 2019]

It's also one of the ideal ways to explore the city I love. And a place to start when introducing newcomers to London.

If you're ever struggling to decide where to go for a (photo) walk in London: choose north or south of the river and a starting point. Then walk until you run out of steam and find a cosy pub to rest your weary feet.

I've done this many times with many people, and I've still not walked the entire length of it within London.

untitled #1 [bow creek and the river thames from trinity buoy wharf, poplar, london, england, 2019]

And, if you want a different angle, there are plenty of spots where the river intersects with docks and basins. And even Bow Creek (the tidal estuary of the River Lea) by Trinity Buoy Wharf.

Regent's Canal

Speaking of basins that intersect with the Thames: Regent's Canal links with the River Thames via Limehouse Basin.

The canal winds its way through the east and across the north of London. Then over to the west of the Regent's Park.

untitled #10 [regent’s canal, primrose hill, london, england, 2018]

untitled #12 [regent’s canal, primrose hill, london, england, 2018]

I've not yet wandered the eastern arm of the canal with my D700. My visits to that part of the canal have often been during the evening or while lost after catching the wrong night bus home.

untitled #67 [regent’s canal, camden, london, england, 2016]

However, the sections from King's Cross to Camden and Camden to the Regent's Park have been the subject of at least two photo walks I've taken with friends. And a pleasant stroll with a former school teacher who was visiting the city a few years ago now.

While Venice and Amsterdam are far more renowned for their canals, coming from Australia, where there are few canals, I've developed something of an obsession with London's canals.

untitled #35 [regent’s canal, primrose hill, london, england, 2018]

Photographically, London's canals are such a brilliant mix of posh and dirty. They often pass through the grandest suburbs and give you a glimpse at the rear of impressive homes. Whilst littered with abandoned objects, rubbish and plenty of graffiti.

untitled #98 [regent’s canal, camden, london, england, 2016]

The sections of Regent's Canal I've walked along most often pass through the regenerated King's Cross with its newly established Gasholder Park. Through iconic Camden. Along the south of fashionable Primrose Hill. And through the northern border of the Regent's Park itself.

untitled #52 [regent’s canal, primrose hill, london, england, 2018]

There is plenty of birdlife to be found on and by the water. And a nice mix of natural and industrial decoration lining it.

kentish town lock [regent’s canal, kentish town, london, england, 2016]

st pancras lock [regent’s canal, st pancras, london, england, 2016]

The locks, in particular, always intrigue me.

untitled #82 [regent’s canal, camden, london, england, 2016]

6 [regent’s canal, primrose hill, london, england, 2018]

There are always reflections to reward your photographic eye.

untitled #75 [regent’s canal, the regent’s park, london, england, 2018]

And I have something of a fascination with the narrowboats that line the canals of London. I'm not sure how practical I'd find narrowboat life, in actuality. But they have a similar appeal to me as caravans have had for most of my life.

Grand Union Canal - Paddington Arm

A more recent addition to my list of London canals visited, the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal has a lot going for it in my books.

As the longest merged canal in the UK, the Grand Union Canal runs from London to Birmingham. And, interestingly, includes Regent's Canal in its length.

untitled #48 [grand union canal - paddington arm, kensal green, london, england, 2020]

I've walked a relatively short stretch of this canal. But it's notable for me as it runs between the Kensal Green Gasworks on the Ladbroke Grove side and Kensal Green Cemetery, one of the 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries.

untitled #35 [grand union canal - paddington arm, kensal green, london, england, 2020]

Or rather, it did, as the Kensal Green Gasworks started to be demolished in March this year to make way for new residential development (of course).

New River

Which now brings me, finally, to waterways.

More specifically, the New River, which is, in fact, neither new nor a river. But it has a soft spot in my heart as it runs through my part of London.

untitled #5 [new river, hornsey, london, england, 2021]

I'm still to fully explore it to the north, from Hornsey to Enfield and beyond. And from Finsbury Park to its terminus. But I've had a pint by the water's edge in Enfield before, and I've seen (and photographed) its source near Hertford.

untitled #29 [new river, harringay ladder, harringay, london, england, 2021]

I hope to undertake the walk north along the New River Path sometime soon (though possibly not until the weather warms again!) And to share photos from that and my previous walk - from Hornsey south to Finsbury Park - with you in a selection of photo essays.

untitled #64 [new river, finsbury park, london, england, 2021]

untitled #51

July 1, 2021

^{[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 24 June 2021].}

untitled #12

November 29, 2020

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 22 November 2020].}

Reality reared its ugly head again on Thursday afternoon this week after a reverie of about seven months.

Was it reverie or just denial?

Either way, I've had to focus more on things other than my photography, art and writing over the past few days.

On the positive side: I've imported all my photos and videos to near the end of April. I hope to get up to date in the next week, around things that need to be done in 'the real world'.

I fell ridiculously behind with importing after my trip to Australia with Simon. Far worse than I've ever managed before.

I also started work on a new collage recently - which may or may not work out, so it may or may not appear here soon - which is part of a new series.

At the tail-end of the night (what's now last night), I had a chance to look through some of my photos from earlier this year that I'd barely seen since I took them.

Doing so gave me ideas for two new series of photos using images I've already taken but, in many cases, not yet edited. One is Christmas-themed, so I'll start posting that series from 1 December. Spoiler alert: it's not full of your usual Christmas cheer. Sorry.

However, I chose this photo to edit and share with you for now.

It caught my eye earlier this week as I was importing photos from my DSLR from that day. 2 February 2020, specifically. A nice palindromic date: 02/02/2020. The serenity of the scene felt like that particular soothing thing I needed right now.

Listening to Grandaddy's The Sophtware Slump... on a wooden piano as I edited also helped to slow my racing mind.

At least for a while... until my computer crashed and I lost this post and had to start again. Thankfully I managed to get the bulk of what I'd written captured with the camera on my phone before it disappeared into the ether.

I hope this image helps to calm you if that's what you need right now.

Let me know what you're listening to lately to help you deal with whatever stresses you're going through. Music recommendations spin me right round, baby, right round.