Today is the twenty second day of my photography challenge – Adventures in Photography

The challenge is definitely getting much harder and so is the location planning. The challenge has now become more than just a single location shoot, my photography trips have become journeys which feels slightly more adventurous.

Today I decided to take my images on my morning walk with my dog. I planned out a circular route which would take me down to Hollesley Marshes, along the river wall to Boyton, then inland and back home through an area of farmland. The theme I wanted to explore was different habitats and the route of this walk would take me through areas of marshland, salt marsh and agricultural land. I took with me just one lens, my 70-200mm which I thought would be the most versatile.

It was a beautiful morning and as I walked down the track to Hollesley Marshes it really felt like spring was in the air. Blackthorn blossom was blooming in the hedgerows and the birds were singing.

I followed the path through Hollesley Marshes and stopped to watch the geese, wigeon and lapwings on the scrape as I went. These views across the marshes have become very familiar to me and feature in my new book, Grounded, which follows a year on Hollesley Marshes during 2020.

The path through Hollesley Marshes eventually joins the sea wall and the Suffolk Coast path. I climbed the bank and headed north before accessing the beach and wandering along the shingle. The base of the sea wall is edged in places by a long wall constructed from what looks like concrete sand bags. It makes an interesting feature and if you look closely it is covered in moss, lichens and tiny flowering plants.

It is the tiny details here that often catch my eye, like this feather caught on the foliage of a salt marsh plant. 

As you look along the river from this point you can see some of the many pill boxes that are scattered along the coast and in the distance the towers, radio masts and pagodas of Orfordness. 

On the rivers edge a flock of Turnstones flicked pebbles around on the beach, doing what their name suggests, looking for tiny creatures along the tideline. I love these little birds as they are so comical, but they are also really tame and you can get quite close to them.

On the opposite side of the sea wall the marshes stretch inland towards the prison.

Heading inland I take the footpath away from the river towards Boyton. This leads me towards Boyton Hall Farm where there is a large pond edged with trees and reeds. The breeze on the surface of the water was creating some really interesting patterns from the reflections which I thought created some nice abstract images.

In the woods a log pile caught my eye. I loved the mix of colours and the green of the ivy growing up the tree trunks.

Past the ponds the footpath turns left and runs through the farm yard before heading along a track with fields on both sides. I loved the end on view of these irrigation pipes with the little bits of ivy growing up the shed wall behind. 

And on such a gorgeous spring day it wouldn’t be right not to include some cheery daffodils which I found in a small copse at the far end of the farmyard. 

Heading out into the fields the farm workers were busy sowing potatoes. Some fields had already been planted and the deep furrows across the undulating fields caught my eye. 

My final shot of the walk was of the tractors in the fields looking out towards the marshes. The clouds had begun to roll in by now and the light over the river was lovely.

By the time I had finished my walk I had travelled about 4 miles, crossed a variety of habitats, seen lots of different birds and had thoroughly enjoyed my wanderings.