During Lockdown it has been difficult finding new inspiration for paintings. Okay, I can look online and obviously there is a great wealth of choice within various places such as Instagram and particularly Pinterest....(I save a lot of potential inspirational paintings there).
However, there is Nothing like getting out there. Now with lockdown eased a bit more, it has been possible to travel further afield. I went down to South-East Devon and stayed with our daughter (Lil). As she is into photography it worked for both of us as we set off to find something new to photograph/paint. Although I didn't take my painting kit with me, just my iPhone, which was perfect to slip into my pocket, stop when I saw something good to refer to later and move onto finding something else to take a snap of.
We drove to Tiverton Canal namely the Grand Western Canal. Depending on which way you are facing, it starts in Tiverton Devon and ends about 5 mile shy of Wellington Somerset. The whole canal is approximately 11 miles long. Small fry in terms of canals in the UK, and it is totally landlocked, unlike other canals that join up and go for mile upon mile. I'll add a link or two at the bottom of this in case you would like a read up about this particular canal.
Plus we put our bikes in the car (and little Hamish) - this meant we could travel much further than walking along a small section of the canal.
We didn't start the cycle ride at the Tiverton basin though, but found a car park further on at Halberton.
I think you'll agree the photos show how much there was to enjoy...including the oversized plastic heron in the picture above. Works for a business though, it catches the eye and then you see it's a B&B.
Of course, daughter took photos and very often without my knowledge she photographed me!
....you see little Hamish there ↑ He got to run along sometimes, but when we felt he might get tired, daughter popped him back into the trailer (strapped in, just in case he decided to go for a swim!)
click the image below for a very short video clip ⤹
here are some links about the canal:
Where we parked:
Halberton - canal car park - if you happen to use What3Words then the 3 words for this are hilarious:
pacemaker.dentures.rotate
pacemaker (dot) dentures (dot) rotate
Although we didn't cycle the entire route, at least this is something for another visit...
and
Lil did manage to do some photography but she also quickly got some snaps of a deer on the opposite bank. Although it didn't stand there long - plus Lil wasn't prepared with her camera at that second - she still got these
Yet more reason to go back another time, that's a definite.
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8 comments:
Some wonderful photographs and what a fabulous day out you had. I'm sure you'll be painting some beautiful oil paintings from those photos.
It is so great to see others getting out and about again. This excursion looks wonderful! Great photos.
Looks like you had beautiful weather for your outing. Poor Hamish doesn't look very happy about being strapped in! (.....a word to the wise, Lil......payback's a bitch! Someday Mum is gonna get you good! LOL)
Eileen.....I'm looking forward to starting some paintings from these photos....just got to control that enthusiasm a bit at the moment with some other work in progress.
Marie....Yes, isn't it lovely to get outside and see things again. Here's hoping it will continue, all depends on R levels (no idea on how they work that out except it's based on the number of covid cases in a certain amount of time)....but regardless, we keep fingers crossed. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Robin...the weather was perfect...sunny but not too hot - great. Hahaha I will tell Lil, although perhaps I'll not as I don't want her tipped off, I do intend to get my own back at some point 🤣
That last picture is funny.... a deer bum with a head poking up from it!!!
That was a lovely outing, wish I could join you.... and it was bike riding on flat ground too, just my style. Still in "stay at home" lockdown here, until May 20 when I hope things will begin to improve.
Shammickite......yes I thought the deer photo was funny too, one of those seconds quite literally in photography. Lil seems to have a complete knack of capturing these things. Wish you could have joined us on this outing, it would have been really good, such a lovely day and hope to repeat it before too long. As for today, it was my first day back plein air painting over at Arlington. I might well go again one day this week, treating the two visits as warm-ups and so nice to get back to.
Nice photos - i enjoyed seeing the countryside. looks beautiful and such a nice day.
Sandy....we were so lucky as it wasn’t too hot....there’s little or no shade along the towpath...not complaining, it was a lovely day. Really was picturesque there 🙂
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