Week 7 on the Lough... Friday 10 February 2012

Week 7 and I'm still sick I've been off work and confined to bed.... I have a full beard and I'm miserable - worse than that my wife has now picked up the same virus.

New Gear!!

This is only my second expedition with my new Pentax K-5, and  Sigma AF 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM (DX). I also bring along the Pentax SMC DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM... lens overload? I don't think so!! It's still foggy after I leave the kids off at school so I decide not to head down to the shore... Instead I head to a place that I explored and enjoyed as a child !!

A foggy start at Ravensdale

Ravensdale Forest set on the western slopes of Clermont and Black Mountain is a steep coniferous forest with some of the oldest Douglas Pine trees in the country (or so I was told by the local Coilte Forest Warden several years ago). I remember the forest for my adventures with Barcroft Community Centre and the regular 'River Walks' they used to do up the mountain stream, which rushes through the forest, under stone bridges.. through steep gorges and tumbling waterfalls to the carpark at Marble Bridge. 

As I climb up the steep(ish) forest trails I realise I'm still suffering and find myself being physically sick several times... I consider turning back... but decide to persist and eventually I get to my preferred location about halfway up the mountain stream.

I clamber down the slippery rocks and set the tripod up in the river... I am feeling better and inspired by the photographs that I am taking.... What I'm not inspired by is the fact that my new Sigma AF 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM (DX) has stopped working - No more auto focus.... Gggrrrrrr

How do we manual focus these days??

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest (2)

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest (3)

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest (4)

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest (5)

Waterfall at Ravensdale Forest (6)

There are a few other historic remains of the demesne of the former seat of Lord Clermont including a wonderful riverside path (now very much over grown), several romantic stone bridges and a stone circle. I eventually leave the forest around 12:30 after three hours of pure enjoyment - I'm feeling much better and glad I made the effort.  

A Stone Circle in Ravensdale - a fake built  by Lord Clermont

Stone steps from the riverside walk - once part of the Clermont Demesne

Monocromatic colour trees at Ravensdale

Broken Lens:

I was extremely disappointed that a lens apparently priced near the top of its class could just stop working after two very light, very untaxing sessions.... maybe it caught my virus as well. Full respect to SRS Microsystems in Watford they took the lens back - no questions asked and a new lens was issued within two working days. I'm still not convinced that this lens is as good as some of the reviews I used to make my final purchase decision, said it is. But I'll give it another few weeks and some more field tests before I dish it... it might be "user error". LOL