Yesterday evening, I decided to visit Quantoxhead on the Somerset coast. Rather than try to find my way to the car park at East Quantoxhead, I decided to park in my usual place at Kilve and walk along the cliffs, exploring different views along the way. It was extremely windy, possibly even gale force, so photography was challenging. I was able to get some shots from low to the ground from the top of the cliffs, but it wasn’t as straightforward when I got to the beach. There was spray everywhere from the waves crashing against the rockshelves, so though I attempted shots looking west, which could have been very dramatic, the sun was reflecting off the water, causing flare problems, which were exacerbated by the spray. Looking east had other issues. The formations of the rockshelves allowed more dramatic compositions than nearby Kilve, but a wideangle view was essential and there was the problem. The angle of the sun in relation to the cliffs to the east was perfect for getting my shadow in the shot. I did make some attempts, none of which was very successful. I was able to get a few usuable shots, but beyond that, I came away with plenty of ideas, so at least it was a useful scouting mission. Even the idea of a sunset in a different location failed, as the strong winds blew in a shower just as sunset was approaching, hiding the sun.

I then decided to walk back along the beach, as the tide had retreated considerably, to look for any fossils that could be photographed. I only found one nice ammonite, but it was partially covered in sand, with no water handy to wash it. I did have one adventure though on the way. Just as I was walking along a particularly steep rock shelf, a gust of wind caught my rucksack, which pulled me round, causing me to first slip, then trip. Luckily, as my wrist was bending back at a slightly awkward angle, I slid down and my hand sunk in some sand, saving me from a broken wrist. Other than some bruised knees and shin and a bruised ego, I came away unscathed.