August cloudscapes over South Somerset.

 

And below on the last evening of the month.

Summer Skyscapes over South Somerset

Below are some pleasing late evening skyscapes over South Somerset.

30th June

8th July

Landscapes and cloudscapes on a late May afternoon in South Somerset.

The morning of 24th May was a bit showery in South Somerset, but the afternoon turned sunny with scattered cloud and a gentle breeze.  

We needed to do a little food shopping so my wife and I drove to a farm shop on the A30 west of Chard and, since it was a good afternoon for photography, I took my camera along.

On the way home road works caused us to divert onto the A30 east of Chard where, near Cricket St. Thomas, I stopped in a layby and took some landscape photos of the view to the south.

Later in the afternoon, back at home, I took some cloudscape photos looking towards the Blackdown Hills.

In the evening I took some more cloudscapes, and just before sunset a wonderful feathery mare's tail appeared.

A feathery mare's tail over South Somerset just before sunset on 24th May.  The black dot near the centre of the photo is a swift.

Deep red cloudscape over The Blackdown Hills in Somerset.

It has been a very murky, drizzly day in South Somerset, but the evening sky produced a wonderfully picturesque deep red cloudscape. Today was March 3rd and, I reckon, the most notable sunset of the year so far.

Evening cloudscape over the Blackdown Hills in Somerset on March 3, 2022.

January skyscapes over South Somerset.

January has been a rather misty, murky month. Here are some skyscapes. The first photo is of the first sunset of 2022, and the second is the last of this month.

The third photo is a picturesque afternoon sky - spot the contrail!

Herne Hill near Ilminster in South Somerset on a misty mid-day.

This photo is of Herne Hill on the southern fringe of Ilminster in South Somerset. It had been a very foggy morning and Herne Hill kept disappearing and reappearing all morning.  I took the photo just after mid-day on 14 January.

Herne Hill on the southern fringe of Ilminster in South Somerset.

December skyscapes in South Somerset.

The last couple of weeks have been mostly damp and dismal and the year ends with another misty and murky afternoon in South Somerset, here are a some pleasing skyscapes from earlier in the month.

Some rare afternoon blue sky on December 2.

Contrails in the evening sunset on December 2.

Afternoon sky on December 6 with Storm Barra due the next day.

Late afternoon sky over the Blackdown Hills on December 6.  Storm Barra due the next day. 

Starlings at Snowden Hill, west of Chard, in South Somerset.

No leaves on the trees at Snowden Hill on the A30 west of Chard in South Somerset, but lots of starlings.

I took this photo while on an expedition to the farm shop nearby.

The bare branches make an interesting pattern against a very dull, early afternoon, greyish blue sky.

Starlings in the trees at Snowdon Hill, near Chard, South Somerset.

September sunsets over the Blackdown Hills in South Somerset.

Some pleasing September evening skies over the Blackdown Hills just after sunset in South Somerset.

This photo was taken on the evening of the Autumnal Equinox.

Sunbeams over South Somerset.

Sunbeams over South Somerset on the late afternoon of May 1st.  I thought they made an attractive and interesting photo.  They don't last long and it pays to have your camera handy!

Views from Lambert's Castle, an Iron Age hill fort in the neighbouring county of Dorsetshire.

More from the archives! Below are some photos taken on a crisp, beautiful January day in 2015 during a stroll around Lambert's Castle and Lambert's Castle Hill in the neighbouring county of Dorsetshire.

A view from the ramparts of Lambert's Castle in Dorsetshire.

The view to the south east from Lamberts Castle in Dorsetshire.

A view over Marshwood Vale in Dorsetshire taken from Lambert's Castle Hill.

The view to the north-east from Lambert's Castle Hill in Dorsetshire.

The view from Lambert's Castle Hill in Dorsetshire with Portland on the horizon.

Lambert’s Castle Hill, which is in the care of the National Trust, lies in the south-west corner of the county of Dorsetshire only 4 miles due east of Axminster in Devonshire.

Its car park is approached along a narrow pot-holed track off the B3165 which links Crewkerne in Somerset to the A35.  Keep an eye open as the track is very easy to miss, or it was when I visited back in 2015!

On Lambert’s Castle Hill is the Iron Age hill fort of Lambert’s Castle which has had some interesting uses in recent centuries.  In 1709 the right to hold an annual fair was granted – a tradition which was carried on until 1947. 

Lambert’s Castle Hill is Dorsetshire’s second highest point, therefore it is not surprising that in 1806, during the Napoleonic Wars, the Admiralty built a telegraph station on the hill top.  Using a shutter system, messages could be relayed via a chain of stations from Plymouth to London and back in only 20 minutes.  I wonder on how many days of the year visibility allowed such impressive efficiency?

On a clear day the views from Lambert’s Castle over the beautiful Marshwood Vale to Portland on the horizon are difficult to better.  Well worth having a pair of binoculars to hand if you visit!

The late afternoon sky in January 2015 at Lambert's Castle in Dorsetshire.

Sunset over South Somerset.

Pleasing sunset this evening over Herne Hill on the fringe of Ilminster in South Somerset.

Sunset over Herne Hill in South Somerset on 25th November.

This June's final sunset over the Blackdown Hills in South Somerset.

Today, June 30th, was damp, overcast, rainy, drizzly and chilly, but the sky cleared in time for the final sunset of the month.

Sunset over the Blackdown Hills in South Somerset on June 30th.  Spot the lone swift.

Sunset over South Somerset on June 30th.

A dramatic evening cloudscape in South Somerset.

A dramatic evening cloudscape in South Somerset on the 16th June after a day of heavy rain .

Autumn afternoon skyscapes over South Somerset.

I had just finished shopping when I saw some picturesque clouds over the nearby hills.  I had my camera with me so I took some photos.

Early afternoon skyscape over South Somerset on 4th November 2019.

Picturesque skyscape over South Somerset on 4th November 2019. 

Then an RAF A400M Atlas approached from the south west heralded by the distinctive low hum of its engines - so I photographed that too!

An RAF A400M Atlas heading north-east over South Somerset on 4th November 2019.

Invading Martian war machines, or floodlights at the County Ground, Taunton, Somerset?

I recently had reason to visit the centre of Taunton in Somerset.  Having left the car in the Duke Street car park I walked toward North Street, as I did so I noticed the floodlights at The County Ground towering over the rooftops.  The thought struck me that these monstrosities looked like invading Martian war machines out of War of The Worlds.  It seemed as if they were surrounding their prey and about to let loose their death rays!


Be that as it may, what a blot on the Taunton skyline!

One of the floodlight arrays at The County Ground, Taunton, Somerset.

Sunsets over South Somerset, but the swifts have gone.

The last week has seen some picturesque sunsets over South Somerset. 

Nearing sunset over South Somerset on August 3rd. 

Nearing sunset over South Somerset on August 5th.

Mares' tails over South Somerset late in the day on August 7th.

However, I am sad to report that the local colony of swifts are no longer gracing the evenings with their wonderful display of aerobatics; they disappeared a few days ago and must be well on the way to Africa for the winter.

The RSPB state that the oldest ringed swift lived for at least 21 years.*  Swifts pair for life and meet up at the same nest site each spring.  I look forward to our local couples’ safe return next year.

* https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/

Sunset and swifts over South Somerset.

Swifts hurtling around the rooftops  always make me smile.  Three of them are in this photo I took of the sunset over South Somerset on 28th June.  I had not realised they were in the frame until I had a close look!

Three swifts are in this picture, hurtling around the rooftops as the sun went down over South Somerset on 28th June.

A picturesque late afternoon sky over South Somerset.

I thought today's late afternoon sky over South Somerset made for a pleasing photo.  These particular cirrus clouds suggest there is little wind at high altitude.

Cirrus clouds in a late afternoon sky over South Somerset on 2nd June.