Fountains Abbey Revisited
My job is to paint what I see, not what I know. ― JMW Turner
We first visited Fountains Abbey earlier this year as a detour en-route to Manchester and North Wales. We were both struck by the beauty of the place and agreed that it would be great to revisit when there was a little more colour. Since Helen’s birthday is late October, typically a good time for Autumn colour, I booked a short break for us over her birthday. This was a win-win; Helen would get a card, a chance to use her National Trust membership and a meal out, while I would get a full couple of days photographing one of the jewels in the National Trust’s crown at one of the best times of year.
As a bonus we managed to book to stay in Fountains Hall on the site of the Abbey, which gave us access to the property outwith the normal public opening times. Specifically, we have access in the morning and afternoon when the light was at its best. Sometimes I’m too good to Helen…
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey River View
Sony A7R V | 45mm f/8.0 60s ISO 100
The Abbey is, of course, the main attraction. The abbey was founded in 1132 and was home to monks of the Cistercian Order until its dissolution in 1539. The property was held privately until the 1960s and acquired by the National Trust in 1983. Although it fell into disrepair following the dissolution, the structure remains well-preserved. The abbey and surrounding views have been an inspiration to artists across the years, most notably JMW Turner who had a long association with the location.
We were fortunate that on the first evening we were treated to the abbey in a heavy mist, which created opportunities for some moody images. Overall the weather behaved well over the couple of days that we were these, showcasing the Autumn colour and the location.
Gardens and Grounds
Temple of Piety
Sony A7R V | 70mm f/7.1 10s ISO 100
The property is, of course, much more than just the abbey. Despite having a couple of full days to explore there were still spots that we didn’t have chance to visit. The grounds and hall are quite expansive and with Studley Royal Deer Park right next to the grounds, there was more than enough to keep us occupied.
Studley Royal Deer Park
The Rut
Sony A7R V | 200mm f/5.0 1/1250s ISO 250
Studley Royal was also great for a walk. The bonus was that at this time of year the stags are in rut. While it’s not too clever to get close to the stags - they are large, have very pointy antlers and can be quite territorial - the sight of these magnificent beasts going head to head is something to behold. I’m not sure that any photograph can capture the sounds and the energy of these animals; we feel quite privileged to have witnessed nature in action.
Diversions - Durham and Ripon
We managed a couple of stops along the way, including Durham on the way down. Durham is another place that we’d visited previously (just before we moved) and another place that I’d wanted to see in Autumn. Despite only having a couple of hours, we had a lovely riverside walk taking in the colour of the season. If I’d have been using my brain I’d have taken a couple of filters…
Cathedral from the River Wear
Sony A7R V | 25mm f/8.0 1/160s ISO 100
On the way back we called in at Ripon and visited the cathedral there, which is every bit as grand as Durham’s. We’d been into Ripon the night before to meet a friend for dinner and were impressed. It’s a shame we didn’t have more chance to look around as the parts that we saw were very pretty. Still, it’s an excuse for a return visit a some point.
The Photography Bit
Despite me selling this as a birthday treat (and it went down well as such), this was unashamedly a photography orientated trip. Ironically, I probably ended up taking relatively little kit; I knew in advance what I wanted and a single body and a couple of lenses covered everything I shot. With hindsight a longer lens would have helped with the stags, but I’m happy with what I got.
Conditions and light were also excellent. A hugely enjoyable trip and I couldn’t have asked for much more.
