The story of the film.

For a while I've been intending to investigate the footpath that crosses our property, beyond our field where it heads across the road and into the down off the moor and into the valley. As I'd just found a couple of rolls of 120 PAN-F in the fridge I needed little more incentive. The dogs would have to stay at home as I was on my own, and I couldn't look after both of them and the camera on unknown territory.

So I headed out with the Rollei in my bag and the chilled film warming up in my pocket. Through our gate to the road, the path has been diverted around a cottage and you pick it up on the other side through a gate 50 yards further down the hill. Once through the gate it descends steeply to meet and cross a stream, which it then follows for half a mile or so. That's where I got this picture. A gnarly old tree with two tiny leaves to show it's still alive. While the stream babbled away behind me and the insects buzzed I loaded the film and took a light reading. EV 9? 9? That'll be 1/30 wide open. At ISO 50, this film is too slow. I had to underexpose by a stop to avoid camera shake, and I wonder for a moment what the point of this film is. So slow you can only really use it in bright light where it's too contrasty. It's probably great in the studio, but right now I want some Neopan 400.

The path leaves the stream and passes close to some derelict mine buildings, part of the reason for this evening's investigation. I found my way through the undergrowth too what was like the ruins of a lost civilization deep in the jungle. The truth is that I was still less than a mile from home and the road can't have been more than 300 yards away. I took some more photographs, none of which really work. Much of the structure seems to be held in place by 100 years worth of ivy, which is a scary thought when you're right up close!

So I found my way back to the path and carry on around the side of the big hill to where this new path meets the familiarity of the disused railway line. Our regular route to the pub! From there, the quickest way home was across the top of the hill, a tough climb but the sun had set so I needed to get back to water the greenhouse, put the chickens to bed and those poor dogs need feeding. As I neared the top of the hill I realised that the sun wouldn't have set up there yet. And there silhouetted on the horizon, a cow (bull?) in in classic pose sideways on, head toward me, long pointy horns very obvious. I'm sure it stamped it's foot. Just keep walking... don't make eye contact, it'll be fine. Nothing to be scared of... But IT'S GOT HORNS..! The cow licked it's lips as I walked past. “You're a vegetarian� I said and it went back to eating grass. As I neared the summit I saw a sunrise, and then 2 minutes later, it set again behind distant hills.. So back home after a two hour walk through the valley around the big hill. I only like one of the pictures of the 12 I took. The first one. The one I loaded the film to take. Turned out quite nice.