UK LF'ers: My wife and I may have the chance to stay with family in Oxfordshire for a week or so this June.
On a previous trip, we visited the Cotswolds and Bath, and are looking for other scenic and charming areas within a few hours drive from Oxford, for day trips or short overnight stays.
Since you are possessed with good fortune (to live in the UK) and good taste (Large Format), could you please recommend somewhere ?
Seen Avebury?? Around Wiltshire there are many megalithic sites. You need to get to Swindon then follow through Wroughton on the road to Devises.
As well as Avebury, within walking distance are the Kennet longbarrows and Silbury hill. Within driving distance is Stone Henge.
Wales and Devon are a bit of a drive from Oxford. If you're going to travel that far then you may as well book a room in a b&b down in Cornwall and enjoy the coast
Ken, I'll chime in too as I used to live in both London and Oxford for a quarter of my time for some 6-8 years. My recommendations, of your two choices would be Wales, especially the wild coast that looks out on the Irish Sea but, as Ash says that is a bit of a drive. The area around Swansea is less so and also offers nice coastal scenery. Having said that, you can stay in Oxfordshire and find a plethora of great locations for shooting. If you've already done all the scenic ares in Oxfordshire then forget this but there is a lot of countryside there that I believe would appeal to your eye. If you are interested I can give you some fairly specific locations to check out. Can do the same for certain areas in Wales.
Avebury isn't bad either ... I have fond memories of shooting around that area too.
I fixed the spelling. Thanks for the correction... and thanks for the info !
We were able to visit Stone Henge on our previous trip. The site, and the whole area around it, has something quite special.
I'm reluctant to bring the LF equipment, due to the blessings bestowed by "heightened security" around international travel. I may just bring my medium format folders and a little digital point-and-shoot. Being with family also makes it hard to do serious work. Maybe when I win the lottery, I will be able to make a dedicated photographic trip.
Just order some film from Robert White - they will send it to wherever you are headed. I've never regretted having LF gear with me - only wished I had brought it along a few times...
I'm with Don. The only time I leave the 4x5 gear at home is when I know there will be no time for me to make any images and even then I take a digital. I have a minimal kit down to the point where I can fit it all into an Orvis Kit bag that I can shove under any airplane seat. If I go real minimal with only two lenses I cang even get other things in the bag as well. I have never been hasseled because of LF gear.
Oxfordshire is the next county down from Warwickshire. That means Stratford, Warwick (the town, the castle is expensive but well worth it, and hand held photography was allowed when I last visited), Leamington Spa is nice in parts. Hatton Country Park, just outside Warwick, is great if you're into antiques, and if you're there don't miss the chance to snap the flight of locks on The Grand Union Canal there. On the Oxfordshire / Warwickshire border, near the village of Long Compton, lie The Rollright Stones. A small, stunning,intimate stone circle. Use mono as some little scumbag splashed yellow paint on some of the stones a few years ago and as the litchen that grows on the stones is scientifically important they don't sem to know what to do about the problem. This info might be out of date though.
Check County Council websites for more tourisim info and and, of course, the Welsh Tourist Board. The prob;lem with Wales is that the really spectacular bits are in The Snowdonia National Park which is in the north of the country and our motorway builders didn't go near the place. The town of Welshpool is not too far from the border and if you want a ride on one of "The Great Little Trains of Wales" the steam railway there is highly recommended. Sheet film over here is available from Robert White, Retro Photographic and Silverprint among others. Peak Imaging are excellent processors. They've all got websites.
Best wishes,
Pete.
If rugged coastline appeals, I would suggest the South Dorset coast, particularly the Isle of Purbeck, which forms the eastern end of the 'Jurassic Coast' World Heritage Site, which extends to Devon in the west. See http://www.jurassiccoast.com/ for more details. I grew up in this part of the world, and find myself increaslingly drawn back as the landscape is superb. Highlights there are Dancing Ledge, Kimmeridge & Durdle Door. An OK drive from Oxford - 2 hours in reasonable traffic? Closer than Devon, or Wales...
Don't forget, recently England is very windy. It'll be windy as soon as you pick up your camera, I've learnt that's just "the way" here. If you bring lightweight LF, bring a sandbag too
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