Hi Everyone
Yesterday I went for a wander in a town called Newburgh on the Tay Estuary here in Scotland. This town is only a 20 min drive from my house.I wasn't really aware of how significant this place is until it got voted Scotland's most beautiful town in a couple of articles I read during the lead-up to Christmas.
Apparently, pictures of this town have been trending on Instagram and Tripadivsor a lot in 2022.
Armed with my trusty DSLR I head into the town to see what all the fuss is about and try and bag myself some nice shots.
These first 2 shots are taken at the ruins of Lindores abbey which is 800+ years old. This abbey is thought to be the birthplace of Scottish Whiskey. The monks of the abbey are said to have discovered the process of distilling whiskey during the middle ages which they used as an antiseptic and disinfectant.
The story of the abbey and the new Lindores Whiskey distillery across from it are so interesting I plan to make a short documentary about it next week so stay tuned for more Lindores Whiskey content real soon :).
Across from the abbey, on the other side of the main road which leads into town, we find this sight. It seems to always be flooded. The water, the old row boat planters, and the surrounding scenery offer many a great photo opportunity. I could spend a good bit of time just shooting this area looking for the perfect reflection shot.
You cant quite make it out from these shots but there is an old cemetery behind the 3 large fir trees in the background.On this visit I didn't even make it to the cemetery , no doubt there are many great shots to be taken there.
Just from wandering the abbey grounds and its surrounding environment I start to understand why this town has been voted so highly as a Scottish town to visit in 2023. Then we get down to the waterside of the Tay estuary and it makes even more sense.
I have a feeling I will be spending many Sunday afternoons walking along this path...
There are so many great shots of boats on the water I should probably make a separate post with all the shots I took on this visit. For now here are a few of the best of the day.
This is part of a pier that has fallen into the sea. The way the water is rippling around the brickwork made for an interesting composition.
I could do a whole series of shots of the reedbeds and wildlife they support. Apparently, 15% of the UK's reed beds are found on this estuary and all the majestic wildlife that goes with such a vast sea of reeds.I might need to invest in a drone and try making a mini-documentary about this.
Not far from where I took that reedbed shot we find this old abandoned house on the edge of a playing field.
Old dilapidated buildings always make for interesting photography subjects.Im eager to search the town for more buildings like this.Id say this one is at least 200 years old.
This is one of the most interesting shots I got on this trip. As I am taking a shot that shows the tiered nature of the way the town was built (to avoid flooding from the estuary) a large fluffy black cat crosses the road.I got lucky as it turned to face the camera.I figured this one looks best with a black-and-white filter.
These next few shots show some of the houses in the town.I love the little seating area of this building and the stag antlers mounted on the wall.
This is a block of 3 flats with some midday chimney shadows from the building next to it on the wall. Note the old-style wooden fencing,I haven't seen that in a long time.
In a garden near the block of flats I was quick enough to get this shot before the bird flew away.
A building with a keystone from 1811, most of the buildings in this town seem to date from the late 18 to early 19th century.
This shot is taken from a marble statue built in 1887, across the street we see The Abbey Inn. This has become one of my new favorite Scottish pubs.It is both the perfect place to start and end a walk in Newburgh.I have a lot more to say about this little watering hole but I will save it for my forthcoming Lindores Abbey documentary and future vlogs.
Next to the marble statue, there is a mosaic of colorful clay tiles made by local primary school kids in 2004. These kids will all be in their mid to late 20s now.
This next series of shots were taken on the high street.
I found just a short walk along this main street offered a lot of photo opportunities.
I need to do some more research but it seems this keystone marks the oldest building in the town.Built in 1758 and adorned with the most impressive example of an 18th-century keystone I have ever seen with the names Thomas Anderson and Janet Williamson engraved into it.I am eager to learn more about these people.
Another shot gives a sense of the elevated nature in which the town was built to avoid flooding.
As I walk part of the length of the high street I encounter many interesting shop front windows. This is the window of the Newburgh Charity shop.
This one is a Cat's Charity shop.
This shop had so much condensation on the window that I think maybe it has been shut for a while.I got this shot of some items in the window.I thought the black-and-white filter would suit it.
Another artistic shot with a black and white filter shows a well-weathered, padlocked door front
Some year-round reindeer decorations on a doorstep.
Last shot for this collection, some smiling friendly faced wheelie bins!
That is it for now but I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time in this town during 2023.I took over 100 shots yesterday and could have likely taken a few hundred more. If whiskey and history are your thing check out my blog next week.Im going to do the Lindores distillery tour and film and photograph much more of the abbey ruins and the coastal walks that surround it.