January 2014 Desktop Calendar
Something new for 2014, a series of desktop calendars for your use on your work or home computer. Just right click and save the image to your hard-drive then open it up and save as ‘desktop background’. Its pretty straight forward and a functional tool for those who want it. I did have a series of these all lined up earlier this year but we left them on the laptop in the Land Rover during shipping! So, anyway, a new year and a new start.
Photo of the Week: Col de Iseran, French Alps 2009
Church, Col de Iseran
As a former competing cyclist the lure of the French Alps drew us there in 2009 for a more relaxed driving holiday within Europe. Alongside driving the old military roads on the Italian border and the highest accessible point in Europe I wanted to drive some of the Tour de France main mountain passes in the region. The col de Bonnette, col de Parpilon, Col de Izord etc.
This photo is from the top of the Col de Iseran in late August. There is a TDF Museum here also but it was closed when we arrived as it was late in the season.
Photo of The Week: Cadair Idris, Wales 2007
Seeing as the UK and Europe may be expecting snow this Xmas l thought a little winter scene might be in order. Back in 2007 when we had the old Land Rover 90 we took a week off work and devised a route from south to north Wales encompassing as much off pavement as we could. The forecast on the run up to our time off didn’t look favourable with plenty of rain and low temperatures. The forecast was correct and we battled our way through mud and self recoveries all alone in the Welsh countryside.
Mixed in with our 4×4 plans was a walk up Cadair Idris and Snowdon. Even though it was spring, recent weather had brought the snowline down to 600m. We didn’t know the mountain particularly well, but we pressed on anyway. This photo is of Lisa on the south side of the cwm about 1 hour from the summit.
We made it back to a sodden roof tent just before it got dark.
Photo of The Week: Pelicans in Flight, Senegal 2011
Mapping the National Parks in Senegal for MAPA was great fun. As the parks were all wetland we got to leave the confines of the Land Cruiser and head out on a boat or Pirogue for the day.
This Photo was taken at Oiseaux de Djoudj National Park in the north of Senegal on the Mauritania border. It is one of the most important wetland reserves as its the 1st freshwater source for migrating European birds. After crossing the Mediterranean and Sahara approximately three million migratory birds are supported here.
Alongside Nazinga in Burkina Faso this was one of the more memorable parks in terms of wildlife.
Photo of The Week: Kelly Kettle, Autumn Woods
There is no finer way to make a group a well earned cup of tea in the wild. A day out greenlaning with friends in autumn, somewhere in Wiltshire.
Photo of The Week: New Forest, November 2011
Lisa’s birthday this time! Another weekend in the New Forest. We took our bikes along with our new Marmot 4 season tent and some other toys to try out. We packed the bikes out for the day and stayed offroad as much as possible. We found a new tea shop in Brockenhurst that were giving out complimentary cakes, tea and champagne! We ate and drank lots as we watched the world go by outside.
A good days riding on easy relaxing forest roads and sleeping under the stars at night.
Photo of The Week: Corbiere, Jersey UK 2012
Last year, for my birthday Lisa took me away for a long weekend on Jersey. It was a surprise, I didn’t know where we were going until we got to Gatwick Airport. Before we left I was advised to take all my photography gear with me. What would I need? I didn’t know.
After arriving at our hotel we made a plan of things to do. This included a visit to Corbiere Lighthouse on the west of the island for sunset. I spent hours taking different compositions in fading light before returning to the hotel.
It was another great weekend away that produced another favorite photo of mine.
Photo of The Week: Bristol Packrafting 2012
Before our departure from the UK we tried to pack in as many micro-adventures as possible. This included a number of Thursday evening paddles down the Avon Canal with my good friend Simon.
This photo is coming into Bristol city itself after a 12km paddle. The reason it stands out for me is that after we got to dry land a friend called who had gotten his Land Rover stuck down a greenlane. It was all ready getting dark but we rushed out to help, freeing the vehicle after 7 hours in a hedge. It was a long day but well remembered.
Photo of The Week: West Africa, Mali 2011
This week’s photo is from a very remote village in Mali. We were here to help The MAPA project map and record information on all National Parks and reserve areas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Maps show little to no roads in these parks and those on paper maps have been lifted from old IGN maps dating back to the 50’s.
This village in particular is north of Mora Mora in the de Boule NP. Villages here do not have motorised transport so when our Land Cruiser pushed through the bush the whole village came out to meet us. With mud huts so close together, the villagers moved their firewood aside and congregated on the edge of the village to see us off. I took this photo from the roof of the Cruiser. The curious look from the children is due to them never seeing a camera before.
For me this is the most poinient photo of our expedition through West Africa.
Our GPS tracks for the area can be found on Tracks4Africa
Photo of The Week: Tryfan Sunset, Wales 2009
This weeks photo is taken on Tryfan in the Snowdonia Mountain Range , North Wales. It was a Friday night and we had rushed up there to pack in as much as we could that weekend.
We thought we could make the summit via the north ridge and camp beyond but it quickly became dark. Not a foot of grass around for a tent we were forced to bivi with just roll mats and sleeping bags on a pointy rock ledge.
Luckily the weather held and we were on the summit by seven the following morning. We then chased this up with an ascent of Crib Goch and Snowdon itself before returning home.
Photo of The Week: Deep Water – Shropshire, England 2012
Crossing deep water in Shropshire
Another great weekend with friends. The trip had been planned months in advance but leading up to the long weekend we had all booked off, the country was in flood. So what do Land Rovers do when there are flood warnings issued? They go out and play! couple this with some camping and you really do get a wet weekend.
Photo of The Week: Land Rovers in The Mist – Peak District, England 2012
Dusk on the Dark Peak
This photo was taken on the Dark Peak in the Peak District, England February 2012. It was to be one of the last greenlane trips we would take with our Land rover before leaving the UK. It was a great weekend with friends even though the weather was truly ‘Baltic’. We had to deal with a frozen campsite and some frozen lanes but the weather was generally dry and clear.
This photo has had its fair share of post processing but it does capture the atmosphere of a foggy afternoon on the last lane of the day returning to the campsite. The two Land Rovers are Simon Woodhead’s 110 and James Wickenden’s 90 both 300tdi and both, strangely, Rioja Red!
Photo of The Week: Dades Gorge, High Atlas – Morocco 2008
Dades Gorge, High Atlas Mountains Morocco 2008
This photo was taken on a route down the Dades Gorge in the Atlas Mountain Range of Morocco in 2008. The route peaks at 3000m above sea level and is a lone double track for most of its length. Once we came off the Todra Gorge route towards Imilchil there was nobody to be seen. We passed by one small hut in the morning and didn’t see a single form of life for the rest of the day. As our first trip away with a vehicle we really felt the high mountain isolation on this day in particular and little did we know that it would change the course of our lives forever.
Photo of The Week: Lisa at Ait Benhaddou – Morocco 2008
Ait Benhaddou
As many of you have only been following since we left the UK in January 2013, I thought you may like to see some photos from our previous overland trips. Whilst these are scattered about the trip reports section and Facebook I felt the urge to push them forward. We have had a website up and running now for six years so many of you wont have known about these previously visited places. The photographs are not as good but at least you see I have improved! These will be run weekly alongside other blog posts, so enjoy.
This photo was taken at Ait Benhaddou in the Atlas Mountain Range of Morocco. We stopped by to see if it was worth going in and whilst taking photos from a distance this old fella decided to come on over with his friendly little snake. An impromptu photo that still invokes memories of that place many years later.
Lisa
Griff
Sirocco Overland | Сирокко Оверленд 