A Windy Day of Photography: Exploring Hownsgill Viaduct and Wharnley Burn Waterfall

This morning started with less-than-ideal conditions for drone flying—strong winds and rain are never a good sign when you’re hoping to capture aerial footage. So, I spent the early part of the day tucked away indoors, continuing to edit some of the fantastic footage and photos we’ve captured over the last week. It’s always exciting to see those moments come to life on the screen.

A Change in the Weather: Venturing Out with the Camera

As the day wore on, the weather started to improve. It was still too windy for safe drone flying, but the skies cleared up enough to tempt me out with the camera. Of course, I carried the drone with me—just in case the wind decided to calm down even more.

Hownsgill Viaduct: A Mesmerising Structure

Our first stop was the Hownsgill Viaduct near Consett. We captured some incredible drone footage of this site a while back, and I’ve been eager to get some complementary shots with the camera. The viaduct is an impressive structure, standing tall and stretching across the valley in a way that’s almost hypnotic to look at. The sheer scale of it never fails to amaze me.

Despite the wind still being strong, it had dropped enough in the valley to give the drone a try. Unfortunately, a little technical hiccup (let’s call it forgetting to plug in the memory card before leaving) meant that we couldn’t capture any new drone footage today. However, we did manage to take some excellent photos with the camera and even got a few shots from the drone’s perspective.

Discovering the Hownsgill Caves

While exploring the area beneath the viaduct, we stumbled upon the Hownsgill Caves. These caves are somewhat of a hidden gem, tucked away in the rugged landscape under the towering arches of the viaduct. The caves are actually man-made, originally created during the construction of the Hownsgill Viaduct in the mid-19th century.

Workers carved out these small caves in the rock to provide temporary shelter and storage space during the construction process. Over time, nature has reclaimed the area around the caves, giving them a more natural appearance and blending them into the landscape. Today, they stand as a quiet reminder of the monumental effort that went into building the viaduct, offering a unique glimpse into the history of the area.

The caves are fascinating to explore, with their cool, shadowy interiors providing a stark contrast to the bright open space of the valley above. The combination of industrial history and natural beauty makes this site particularly intriguing for photography and exploration.

Wharnley Burn Waterfall: Low Light Photography Practice

After wrapping up at Hownsgill, we made the short journey to Wharnley Burn Waterfall. This spot is a hidden gem, and I was eager to practice some low-light photography here. The waterfall, while not the largest, is set in a beautifully serene location, surrounded by lush greenery and the sounds of nature.

I’m not entirely sure how the shots will turn out, but it was a great opportunity to experiment with different settings and techniques. The play of light and shadow in the late afternoon made for some interesting challenges, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

A Night of Editing Ahead

With so much editing piling up, it looks like I’ll be spending my Friday night sifting through all the footage and photos. But honestly, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. Each image and clip is a piece of the story we’re telling, and it’s always rewarding to see it all come together.

Thanks for following along on today’s adventure. Even when the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s always something new to discover, and I’m excited to share these latest captures with you soon!