Morning Brue
The River Brue flows very slowly across the Somerset Levels. Much of its route is really straight, but a small section between Meare and Westhay is all wibbly-wobbly. So I started a mini-project to photograph is part of the river at dawn.
Meare
The village of Meare sits next to the Brue, it has a famous old fish house. Built in the 14th century it was used by the monks of Glastonbury to store fish.
Not far from the fish house is the Church of St Mary and All Saints.
Day One – Fish House
Back at the fish house there is a small bridge that crosses the Brue. During my first project trip to the river the sunrise from this bridge was deep red. I had hoped to capture the branches of the willow tree drooping over the water, but I was disappointed to see it had had a hair cut.
Gradually the red sky turned gold as the sun appeared over the hill next to Glastonbury Tor.
Day Two – White’s Confluence
On my next trip I walked along the muddy network of footpaths that cross the flat fields. In the dark I set up my tripod near the confluence of the River Brue and White’s River. It was another beautiful morning.
It was freezing and mist was rising from White’s River leading back towards the little foot bridge.
As the sun appeared an otter dashed back and forth across the Brue.
I could not zoom in very close, but it was an otter!
In the distance is the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Meare.
Day Three – Westhay Bridge
The bridge over the Main Road at Westhay is very popular with photographers. When I arrived Venus was looking over the village.
A stream of starlings flew passed in the soft morning sky.
Soon the sky was full of starlings. They roost together amongst the reeds at the nearby Avalon Marshes. Each morning huge flocks of starlings leave the roost, all the birds simultaneously spreading out across the countryside.
And finally…
The sun appears above the horizon with Glastonbury Tor and the Church of St Mary in perfect alignment.