Exploring Brixworth

"On The Right Track" January Photography Walk explored the area around and inside All Saints Church Brixworth, part of Brixworth village and views overlooking the Brampton Valley Way. You can find out more about the Church here

All Saints' Church, Brixworth, Northamptonshire is  

"perhaps the most imposing architectural monument  

of the 7th century yet surviving north of the Alps"  

-- Sir Alfred Clapham

photograph by Lorraine Dziarkowska

It was a cold, crisp Sunday afternoon, there had been a hard frost earlier

photograph by Meriel White

The allotments in December during scoping walk

and the afternoon was suffused with a wonderful light, 

frozen droplets, icy gems, glittered on 

vegetable leaves in the fields and on the allotments. 

Andrew Rushton led a group of photographers from various parts of the county,

photograph by Meriel White
who walked, talked and captured moments.

 

photograph by Sonia Hawes

January Walk in Brixworth

Sun, strong for January, with surprising warmth

though foggy breath from chatting mouths 

hangs in the shadows.

Golden sandstone glows in the yellow light,

berries - left by the birds after the bumper harvest - 

bright against the clear blue sky,

a vapour trail shows white against the blue.

frost edges the grass blades in icy spikes,

but the rape growing in the sun,

shows diamond drops containing rainbows in its leaves.

In the hedgerow a  strange sight comes into view,

the twisted trunk of an ancient hawthorn

grown around the old wooden fence rail so completely 

the rail passes through its centre.

A robin sings, a blackbird bounces across the allotment

a blue shed another jewel in the mass of brown and green.

Another shed with peeling paint and a bundle of long, 

bamboos leant against the mottled wood

nestling in the brown earth and tawny foliage 

could be the subject of a Stanley Spencer painting

Inside the church  a musty smell overlaid with incense,

coloured light spilling through the stained glass 

onto the stone floor and exotic patterned carpets.

Sonia Hawes

photograph by Sonia Hawes

Andrew (ex RAF and a man on a mission) 

made everyone laugh with his comment 

"don't look at that now, you can see it on the way back"!

 There was a great sense of stretch and release.

photograph of Carole & Charlie by Meriel White

Peaceful contemplation and relaxation

photograph by Meriel White

photograph by Lorraine Dziarkowska

There was also coffee and a nip of whisky after our explorations, much conversation, laughter and a clinking of mugs in order to to embrace the new year. Smiling faces looking forward to the walks to come. January Flickr set is taking shape!