Author Topic: FW Trip to Burnham Beeches (Read 17343 times)

Paul Mitchell · « **on:** October 10, 2013, 09:38:19 AM »

It seems to have been ages since the FW outing to Wales so was just wondering if anyone in the South East fancies a day out in Burnham Beeches this Autumn? This is my local woods and know it intimately so am offering my services as your guide. The habitat varies from dense, deciduous woodland to heathland. It is also the home of some of the oldest 'pollarded' Beech trees in the UK. There is ample parking (£2 per day) and an excellent café for lunch.

I have, pretty much, reserved all my weekends during November to visiting the Beeches so am happy to set a date that the majority can make.

Anyone interested?

Paul

LT · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2013, 02:54:44 PM »

Yes! I'll be there. Might need a trolley for my camera gear - I'll have to think about that. But I'm there.

Cool.

Francois · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2013, 03:14:35 PM »

Quote from: Leon on October 10, 2013, 02:54:44 PM

Might need a trolley for my camera gear - I'll have to think about that.

You might want to get your hands on a golf caddy. They fold to fit in the trunk of the car; they have big wheels to navigate sand and uneven ground; and when you fit them with a big cardboard tube like the ones that are used to pour cement pillars, they can hold tripods and a big bag without straining your back.

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2013, 04:24:05 PM »

How can I say no! I'm in - depending on dates...can we go late Oct/or Nov? Weekends mostly ok for me.

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #4 on:** October 10, 2013, 05:04:10 PM »

Wow! so far I'm in excellent company!

The weekend dates I'll be there are 2/3, 9/10, 16/17, 23/24 and 30/1

I am more than happy to meet up with FW's on any of those dates but it would be nice to have at least one of those dates as an official FW meet up.

This year has all been a bit topsy turvy as regards the seasons (i.e. bluebells in June!) so it's going to be hard to determine which will be the best weekend. I have been popping up the Beeches for the last few weeks and even now there are images to be had, indeed I sometimes prefer 'on the cusp' colour. If you're after the full technicolor blast of Autumn I suspect it's going to be around the back end of October.

Here's a link to the Burnham Beeches website http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/burnham-beeches-and-stoke-common/Pages/default.aspx

Paul

LT · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2013, 06:43:05 PM »

May I suggest the 9/10 weekend? I'm in Northumberland the w/e before that.

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2013, 06:46:50 PM »

sounds good, will check with higher authority

autumn colours and FP4 never sounded so good

irv_b · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2013, 08:46:16 PM »

Damn !!
After missing out on the trip to Wales because of family commitments, I promised myself to make it to the next adventure. Unfortunately I have to go in for a double Hernia op on the 28th Oct and I won't be able to do anything to strenous for the best part of a month, so unless it's at the end of November I 'll miss out!

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2013, 08:52:02 PM »

permission approved

Moiz · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2013, 09:03:55 PM »

Darn, can't do that weekend. I may have to come and track you down on one of the other weekends Paul and stalk the rest of you individually at my own convenience.

LT · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2013, 10:16:54 PM »

I can make the following weekend too if that's any use to you Moiz? Would be good to catch up again.

Moiz · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2013, 10:57:46 PM »

Following weekend would suit me Leon but I don't want to upset the apple cart. Dave would have to resubmit for permission

Late Developer · « **Reply #12 on:** October 11, 2013, 01:34:06 AM »

I'll put Lara and my name down for this. Have to confirm when we get back from USA on 24/10 but looks like a fantastic idea.

Sandeha Lynch · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2013, 06:43:18 AM »

Very tempting. But with the front of my house currently 'off', I'll have to wait until close to the time and see how progress is going to put it all back together again.

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #14 on:** October 11, 2013, 02:35:58 PM »

Kofi Annan assisted in the negotiation

let's go for the Moiz weekend!?

LT · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2013, 05:23:00 PM »

Quote from: DonkeyDave on October 11, 2013, 02:35:58 PM

let's go for the Moiz weekend!?

Good call Dave. Let's do it.

Moiz · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2013, 08:46:12 PM »

Gentlemen, I feel humbled, thanks for changing plans. So, weekend of 16/17th it is.

Late Developer · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2013, 10:21:24 PM »

Quote from: Moiz on October 11, 2013, 08:46:12 PM

Gentlemen, I feel humbled, thanks for changing plans. So, weekend of 16/17th it is.

Lara and I will do utmost to keep that weekend free. Please post which day is chosen as main FW get together day. Really looking forward to meeting up again.
Paul

Phil Bebbington · « **Reply #18 on:** October 11, 2013, 11:39:15 PM »

Sounds good. Where the hell is it! Is it Cookham way?

Moiz · « **Reply #19 on:** October 12, 2013, 12:07:09 AM »

Phil,

It is Cookham way, just the opposite side of the M40 to Beaconsfield.

stevesegz · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2013, 07:47:30 AM »

I hope to be able to make this but will be work permitting unfortunately so no guarantees. $:-\$

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #21 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:13:27 AM »

The weekend of the 16th/17th it is then! We can decide on which day nearer the time.

Quote from: Phil Bebbington on October 11, 2013, 11:39:15 PM

Sounds good. Where the hell is it! Is it Cookham way?

Phil - it's about an hour and a half's drive from Bath and situated about 10 minutes from J7 of the M4

Paul

LT · « **Reply #22 on:** October 15, 2013, 02:26:44 PM »

My prefernence on the day is Saturday, but I'm quite easy really ... whatever the majority want.

now .... MF or LF field camera .... decisions, decisions.

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #23 on:** October 15, 2013, 02:40:55 PM »

Saturday suits me fine.

I suggest we meet at the car park here https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.556082,-0.621747&spn=0.007244,0.015782&t=h&z=17 at about 8.30am. Don't forget to have £2 handy for the car park. I will be bringing along a map for each of you just in case. The woods are not huge but it is easy to become disorientated in some of the more densely wooded areas.

Paul

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #24 on:** October 15, 2013, 03:27:20 PM »

Saturday best for me too

Moiz · « **Reply #25 on:** October 15, 2013, 04:37:49 PM »

Will have to forego my usual 5-a-side footy session but Saturday will work for me too.

charles binns · « **Reply #26 on:** October 15, 2013, 05:08:18 PM »

I'd love to meet up if possible. My parents used to take us to Burnham Beeches when we were nippers so I have very fond memories there.

salvo · « **Reply #27 on:** October 17, 2013, 10:37:48 AM »

i won't say that i'll be there as so far I have managed to miss all the FWs meetings.... but FFS this is like 30 minutes drive away for me!!

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #28 on:** October 23, 2013, 05:31:52 PM »

Never say never, Salvo. I'm sure something will get in the way

As for me, I'd love to, but will almost certainly be doing stuff with the family. Will check.

I'd like to meet up with Moiz, Charles, Leon (it's been awhile), Lara (last summer?) Phil (it's been even longer) and Salvo (even longer still), but quite frankly I've enough of the two Pauls for another 6 months at least.

So, some you win, some you don't.

Late Developer · « **Reply #29 on:** October 23, 2013, 06:48:44 PM »

Quote from: Ed Wenn on October 23, 2013, 05:31:52 PM

.......but quite frankly I've enough of the two Pauls for another 6 months at least.

So, some you win, some you don't

Charming!!

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #30 on:** October 23, 2013, 11:23:54 PM »

Yo, Paul. You back from the road trip then? If so, was it good, if not, bon voyage - because it must be soon.

Late Developer · « **Reply #31 on:** October 24, 2013, 06:19:51 PM »

Quote from: Ed Wenn on October 23, 2013, 11:23:54 PM

Yo, Paul. You back from the road trip then? If so, was it good, if not, bon voyage - because it must be soon.

Hi Ed.
We landed at Heathrow 11:20 yesterday after the 10 hour flight back from LA.
What a trip!! Absolutely magical for the most part. We even had the greatest pleasure of meeting up with our very own Astrobeck - who very kindly chauffeured us around Albuquerque. Lovely lass and a very interesting town.
Driving in Chicago, St Louis, Oklahoma and particularly LA was mad and never to be repeated. The other 2400 miles were mostly a breeze.
We got to go to a rodeo in Tucumcari, visit a meteor crater a mile wide and visit the Grand Canyon. The only place that we tried to visit that was shut due to the USA govt. playing silly buggers was the painted desert / petrified forest. Lara even persuaded me to do a tour round the homes of the rich and infamous in Hollyweird and Beverly Hills. Sadly, I couldn't find a half brick in time for reaching Simon Cowell's place!!
I shot 10 rolls each of XP2 Super and Provia 100f (35 mm) and the first 2 of the XP2 Super is in processing today. Hope to have a few snaps for start of a photo essay tomorrow.

Nasir · « **Reply #32 on:** November 01, 2013, 01:17:27 AM »

Has this Burnham Beeches trip already happened? I thought it was going to be in November from some of the earlier messages in this thread.

LT · « **Reply #33 on:** November 01, 2013, 06:35:48 AM »

Quote from: Nasir on November 01, 2013, 01:17:27 AM

Has this Burnham Beeches trip already happened? I thought it was going to be in November from some of the earlier messages in this thread.

No - not yet. Date = Saturday 16th November.

zapsnaps · « **Reply #34 on:** November 01, 2013, 08:06:28 AM »

Sadly I can't make that - I'm in Paris for Paris Photo - which is annoying as Burnham is just down the road from me.
Have fun & I look forward to seeing the photos

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #35 on:** November 10, 2013, 09:31:48 AM »

what time are people planning to arrive next Saturday?

Late Developer · « **Reply #36 on:** November 10, 2013, 10:15:46 AM »

@ Paul Mitchell

Hi Paul.

Just been having a look at the maps page on the link you posted at the head of this chain.

There's a few car parks but not sure which one would be best for us all to congregate. There's quite a few access points to the park and, apparently, the gates to the various parking areas open at 08:00 and close at "dusk" (16:00 in winter). I was wondering (just a suggestion) whether it might be useful for us all to meet up at the car park at The Crown Inn, Crown Lane, Farnham Royal, SL2 3SQ at 08:00? At least we'd have a sat-nav post code to plug in and head for - and we could convoy across to one of the designated parking spaces once we've all arrived?

If there's another foolproof meeting point, I'm more than happy to be guided by you as you're the local....

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/burnham-beeches-and-stoke-common/Documents/Burnham%20Beeches%20Map.pdf

Pete_R · « **Reply #37 on:** November 10, 2013, 05:01:39 PM »

Hi Paul,

If you use the post code SL2 3PR that'll get you to Beeches Road which is just a gnat's marathon away from the car park that Paul suggested.

Late Developer · « **Reply #38 on:** November 10, 2013, 06:06:37 PM »

Quote from: Peter R on November 10, 2013, 05:01:39 PM

Hi Paul,

If you use the post code SL2 3PR that'll get you to Beeches Road which is just a gnat's marathon away from the car park that Paul suggested.

Great, I'll plug that into the sat nav, then.......

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #39 on:** November 11, 2013, 09:26:19 AM »

Peter - thanks for supplying the postcode.

It's far better to congregate at the main car park as it is the easiest spot to navigate back to should we become split up. It also has the only public loos for miles around!

I spent the day in the Beeches yesterday and it's looking good! In fact it should be at its peak this coming weekend. I also had a long chat with the head ranger, who also happens to be a photographer, and he reliably informs me that the weather is going to calm down next week making for favourable shooting conditions.

Haven't developed any of this years images yet but here's one from last year made on my Chamonix and Velvia 50

Paul

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #40 on:** November 11, 2013, 04:26:59 PM »

are we aiming to meet at 8 then?

is there anywhere for coffee - or am I packing a flask?

is there anywhere for lunch - or am I packing marmite sandwiches?

LT · « **Reply #41 on:** November 12, 2013, 09:04:21 AM »

So sorry all, but I'm not going to make this now. Work is mad at the moment! I have to work on Saturday to catch up on a load of stuff.

L.

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #42 on:** November 12, 2013, 09:20:10 AM »

What a bummer Leon, was so looking forward to catching up with you. It'll still be good for a couple of weeks yet if you want to do another visit?

Dave - the Beeches have a cafe for drinks and food but doesn't open until about 9am. If you want a hot drink upon arrival I'd bring a flask. My intention is that we all meet up at the cafe for lunch. Be warned that all the seating is outside so we'll be eating alfresco!

As regards what to wear... warm, waterproof clothing as we'll be out most of the day. Good footwear is a must! Decent walking boots or wellies as it can become a little muddy in parts. As mentioned earlier I will be supplying you all with a map and pass on some advice if you get lost etc.

I will be at the car park from 8.00 - 8.30am. If you want my mobile no. please PM me.

Paul

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #43 on:** November 12, 2013, 12:33:40 PM »

That's a shame Leon was looking forward to meeting again. Hope you get on top of things soon. I'll just pack FP4/HP5 in your honour ;-)

Late Developer · « **Reply #44 on:** November 12, 2013, 01:29:21 PM »

Quote from: DonkeyDave on November 12, 2013, 12:33:40 PM

That's a shame Leon was looking forward to meeting again. Hope you get on top of things soon. I'll just pack FP4/HP5 in your honour ;-)

...........what Dave said (but I use XP2 Super

).

PM sent to Paul Mitchell regarding mobile phone number....

Glenn Haworth · « **Reply #45 on:** November 14, 2013, 10:15:23 AM »

Hey Paul, can't remember if I've let you know or not but Collette and I will be joining you on Saturday

My only decision now is whether I top up my DDS with more Portra 160 or break out some RVP50?

salvo · « **Reply #46 on:** November 14, 2013, 10:31:12 AM »

Paul, as things are now I should be attending too. I'll pm you my contact details.
cheers

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #47 on:** November 14, 2013, 10:38:27 AM »

Quote from: Glenn Haworth on November 14, 2013, 10:15:23 AM

Hey Paul, can't remember if I've let you know or not but Collette and I will be joining you on Saturday My only decision now is whether I top up my DDS with more Portra 160 or break out some RVP50?

You're both more than welcome Glenn and bring both Portra & Velvia!

Quote from: salvo on November 14, 2013, 10:31:12 AM

Paul, as things are now I should be attending too. I'll pm you my contact details.
cheers

Have PM'd you my mobile Salvo.

The current forecast for Saturday is for a cold and misty start so should be perfect! Don't forget to wrap up warm!

Paul

DonkeyDave · « **Reply #48 on:** November 14, 2013, 02:54:49 PM »

Apologies my daughter has a 'big thing' on Saturday, and whilst she has said that I don't need to go and watch, as DAD I need to go - I'll catch up with you lot soon, if not to bore you with all the platinum prints I made to show off on Saturday - next time!

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #49 on:** November 14, 2013, 03:44:58 PM »

That's a shame Dave but a Dad does have obligations

also Joe Wright is popping along and was looking forward to catching up with you.

Paul