A Walk in the Dolomites

Rod Smallwood: Nether Moor Images

The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, are dramatic dolomitic limestone peaks in north-east Italy (more about dolomitic limestone after the images). The Tre Cime di Lavaredo (the Drei Zinnen in German) are Dolomite peaks par excellence, and the circuit of the peaks is both very popular and one of our favourite alpine walks. We revisited the Dolomites in September this year and repeated the walk.

The World Heritage site is made up of nine separate mountain groups, and the Tre Cime are in the Dolomiti settentrionali (Northern Dolomites). The area was declared a Nature Park in 1981. The northern part of the Nature Park includes the Drei Zinnen ski area, but the southern part, surrounding the Tre Cime, has no ski infrastructure at all. That does not mean it is quiet – there is a controversial toll road from Lago di Misurina to an enormous car park near the Rifugio di Auronzo, so this walk is by far the busiest we have done in the Dolomites.

Until 1919, this northern corner of Italy was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and it was a battleground during the First World War. The area is riddled with military remains – barbed wire, tunnels, many of the tracks that we now walk along – and 750,000 men died in the futile fighting. The Tre Cime lie on the border between South Tyrol and Belluno, which is the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. Very confusing – South Tyrol is Italian, North Tyrol is Austrian. On festive occasions, lederhosen, dirndls and oompah bands give the area a very different feel from elsewhere in Italy. When walking, you are greeted equally with ‘bon giorno’ and ‘grüß Gott’.

The south faces of Tre Cime di Lavaredo from the Lago di Misurina, morning. Only two of the three south faces are visible from here. The Rifugio di Auronzo is just visible directly below the gap between the peaks, and the reflections from the cars could be seen easily. The toll road begins just beyond the end of the lake.

Looking back to Monte Cristallo and the Rifugio di Auronzo. The car park is beyond the refuge, and we are starting an anti-clockwise circuit of the Tre Cime.


The Vallon de Lavaredo from the Rifugio Auronzo.

Trail marker near the Cappella degli Alpinni.

Looking back towards the Rifugio Lavaredo and south face of the Tre Cime from the Forcella Lavaredo.


Rifugio Locatelli from the Forcella Lavaredo. Torre dei Scarperi on the left, Sasso di Sesto on the right above the refuge. We have now crossed to the north side of the Tre Cime, and our next target is lunch in the refuge. The main track, passable by 4WD, is just below the sunlit scree. The path at the top of the scree is more interesting and exposed, but was vetoed on this walk.


The Tre Cime north faces from the Forcella Lavaredo.

Rifugio Locatelli below the Torre di Toblin, from the Forcella Lavaredo.

The Sextner Dolomiten above the Valle della Rienza with the Torre dei Scarperi.

The Tre Cime north faces.

Torre di Toblin and the Sasso di Sesto above the Rifugio Locatelli.

Monte Paterno and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo from the Sasso di Sesto (2539m) above the refuge. This was taken fifteen years ago. The Sasso di Sesto is a superb viewpoint, not very far from the refuge, but is off the main track so is little visited. The Forcella Lavaredo is between Monte Paterno and the Tre Cime, and the main track is clearly visible running across the screes. The continuation track can be seen climbing out of the valley at the bottom right.


Sextner Dolomiten and the Valle della Rienza.

Path junction near the Refugio Locatelli.

Torre dei Scarperi above the Valle della Rienza.

North faces of the Tre Cime from the Col Forcellina.

Torre dei Scarperi from the Col de Mezzo. At the Col de Mezzo we cross back to the south side of the Tre Cime with a couple of kilometers to walk back to the car park.


More about the rock

Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure (the son of Horace-Bénédict de Saussure of Mont Blanc fame) named the rock after Déodat de Dolomieu, who published a description of the mineral in 1791.

Dolomite is limestone (CaCO3) in which some of the calcium is replaced by magnesium to give calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg(CO3)2. The method of formation of dolomite is not known. Interestingly, the conversion of limestone to dolomite is energetically favourable, and there is sufficient magnesium dissolved in sea water to drive the conversion, but the rate of diffusion of magnesium ions into CaCO3 particles is too slow for this to be a significant conversion process.

In England, dolomitic limestone is known as magnesian limestone. It forms a large aquifer beneath Newcastle and Durham, and outcrops in a narrow strip running from Nottingham to Hartlepool. It is the building stone of many fine churches – York, Ripon, Beverley, Selby, Southwell – and was said by Wren to be the finest building stone after Portland Stone. There are two tiny outcrops in the Peak District at Rainster Rocks and Harboro Rocks near Brassington. The British Geological Survey description of these outcrops is ‘Bee Low Limestone Formation – Dolomitic’.

Rainster Rocks

Further reading

The best book about Alpine geology, flora and fauna is Jim Langley & Paul Gannon, The Alps: A Natural Companion, published by the Oxford Alpine Club.

There is a 10-stage geotrail in the Dolomites, with a guidebook and two maps: Dolomites UNESCO Geotrail by Christjan Ladurner and Corrado Morelli, published by Tappeiner. I could not find any way to buy it online, but did find an English-language copy in the Information Centre in Corvara.

I picked up a very fine booklet, published to commemorate the designation of the World Heritage Site, in a hotel in Corvara – but it was in German, and I could not find an English version. However, it is online as an issu e-book.

Picture books are ten-a-penny, but good black & white photographs are rare. I have two books which are of historic interest, showing the Dolomites in the 1950s before mass tourism. It is entertaining to read Poucher on driving along the unpaved Grande Strada delle Dolomiti in his Jaguar, and comparing it with today. Both were excellent mountaineers, but the style is very dated:
C Douglas Milner, The Dolomites, Robert Hale Limited 1951
W A Poucher, The Magic of the Dolomites, Country Life Limited 1951.

The one good modern book of outstanding black & white images that I have found is Monocrome: Walking through the Ampezzo Dolomites by Manuel Cicchetti. Published by the Music Company srl, 40137 Bologna in 2018. I had great difficulty getting hold of a copy of this – I think I found it eventually on an Italian bookseller’s web site, and by the time it arrived I had forgotten I had bought it.

Finally, if you are interested in building materials in England, an old but classic book:
Alec Clifton-Taylor, The Pattern of English Building. Faber and Faber Ltd, 1972.


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The Burbage Valley

There is a big gap in the edges between Froggatt and Burbage. In a straight line, it is about 3 km from the road crossing north of Froggatt to Burbage Bridge near the Fox House Inn. The tiny Tegness Quarry, Tegness Pinnacle, and Yarncliffe Quarry are the only exposed bits of rock. The Green Drive runs up the Burbage Valley to Upper Burbage Bridge, with the south and north Burbage Edges to the east and Carl Wark and Higger Tor to the west. Further to the west, above Hathersage, are Lawrencefield (Bolehill Quarry) and Millstone Edge. Most of the edges have been quarried to some extent, though they have now weathered so that it is difficult to tell natural and quarried rock apart. Millstone and Lawrencefield are quite obviously quarries, so I have dealt with them separately.

The Leaning Block on Higger Tor and the left hand wall give very steep and hard climbing, as do the quarries at the south end of Burbage. There are easier short climbs on both Carl Wark and Higger Tor on the sides overlooking the Burbage Brook. The Burbage Edges have very pleasant climbs, which can be remarkably warm and sheltered in the winter.


The path north of Froggatt Edge crosses the road below the Grouse Inn, and then goes through Hays Wood towards Nether Padley and the Longshaw Estate (NT). Hidden away in the wood is Tegness quarry and its Pinnacle.

Tegness Pinnacle.

Tegness North Quarry is just beyond the Pinnacle. This is looking north, with Hathersage in the sunshine just above the quarry. Win Hill is to the left of Hathersage, and Bamford Edge to the right.

From Tegness, it is a pleasant walk through the Longshaw Estate, across the road to the icecream van and Lawrencefield, and up Burbage Brook to Burbage Bridge on the Green Drive. From Burbage Bridge it is an easy walk across Carl Wark and on to Higger Tor. The view is looking east to Carl Wark and the South Burbage quarries from Higger Tor.

The Burbage Quarries from Higger Tor.

South Burbage Quarries.

Further west, the path from the Surprise View car park leads past Mother Cap and Over Owler Tor to a splendid view of Higger Tor, North Burbage, Carl Wark, and South Burbage from Winyards Nick.

A bit further on is the sheepfold on Hathersage Moor and Higger Tor.

Higger Tor from Hathersage Moor. The Leaning Block and the left hand wall are in the centre, and look innocuous from here.

From the east side, the enormous overhang of Higger Tor becomes obvious.

The Leaning Block of Higger Tor from the west side, with the left hand wall in the foreground. The apparently easy left hand wall still overhangs considerably.

Higger Tor does not look like a tor, but does have this obvious tor on the south end. Mam Tor is at the end of the Hope Valley.

The Leaning Block on Higger Tor, with Mam Tor at the head of the valley.

The back of Higger Tor, looking south.

We are now above the crags on the east side of the valley, reached by a path off the Green Drive. Carl Wark is in front of Higger Tor, with the Leaning Block conspicuous above Carl Wark.

Carl Wark and Higger Tor from south Burbage.

Carl Wark and Higger Tor from South Burbage.

Carl Wark and Higger Tor from south Burbage, with Mam Tor at the head of the Hope Valley.

Carl Wark and Higger Tor from south Burbage.

There is a footpath which runs from Mitchell Field, past the sheepfold and Carl Wark, across the Burbage Brook and the Green Drive. It then passes between North and South Burbage to the Houndkirk Road which runs from the Fox House Inn to Ringinglow. This view of North Burbage is taken from the Green Drive just north of where the path crosses.

North Burbage from the Green Drive.

North Burbage from the road at Fiddler’s Elbow. There is a beautiful oak wood below the edge.

North Burbage with Stanage on the horizon, from the gap between the north and south edges.

Burbage North – the south end.

Burbage North.

Starting young. North Burbage.

North Burbage Edge and Stanage.

Burbage North – the Chant area and Triangle Buttress. These are the last buttresses before Upper Burbage Bridge.

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Peak District Snow

When we first moved to the Peak District in 1970, we reckoned on about three days per week between Christmas and Easter when we would have difficulty getting to work in Sheffield because of the snow. Those days are long gone. Apart from a freak week in 2013, the last serious snow was in 1986. It was possible to ski off the top of Stanage in places, and Flying Buttress was half buried. Kinder Downfall had vanished under an icefall and was attracting lots of ice climbers.

Stanage, near Robin Hood’s Cave.

Jill and Tess on Stanage.

Flying Buttress, Stanage.

Half-buried Flying Buttress on Stanage.

Stanage Popular End.

Inverted V, Stanage.

Approaching Kinder Downfall.

Kinder Downfall.

Kinder Downfall.

Kinder River at the Downfall.

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Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt Edges

Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt edges are almost continuous for about 4 km. Baslow and Curbar are separated by the road through Curbar Gap, and there is a break and about a 40m change in level between Curbar and Froggatt. The south end of Baslow Edge can be approached up Bar Road, the old bridleway to Sheffield, near the top of which is Wellington’s Monument. There is a bridleway well behind the edge, past the Eagle Stone, to Curbar Gap. Much more interesting is to walk along the top of the edge, with good views across the valley and to Curbar Edge. Baslow Edge is fairly low, very broken up, and has an oak wood close beneath it, so following the base of the rocks varies between difficult and impossible. Curbar Edge is imposing, particularly the Eliminates Wall, with splendid views across the valley. Walking along the base of the rocks is possible, but much more difficult than along the top. At the north end, before the drop down to Froggatt Edge, there is a great panorama round from Win Hill to Bamford Edge, Stanage, Burbage, Higger Tor and Carl Wark – a great place for understanding the layout of the eastern edges. Froggatt Edge is more continuous, with many classic climbs. After the Pinnacle the path keeps back from the edge until the road is reached below the Grouse Inn, with the Longshaw Estate across the road.

Wellington’s Monument, Baslow Edge

The bridleway behind Baslow Edge. Curbar Edge on the skyline with White Edge at the far right.

The Eagle Stone on Baslow Edge.

Curbar Edge from Baslow Edge, with a temperature inversion in the valley.

The Eliminates Wall, Curbar Edge.

Curbar Edge.

Curbar and Calver from Curbar Edge.

Curbar Edge. A pinnacle below the main edge with Stoney Middleton Dale in the distance.

Curbar Edge. A pinnacle below the main edge with Baslow Edge behind. The Emperor Fountain at Chatsworth (Grade II listed) can be seen to the right.

Looking over Curbar Village from Curbar Edge, with a temperature inversion in the valley.

The view west from Curbar Edge with a temperature inversion in the valley.

Stoney Middleton Dale from Curbar Edge.

Baslow Edge from the south end of Curbar Edge.

The pinnacle on Curbar Edge, with Baslow Edge behind.

Baslow Edge from the south end of Curbar Edge on a dismal late afternoon in November.

The north end of Curbar Edge.

Froggatt Edge from the corner of New Road between Grindleford and Eyam. Froggatt Pinnacle is in the centre.

A panoramic view at the north end of Curbar Edge. The Froggatt Pinnacle is right centre below Win Hill, with Bamford Edge in the sun on the right.

Froggatt Pinnacle. A climber can be seen on Brown’s eliminate (E2 5c). On the skyline to the left is Win Hill, and to the right is Bamford Edge.

Millstones below Froggatt Edge.

Chequers Buttress, Froggatt Edge.

Froggatt Pinnacle.

The cave on Froggatt Edge – I spent a night here in about 1967 on a climbing trip from Lancaster.

Froggatt Edge near the Pinnacle.

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Birchen Edge and Gardom’s Edge

Birchen Edge is quite close to the road and popular because it has mainly easy routes – though they may not feel quite so easy on closer acquaintance. Gardom’s Edge, lower than Birchen and further to the west, is altogether different. It is hidden in the trees, has a boulder field below it, and finding your way around is difficult. It also has a reputation for being hard – it is usually deserted.

My usual round starts from the Robin Hood car park, over Birchen Edge, across the moor to Gardom’s Edge, and back down the public footpath from Baslow Edge across the Bar Brook (the bar is Owler Bar on the Sheffield to Bakewell turnpike). Start with a short walk along the road, then either through the birch wood below Birchen Edge, or, after a couple of hundred meters, up onto the Edge with long views to the west up the Derwent Valley with the long line of edges running towards the north and Bleaklow.

The view westwards, shortly after reaching the top of Birchen Edge. The line of trees in the middle distance, beyond Moorside Farm, mark the top of Gardom’s Edge.


The pillar on Birchen Edge is a monument to Nelson, erected in 1810 (Nelson died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805). The column is 3 metres high.


The three tors behind the edge are engraved with the names of Nelson’s ships: Victory, Defiance and Royal Soverin (sic). There are also carved initials with the date 1766 – 39 years before Trafalgar.


Nelson’s column from the north. The Three Ships are out of sight to the left.


Birchen Edge to the north of the column. From here, it is a very short walk to the trig point and a path down onto the moor and across to Gardom’s Edge.


It is about 700-800 metres across the moor through scattered birch trees to the boundary wall above Gardom’s Edge. There are fine views back to Birchen Edge – in the image below, Nelson’s column is just left of centre. The OS map shows a path to the middle section of Gardom’s, but the more obvious route on the ground follows the wall to the south end.


The Cup and Ring Boulder is in the birch wood above the edge at the south. This is actually a glass-fibre replica – the original has been buried to protect it. Neolithic or Early Bronze Age.


The alternative route to Gardom’s Edge is from the cross roads by the confluence of Bar Brook and Blake Brook to the north of the edge. The two roads are the Sheffield – Bakewell turnpike and the Curbar – Chesterfield turnpike. The images follow the edge from north to south.

Overhang Buttress.


Following the bottom of the crag is not easy – this is the Black Wall area.


The Nowanda buttress.


Hearse Arête.


Three views of the top of the edge between Hearse Arête and Undertaker’s Buttress.


Undertaker’s Buttress.


Gardom’s Unconquerable – there are lot of routes called ‘Unconquerable’ – all of which have been climbed.


Three views of Apple Buttress, which is relatively open, unlike most of Gardom’s.


Moorside Rocks to the south of Gardom’s Edge.


Gardom’s Edge overlooks the Sheffield – Bakewell turnpike as it runs down the valley of the Bar Brook. This is the view back to Gardom’s from Bar Road – the original turnpike, now a bridleway – just below the south end of Baslow Edge. The trees along the left skyline are on the top of the edge. On the far left a buttress (Apple Buttress I think) is lit up by the sun.


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Peak District Gritstone

Carl Wark and Higger Tor.

The Peak District consists of a central limestone plateau with a number of deep river valleys, and a surround of shales and sandstones. The sandstones – gritstone in the local terminology – form elongated crags and tors, often no more than about 20m high. These run up the eastern side of the Derwent Valley from Chatsworth to the upper reaches of the Derwent beyond Howden Reservoir. Kinder Scout is surrounded by high and remote outcrops just below the plateau, including Kinder Downfall which provides ice climbing in a good winter. There are fewer and more scattered western edges, which finish north of Leek at the magificent tiers of the Roaches. There is more climbing further north – Laddow north of Longdendale and the Dovestones Quarries – but I have few photographs of these areas.

The depths of the sandstone series vary from 300m in the east to more than a 1000m in the west, with many different depositional layers. These vary from very fine grained rock with sharp edges, kind to hands, to extremely rough and rounded rock which is very abrasive but provides magnificent friction.

Eventually, this will be a tour around the gritstone edges: Birchen and Gardom’s; Baslow, Curbar and Froggat; the Burbage valley including Carl Wark and Higgar Tor; Stanage and Carhead Rocks; Derwent Edge and the Wheelstones; Kinder Downfall and other crags; Castle Naze and Windgather; and the Roaches, Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks.

Peak District Snow
Birchen Edge and Gardom’s Edge
Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt Edges
The Burbage Valley
Stanage and Carhead Rocks


Further Reading

Roger Dalton, Howard Fox and Peter Jones. Classic Landforms of the Dark Peak. The Geographical Association 1999. ISBN 1-899085-61-0.

Tony Waltham. The Peak District. Landscape and Geology. The Crowood Press 2021. ISBN 978-1-78500-874-0

Stanage and Carhead Rocks

I have run, walked, and climbed at Stanage for more than 50 years. I have even skied off the top of the crag in memorably snowy winters. From my house, Bamford Edge and Stanage form the distant eastern skyline. It is, by far, my favourite place in the Peak District. The edge is 6-7 km long, about 20m high at its highest, and set so well back from the valley that you hear no road noise. It runs roughly north-south, with the ‘Popular End’ at the south, and the much quieter High Neb and North End beyond the Long Causeway – the Roman road from Sheffield to Brough and Buxton. Carhead Rocks is a much smaller outcrop – an edge in miniature – below the Popular End, overlooking Hathersage.

The End Slab at the north end of Stanage. Kinder and Bleaklow spread across the horizon, with the top of Win Hill visible in between.


The Wobbler area at the north end of Stanage.


The Apparent North buttress at the south end of Stanage, with almost-finished grindstones. There are two trig points on Stanage, one towards the north on High Neb, and one on this buttress.


Stanage Plantation and the Popular End from the path up to Carhead Rocks.


Carhead Rocks, looking south.


The Hope Valley from Carhead Rocks. The cement works is obvious, with Mam Tor sunlit to the right. Lose Hill is above the foreground boulder, with Win Hill to its right. The dark horizon on the far right is the back of Bamford Edge.


Derwent Edge (the distant dark skyline on the left) and Stanage from Carhead Rocks. The Plantation is on the right. The Long Causeway runs down from the lowest point past the trees on the left. The highest point, middle left, is High Neb (Neb = nose).


Carhead Rocks – an edge in miniature.


Imposing – but actually small – buttresses on Carhead Rocks.


Basin 24 with #23 in the background. There are nearly a hundred of these basins to provide drinking water for the grouse. They are in a big arc along the north edge of Stanage round to the Rivelin Reservoirs.


Marble Wall at the north end of Stanage. The climbers are on First Sister (VS 4c).


High Neb, which is north of the Long Causeway. The climber is on High Neb Edge (HVS 5c).


The view south from the vicinity of High Neb. The Long Causeway, descending from Stanedge Pole, is clearly visible.


Almost all of the 6-7 km of Stanage is visible from the south end, curving away to the right of the image. Bleaklow is the righthand skyline with Kinder Scout on the left. Mam Tor and Rushup Edge are on the far left of the picture with Win Hill left of centre.


The Hope Valley from the Popular End of Stanage, with Mam Tor in the centre of the skyline.


The Popular End of Stanage, looking north.


The top of Flying Buttress, with Mam Tor, Lose Hill, Win Hill and Kinder on the skyline.


A typical Stanage buttress. There are three of the Top 50 routes in the Rockfax guide to Eastern Grit on this buttress – out of some thousands in the guide. The shadowed corner on the left is the superb Inverted V (VS 4b) – climb the crack and exit under the overhang on either side. Next to this is Robin Hood’s Right-hand Buttress Direct (HS 4a) – not difficult, but definitely intimidating. On the right-hand corner, up the crack above the tree, is Bishop’s Route (S 4a).


Stanage Plantation and High Neb on a stormy December day.


Lose Hill, Win Hill, the back of Bamford Edge, and Stanage from Carhead Rocks.


The very-well worn paved path, a packhorse route, through the Plantation and up to the Long Causeway.


High Neb from the paved path.


Looking south to the Plantation from the paved path.


The top of the paved path.


Boulders and tors between the top of the paved path and the Long Causeway.


The Popular End from above the Plantation.


Robin Hood’s Cave.


The Popular End.


Belaying on the top of Flying Buttress.


Win Hill, Kinder and Bleaklow from the Flying Buttress area.


The southern end of the continuous crags at Stanage.


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Snowdonia in winter

Rod Smallwood: Nether Moor Images

I have not been walking in Snowdonia in winter for several years – perhaps because we no longer have good weather with snow on the ground. Here, as a change from the monochrome of the rest of this site, are a few colour images taken between 2007 and 2013.

The north ridge of Tryfan from the summit. The scale is given by the figure walking down the ridge. This was a beautiful hazy day in April – lovely diffused light illuminating all the details of the rocks.

Panorama from the summit of Tryfan. From the left, the Bristly ridge of Glyder Fach faces the camera, with Glyder Fawr to the right, and Llyn Bochlwyd in the centre of the view. Next is Y Garn above Llyn Idwal, and then the ridge extending down the Ogwen Valley to Mynydd Perfedd and Bethesda. On the right is the end of Llyn Ogwen at the foot of Penyrole Wen.

Glyder Fach and Tryfan from the top of the Miners’ Track on the west ridge of Glyder Fach.

Tryfan from the top of the Miners’ Track on the west ridge of Glyder Fach.

Pen yr Ole Wen from the Devil’s Kitchen, Cwm Idwal

Preparing to ice climb in the Devil’s Kitchen, Cwm Idwal

Glyder Fach at sunset.

Sunset on Moel Siabod (the long ridge) in early December. I am near the summit of Glyder Fach, and stumbled down to the road an hour and a half after the sun set.

Incline remains on Moel Siabod.

Looking south, late afternoon, from Moel Siabod. Llyn Trawsfynydd can be seen on the right, with the closed nuclear power station just visible.

Llyn y Foel from the summit ridge of Moel Siabod.

Llyn y Foel from the summit ridge of Moel Siabod.

Tryfan and the Carneddau from the summit ridge of Moel Siabod.

Y Garn from the path to Cwm Bochlywd.

Pen yr Ole Wen from Llyn Bochlywd.

The Nant Ffrancon from Glyder Fach.

Glyder Fach – Castell y Gwynt and Glyder Fawr.

Glyder Fach – Y Gribin and the Y Garn – Carnedd y Filiast ridge.

Glyder Fach.

Glyder Fach – Castell y Gwynt and Glyder Fawr with Snowdon in the cloud.

Glyder Fach and Tryfan from The Miner’s Track.

A bit about digital colour

These pictures were all taken using either a Leica M8 or a Leica M9, which had CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensors. A lot of nonsense was written on web sites about the colour rendition of CCD sensors compared to the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) used by other camera manufacturers. The CCD sensor was claimed to give the images a unique look – perhaps wishful thinking by Leica aficionados who wanted an excuse to justify their expenditure? The sensor, whatever the underlying technology, only registers the presence of photons. It generates a monochrome image. The look of the end result, the image on the screen or page, is determined by the whole imaging chain: the lens, the Bayer filter, the UV/IR filter and cover glass on the sensor, the spectral response of the sensor, the imaging software in the camera, the image processing software in the computer, and finally the printer or monitor used to view the image. No, not finally – the image is interpreted by your brain, and your subjective experience may be entirely different from mine.


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Iceland: fire and ice

Rod Smallwood: Nether Moor Images

Iceland is just south of the Arctic Circle and straddles two continental plates. The land is still being formed as magma rising at the Mid-Atlantic Rift pushes the Eurasian and North American continental plates a few cms further apart each year. Þingvellir, the historic site of the Icelandic parliament, is located on the Mid-Atlantic Rift. The result is a landscape of extremes – barren volcanic plains; ice-capped mountains; thermal areas; powerful rivers fed by glaciers.

It is generally accepted that Iceland was first settled in 874 CE. The country has had a difficult history, not helped at all by half a millenium of Danish rule and by the climate being marginal for European subsistence farming.

The population was genetically very uniform until about thirty years ago. More than half of the male population had Norse ancestry, with most of the remainder from the British Isles. The women were predominantly Gaels, with most of the remainder being Norse – no doubt a reflection of the Norse rule of northern Britain, Ireland and the Scottish islands.

My focus in these images is on the landscape, not the social history.


The road layout is simple: Route 1, now mostly paved, runs around the periphery, with side roads to the peninsulas. The centre is crossed by unpaved roads, almost all of which are only suitable for high-clearance 4WD vehicles. There are very few bridges over the glacial rivers, and you are not insured when fording rivers. If in doubt, you wade them first to check depth and the condition of the river bed. This can be difficult and scary. I have crotch-high waders – if the water does not come over the top, the Land Rover can cross the river. There is no permanent habitation in the interior.

The Kjölur route is the easiest north-south route across the interior, which is a high altitude volcanic desert as large as Switzerland. Leaving the road is illegal – tyre tracks here will remain visible for centuries. On a busy day you might see a dozen vehicles in a long day’s drive.


Landmannalaugar in the east is a popular destination, with a mountain hut and hot springs. The mountains are impossible-looking pastel colours with very rough lava flows, some covered with bright green moss. The road crosses the foreground.


Rough lava in the foreground of this view in Landmannalaugar. There is a thermal area on the lefthand skyline ridge. This is a wonderful area for walking from the hut.


The power of the glacial rivers is usually very obvious, with huge volumes of grey water carrying rock down to the sea. Here, in Landmannalaugar, the enormous area of the river bed testifies to the force of the river in flood.


The 44 m high, 100 m wide Dettifoss, on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, can now be reached on the true right bank by a paved road, and on the left bank by a much rougher road. The source of the river is Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap in Iceland, covering 7,900 km2. Most visitors walk only to Dettifoss, a few walk upstream to the u-shaped Selsfoss, and we saw no-one downstream at Hafragilsfoss. All are worth the walk, but don’t expect to have a conversation anywhere near them.


The Leirhnjúkur lava field, near Reykjahlíð, was formed by eruptions of Krafla, the most recent one lasting from 1977 to 1984. We first visited it in 2009. The lava was still warm and glowed red down the fissures.


The largest historical lava flow in the world is the Eldhraun lava field, which is now covered in bright green moss. It was formed by an eruption of Laki in the late 18th century, and covers more than 500 km2. More than half of the Icelandic livestock died as a result of the eruption, and a quarter of the population starved to death.


Álfavatn has one of the small number of mountain huts in the interior. Steam from the thermal area can be seen beyond the huts, next to the lake.


We stayed overnight at another hut, Hvanngil, not far from Álfavatn. The evening light was spectacular.


Evening light at Hvanngil.


There are a few bridges in the interior over rivers which are unfordable. These traditional buildings are near the Markarfjot Bridge on the F261 (F roads are unpaved). The Mýrdalsjökull, a 600 km2 ice cap, is in the distance.


Clearing clouds and the Mýrdalsjökull.


The great basalt plain of Vididalur in the north of Iceland, with the thin ribbon of Route 1 running across the centre of the image.


Lava tunnels are formed by a lava flow where the outer surface has solidified and the interior lava has stayed liquid and flowed out of the tunnel. The lava tunnel at Grótgjá contains a hot spring.


Most of the thermal areas which are easily accessible now have boardwalks and fences to protect visitors. The surface is often unstable and the ground is close to boiling point. The two holes in the foreground at Hverfjall thermal area are filled with boiling mud.


There is a lot of weather in Iceland. This is Búđir on Snaefellsness in a force 9 gale. I have since discovered that this church is a ‘must see’ on photographic tours of Iceland. Needless to say, in a force 9 gale there were no photographers standing around with their tripods.


More weather. Spray being blown across the dunes at Breiðavík in the early morning.


Strandir in the far north-west of Iceland. The trees originate in Siberia.


Further reading

Ragnar Axelsson is an outstanding photographer, with a personal mission to record life in the Arctic before it is irreversably altered by climate change.

Halldór Laxness received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955. I find his ‘Iceland’s Bell’ to be bleak, but that is probably an accurate reflection of life in Iceland under the Danish absolutist monarchy.

No visit to Iceland should be complete without at least dipping into the Icelandic Sagas, many of which were first written down at Þingeyrar, the site of Iceland’s first monastery. The interior of the church at Þingeyrar is delightful, and has an alabaster alterpiece from Nottingham.


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Rail Journeys in Europe: Switzerland

Rod Smallwood: Nether Moor Images

Getting to Switzerland is easy – take the RER from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon and get on the TGV to Genève or Lausanne. Or for a slower start, get off Eurostar at Lille Europe, have moules frites and a good beer for dinner, next day catch the TGV to Lyons and change to the TGV to Genève. Done.

Lac Léman and the Jet d’Eau at Genève.

A paddle steamer on Lac Léman. The young woman left of centre with her leg crossed is sketching the other passengers. First class passengers are on the upper deck.


Framed pastoral view from the Golden Pass Panoramic train between Montreux and Zweisimmen, on the way to Interlaken and the Berner Oberland. Mother and daughter are bored by the view.

The Schynige Platte Railway, climbing from Wilderswil south of Interlaken to the hotel and Alpine Garden at Schynige Platte.

Schynige Platte station and the entrance to the excellent Alpine Garden.

The view north-east from Schynigge Platte.

Looking south from the Schynige Platte Panoramaweg towards the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The Panoramaweg runs from Schynige Platte to the Berghotel Faulhorn. The dark mass in the middle distance is the Männlichen, reached by cable car from Wengen, with an excellent walk to Kleine Scheidegg.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from the Panoramaweg.

The Faulhorn (2680m) and Simelihorn (2751m). The Berghotel Faulhorn is just visible on the summit of the Faulhorn.

Early morning at the Berghotel Faulhorn. View north over the Simelihorn to the Schreckhorn (4078 m) and Finsteraarhorn (4274 m).

The Berghotel Faulhorn – the oldest Alpine hotel (1830).

The railcar from Grütschalp to Mürren – maximum speed 30 km/h. Grütschalp is reached by cable car from Lauterbrunnen.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from the high level path between Grütschalp and Mürren. The best views are when walking towards Mürren – use the railcar for the return journey.

Eigerglescher Station on the Jungfraubahn, with the Eiger and Eigerglescher behind.

The Mont Blanc Express to the Chamonix valley at Martigny.

The Glacier du Trient from the path between Trient and the Fenêtre d’Arpette on the Walkers’ High Level Route from Chamonix to Zermatt.

The Fenêtre d’Arpette – you will not be lonely on the Walkers’ High Level Route.

The Matterhorn (4478m) and the Gornergrat Bahn.

Anna views the Gornergrat panorama – Monte Rosa, Liskamm, Castor, Pollox, Briethorn, Klein Matterhorn and Matterhorn. This is a 180° panorama – hence the curved glacier.

The Matterhorn from the Schwartzsee, with the chapel by the waterside.

The chapel at Schwartzsee.

The Matterhorn and Dente Blanche (4357 m).

View north from Schwartzsee towards the Mischabel (4545m).

Travel details

Genève and Lausanne can be reached on the same day from London. The TGVs from the Gare de Lyon travel south very quickly before slowing down through the Jura – book an upper deck seat and enjoy the scenery. For the Berner Oberland you need to get to Interlaken from Montreux, which is further east along Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). Continuing on from Montreux, the Rhône Valley heads roughly south until Martigny, where it turns through a right-angle and heads north-east. The Mont Blanc Express is a marvellous slow journey into the Chamonix valley. Further east, the Postbus from Sion will take you to Arolla, and at Visp you change to the train for car-less Zermatt.

Dawdling is recommended – a stop in Paris is difficult to resist. The alternative route to Genève is via Lille or Lyon, both of which are worth a stop – for me, Lille is moules frites and beer, Lyons is Haute Cuisine. Genève has situation, paddle-steamers on Lac Léman, and snow-covered mountains on the horizon – and good food. Lausanne rises steeply from the lake, and the whole of the north side of the lake is vineyards.

Interlaken, as the name suggests, is on the flat ground between two lakes. To the south are the great north walls of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, with wonderful and accessible walking. From Interlaken, the Berner Oberland Bahn heads south, dividing at Zweilütschinen, one half of the train going to Grindelwald and the other half to Lauterbrunnen. From Grindelwald, a train goes up to Kleine Scheidegg, which is also reached by a train which climbs from Lauterbrunnen through car-less Wengen. From Kleine Scheidegg the train tunnels through the Eiger to the highest station in Europe, on the Jungfraujoch. Across the road from the station in Lauterbrunnen, a double-deck cable-car, with a freight truck on the lower deck, ascends to Grütschalp. From there, a railcar, towing the freight truck, trundles along a shelf high above the valley to Mürren, another car-less resort. If you get off the Lauterbrunnen train at Wilderswil, you can take the historic Schynige Platte Bahn up to the hotel at the beginning of the Panoramaweg.

At Zermatt, the Gornergratbahn goes up to the hotel on the Gornergrat, and wandering back down to one of the lower stations gives wonderful views from Monte Rosa round past the Matterhorn to the Mischabell. Cable cars acess high-level walking to the south, closer to the Matterhorn.


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