The Behemoth Awakens...

Looming out of the pre dawn fog is the longest of all England's Cathedrals, Winchester.

I'd already done a series of Salisbury's, with the warm interior lights shining like some monster's eyes glistening, as the Cathedral awakens for yet another day of worship and tourism, along with the millions of days beforehand, over the many centuries.

But, unlike at dusk, when the exterior floodlighting automatically switches on, the looming shape evolves before you, as the sky pales from black, to dark blue through to pale grey.

Of course, only in the depths of winter does this coincide with human activity within the building - and me being able to physically get the first train to Winchester! 

I loved the Gothic feel, the crescent moon lurking above and even the ultrawideangle distortion required to simply get it all in. 10mm on DX (eqv to 15mm in full-frame) isn't really wide enough for this beast (but that is currently the widest non fisheye I have).

If it looks quiet and even perhaps peaceful, it definitely was not. Refuse lorries hurtled and noisily scuttled around, revving, banging, clattering, as did the market traders busy setting up their stalls in the High Street just behind me. It was sure going to be a very busy day for Winchester, just before Christmas, for the ice rink, which replaced the majority of the Christmas Market chalets and which looks seriously impressive and commercially, as families would later invade en masse to get their last minute Christmas presents and goodies.

I went on to stroll about the Winchester Watermeadows, along the Itchen, all shrouded in the fog. When the sun finally broke through several hours later, it was glorious and no doubt a shot from that of the river would have made a Blip that would have gotten me more Favourites. But, I could have got similar elsewhere - and on another day.

Walked back into Winchester, up the St Giles' Hill viewpoint, with the newly emerged sun basking the tallest buildings only and then a bit of wander before finally nipping into the Cathedral. Big, bright and airy, it's an incredible place when the sun is out and their Christmas tree is HUGE!

I had a mind to stay for dusk but carrying round the little tripod all day and now so tired I the had to face the very different prospect of getting home, compared to getting there (only 3 people in my carriage, then!). Good old British Rail, eh, and in the end, though it might have taken longer, went via Basingstoke as there seemed to be 4 trains going UP track to the zero trains going DOWN in the half hour I waited.

Yes, I was rather duped into the mammoth session by Storm Barbara supposedly blowing us all away, but that isn't until much later on Friday, now. So many photos taken, my PC completely messed up downloading them and when I tried again, simply refused as 'No new photos found', meaning that trying again this morning, I had to find a better way once and for all, with this new (old) PC (old card reader instead of direct to camera - previous PC had a SD card slot built in).  

Did all my food shopping on Wednesday so I can avoid crowds/shops/humans entirely today, (Friday) if I wish to do so.