Wimborne Minster

Huge and big thanks for ALL the many Hearts and lovely comments that has got my 11 minute star-trail-lonely-tree-post-sunset-barley field Blip of yesterday! It has got to the Top of the Spotlights, where it still remains now. It has become in my top ten most successful Blips... I have more of you to thank individually in the morning.

Friday 18th July

After my short break from the manic crazy long distance walking and bus journeys, I resumed on Friday, but kept it sweet and simple, getting the bus from Salisbury, then Bournemouth to Wimborne Minster.

Again, I had been there with my friend Des, long before I went digital and I recall the attractive, chunky Minster well. Hadn't seen much else of the town, though.

Wikipedia - with photos of the outside of the Minster.

Another sticky and humid day, another uncomfortable bus journey - an hour's worth of going through every conceivable borough of north Bournemouth and outlying villages, finally getting to Wimborne.

Having got some perspiration-inducing ultra-wide exterior shots of the imposing Minster, the interior was wonderfully cool and a few visitors were in there. A helpful - and not TOO enthusiastic - volunteer guide gave me all the info I wanted and granted me permission to take any photos I wanted. No tripod, of course.

I got quite good pics, considering that they were all handheld and done fairly quickly. However, as soon I saw this ceiling, just below one of the two huge towers of the Minster, I just loved its colour. Daylight is coming through windows at the top.

To me, it was akin to a Prussian gemstone, inlaid in something old and rare. I even showed it to the afore-mentioned guide. Once he had found his spectacles, he paused and gasped and acclaimed 'that IS beautiful!'.

See if you agree, on LARGE

A mirror reflecting upwards allows most folk to see this ceiling without having to crane their necks. It did take some patient framing, I can tell you!

I did, of course, decant all my loose change into their collection box and signed the visitor's book. A quick but tired stroll around the town and I was ready to get back on that long bus journey. I was still suffering from the Corfe Castle experience of the Wednesday, I think.

Lens is Nikkor 16-85mm, definitely using the VR (vibration reduction), allowing a reasonably low iso setting, by safely allowing quite a slow shutter speed.

I did not make the final image square, to fit, I felt it needed some space and context, though I have cropped the ends slightly.