No peace

Saturday was bright and crisp - a nice late Autumn morning.  I ventured down to Portstewart with the TiTAN 4x5 pinhole and this was one of the shots that offered itself up to me, via Fomapan 200 film (rated at 50) and dev'd in ID-11 1+2 for 11mins.  Cropped in the darkroom and printed on MGV paper.  Exposure was about 5 seconds.

Looking out towards Portstewart Strand and the headland of Downhill.  Not quite sure what this little area is called, but it's close to Low Rock Castle, Portstewart.  Low Rock Castle is famous as being the birthplace of Field Marshall Sir George White, VC, defender of Ladysmith (Boer War).  It was originally a rather beautiful seaside villa dating from the early 19th Century but was demolished sometime in the early 2000s to make way for apartments.   As often in these parts it was pulled down illegally and the Department for Environment's Planning Service debated for several years about bringing a prosecution against the then owner.  In the end it did nothing, but it was too late anyway to prevent another bit of this area's rich heritage being lost for the sake of few coins.     

I was surprised by the number of people out and about - not surprised 'cos of COVID, as most were outside enjoying the air or queuing (and masked) for their coffee and pastry takeaways, but surprised as it's late November and usually the place is dead at this time of year.  When I looked closer, there was a lot of expensive cars on show - Jaguars, Range Rovers and BMWs (which seem to be around every corner these days).  It must, I concluded, be second-home owners, down from the Big Smoke (Belfast) for the weekend.  Ach is there no peace to be had anymore?