Dungeness headland in Kent really feels like the end of the world. Driving down from London via the M2 and A-roads (courtesy of Jeff in his new shagwagon aka an ex German TV crew VW Caravelle) you half notice the ubiquitous Kent countryside undulating past and the anonymous numbing towns like Maidstone and Ashford that could all really be the same place.
But take the road for Dungeness and suddenly you find you are aware of a completely different landscape. Something that would not be unexpected in a sci-fi film.
I post-processed these photos from the GR2 to emphasise the drama of the place. Though the drama hardly needs emphasising.
I’ve been there before a couple of times and the place always has an impact on me. In The farthest shore, the third part of the Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K Le Guin, Ged and Arren travel to the ends of the world and beyond. Studio Ghibli adapted The farthest shore as Gedo Senki – Tales from Earthsea (Ursula K. Le Guin relented her long resistance to Studio Ghibli’s overtures to adapt her books after seeing Spirited Away). Dungeness evokes that same feeling of distance for me. The only other place that did something similar for me was a bay on the Isle of Skye. But that was mainly because the prevailing currents washed all the crap in the Atlantic onto that shore. More of an inversion of the feeling, a kind of nearest shore. It was very remote and the remoteness was emphasised by the commonplace nature of all the sea-washed flotsam and jetsam rocking up on it from the rest of the world.
Anyway, there is plenty written about Dungeness, just search…
There are lots of boats, both working and abandoned
And there are many peculiarities
Including colour
We didn’t walk too far today. The first time I went there we misjudged the distance and underestimated the difficulties of walking on the shingle. It was in the region of 30C and we walked about 15km in a circle and it took a long time. Today we had the dog and he was a Trojan, totally up for it and enthusiastic. Despite being only 4.5 months old his energy seems to be unflagging. Gizmo was more cautious of the water today though after his Jesus moment attempting to walk over the River Thames last week and subsequent inevitable immersion. At least he found out how to swim. Quickly!
Oh yes, there is a nuclear power station there too which adds to the strangeness.
An absolutely brilliant day.
The photos above were taken on the GR2 with the 21mm lens attachment and pp’d in Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro. I took photos with the M6 too, but I’ll have to wait before I develop the films.
by skinnyvoice
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Love ya work, I will have to visit Dungeness one day, looks amazing!
Thanks Peter, appreciated. Dungeness is definitely worth a visit (or two)