Trail hunters

A meeting point, a crossroad, a gathering of trails and those who take them.

Lac Bleu, Evoléne, Valais, Suisse

September 2024

Framed ascent

While hiking up the trail, gaining altitude as the forest reduces in density, one catches a little glimpse of what is ahead.

Siviez, Nendaz, Valais, Suisse

August 2024

Towered sights

At the very extremes of Eire, one can find 
a lake surrounded by rocky grounds,
old fortifications, once lived now ages abandoned, 
down below, a serene Atlantic encircling all of the landscape
flocks of seabirds enjoying a rare windless day
a minke whale feeding down below

Three Castle Head, Co. Cork, Ireland

May, 2021

Nature is doing her best…

Let’s hope she doesn’t go for her worst.

Glengarriff, Co. Cork, Ireland

August, 2020

Sauce Creek

When you come out of a trail, climbing up a mountain without a thing as a background, no visibility whatsoever to your destination, just to suddenly unfold into a 400m drop over the Ocean, and the Irish winds throw rain in front of you, while the Sun shines through the clouds, and Nature offers you two rainbows dancing over one of the most dramatic and overwhelming beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. At 430m altitude, these cliffs go from where I was to sea level in a stone's throw (quite literally)

Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, Ireland

August, 2020

Brandon Mountain

The view from Brandon Mountain Eastern face and its heavily eroded valley, right before the final ascent. Sometimes, I enjoy the harsh beauty of these more intimate perspectives than the gran splendor views from the top. The journey is far more interesting than the goal, whatever high it may be.

Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, Ireland

August, 2020

Mullinhassig Woods and Poulanassig Waterfall

A small water stream, with it's occasional moods, breached the landscape into a deep ravine. In this valley, a forest is kept safeguarded from the elements. Not so much from man... Mullinhassig Woods and the humble but attractive Poulanassig Waterfall were a nice find quite close to Cork.

By the way, some say a mermaid, in the form of a salmon, lives somewhere in this waterfall's pool. Couldn't find it…

Aghavrin, Cork, Ireland

2020, June

Light over darkness

I could see it, feel it, and experience it, moving in and across the landscape, downwards into the chilled, undisturbed lake. Slowly, determined, resolved to overwhelm shadows and fight off all its demons. Sunlight gradually creeped in, casting its blessing and warmth upon darkness and all those who inhabit the glaciar valley and the forest within. An astronomical blessing.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

The Burren

Millions of years ago, a gentle giant was swirling the Earth with its finger as if it was cake dough. Swipe left for the panorama.

The Burren, Claire Co., Ireland
2019, September

Barley Lake

Exhausted, hungry, overwhelmed by a long mountain trekking, yet absolutely grateful for this day. I couldn´t ask for anything else more. But in the moment I returned to the beginning of my trail, I just looked back. What I witnessed was something else. I saw the sunset casting its golden light upon Barley Lake, modifying the same landscape to something else than what I witnessed earlier this day. The shadows, the water reflection, the colour tones, the wind, the smells, everything just transported me to a different world in this moment. Beyond gratefulness, I felt blessed by Nature!

Glengarriff (Gleann Garbh), Co. Cork, Ireland
2018, March

A mountain summit lake

A curious place to find a small lake, in the summit of Killane Mountain! Along with many other bogs, I supposed this was a remaining testament to the previous and now melted snow. From this summit, and with the favouring weather, the landscape stretches beyond Beara´s Peninsula and deep into Kerry Co. Here, I could see Ireland´s highest mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks range (Na Cruacha Dubha), with its peaks still under a snow blanket. Certainly a vision for future trails.

Glengarriff (Gleann Garbh), Co. Cork, Ireland
2018, March

Rough terrain

In a more intimate perspective, I ended up surrounded by rough terrain, with rocky steep slopes, composed by dark sandstone, interwoven by patches of golden grassland. The trails along Co. Cork and Co. Kerry border remained the only walkable throughway.

Glengarriff (Gleann Garbh), Co. Cork, Ireland
2018, March

Caha Mountains

While hiking a trail along the Caha Mountains, following the border among Co. Cork and Co. Kerry, and in an absolutely wonderfull Spring day, I was truly grateful for the all-around scenic landscapes I found myself into. Along the trail, I witnessed many unique landscapes, composed by hills and mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, soft patches of golden grassland, extensions of forests and bare dark rock walls. All merging together with different weather conditions, from sun filled valleys to storm clouds over mountain tops. All in the same day, all the same time, all around me, near and as far. Here, overlooking towards the Sheen Valley and Knocknamanagh mountain, a golden grassland turf spreads along the perspective and contrasts with the dark siltstone rocks.

Glengarriff (Gleann Garbh), Cork Co., Ireland
2018, March
 

Vanishing point

The moment you know where you’re heading…

Serra do Gerês, Portugal
2017, March

Horizons – Laje dos Bois Panorama

The greatest gift I could receive in my birthday is… myself! And then make use of this day to walk a beautiful trail in the mountains and get my own ego crushed by the magnitude of these landscapes.
Laje dos Bois is a very small plateau, in the Gerês Eastern Mountains. It holds a patch of grassland, encircled by human laid rocks. This ancient grazing area is used to keep and feed cattle at high-altitude and very rocky landscapes. This is a 360º panorama of the horizon observable from its center.

Serra do Gerês, Portugal
2017, March

By the way, my “spring has arrived series” was suddenly interrupted by a 30ºC summer day in March. I’ll return to it…

Never look back…

...some say. And I say NO! Well, at least when the path you’ve walked on exhibits such beauty.

Serra do Gerês, Portugal
2017, February

Mountain shelters - Curral da Lomba do Vidoeiro

Curral da Lomba do Vidoeiro Shelter, in proper winter dressing.

Serra do Gerês, Portugal
2017, February

Autumn colors with a winter twist

A trail runs through a cypress forest, while still retaining some of its autumn’s colours. Yet, a hailstorm has left the ground with some of winter’s cold sweetness.

Serra da Cabreira,
Portugal 2017, February