Fox Hill burial mound at sunset on the shortest day
Monday 21st December 2015
Today is the shortest day. From tomorrow the daylight hours start to get longer again. Ever since I visited the Orkney Islands in 1994 and specifically the Neolithic burial chamber of Maeshowe, this day always leaves me wanting to be there. I look forward and wish that I could witness the setting sun, on this the winter solstice, shine down the entrance passage onto the back wall of the chamber (it was raining there today). The alignment of this huge mound, constructed 5000 years ago, so that light only shines directly along the passage on the shortest day, to me is amazing. Now to my image. I woke up, remembering it was the shortest day and thinking of Maeshowe, as I do on every 21st December. What were the things going through my mind for an image today? A sense of place, it had to be special. The contrast of darkness and light; from the long dark nights, we can look ahead to shorter nights. The setting sun had to feature against a dark object. I jumped in my car and headed for Fox Hill bowl barrow burial mound. I have had this particular view in mind for a few years now. I have taken it looking south west, aligned directly with the setting sun on a NE/SW axis. It can never be Maeshowe, but it is my substitute, for this year.
Great minds think alike! I did a shot of a tumulus with trees against a sunset too today. Mine was the top of Garrowby which was very similar to this. It is on my Flickr site
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