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North Berwick


North Berwick
Photo Information
Copyright: Niek Bouwen (SunToucher) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1278 W: 157 N: 1300] (6917)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-04
Categories: Nature, Architecture
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro, Tiffen 82mm UV
Exposure: f/8, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Summer vacation 2007: Scotland
Date Submitted: 2007-07-29 7:33
Viewed: 850
Points: 41
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Our first stop in Scotland was at a campsite near North Berwick, situated east of Edinburgh along the Firth of Forth. That evening we took a wonderful walk over the beach and through the small town.

The name North Berwick means North 'barley farmstead'. Bere in Old English means 'barley' and wic in Old English is 'farmstead'. The word North was applied to distinguish this Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed, which throughout the Middle Ages the Scots called South Berwick. It was recorded as Northberwyk in 1250. On the south of Berwick Law there is evidence of at least eighteen hut circles, rich middens and a field system dating from 2000 years ago.

North Berwick Harbour was built in the 12th century, and for 500 years there was a ferry crossing to Earlsferry, near Elie in Fife. This was popular with pilgrims to St Andrews. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry. Excavations have shown there was activity at the harbour area from as early as the 8th century, while the "Auld Kirk Green" at the harbour was used for gatherings by the accused in the North Berwick Witch Trials. Legend has it that "Satan himself" attended a ritual there in 1590, although it is more likely that Satan was "played" by Francis Stewart Hepburn, 5th Earl of Bothwell. During the 16th Century at least 70 people were implicated in the Witch Trials, and the events inspired works such as Burns' "Tam o' Shanter" and "The Thirteenth Member" by Mollie Hunter.


Harbour at low tideEnglish invaders in the Middle Ages led to the construction of nearby Tantallon Castle, and a nunnery was built at North Berwick. The late 19th century saw North Berwick develop golfing and holiday facilities.

The size and population of the town remained fairly steady until the 1970s, at which point housebuilding began in earnest around the periphery of the town, first to the south (1950s-70s), then a series of major expansions to the west (1980s-present) along the line of the railway. There is talk of further developments focussing on "affordable housing" on the south side of the town. While the population might not have truly "exploded", house prices have. North Berwick consistently appears at the top of national house price surveys, and like-for-like prices are comparable to Edinburgh and London.

www.wikipedia.com
GreenBaron, pablominto, shelbeesmom, Beger, Ejtaan, Silke, Marioana, JohnTulip, aido has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To JohnTulip: de tripSunToucher 1 08-08 11:24
To OWO: regenSunToucher 1 07-31 08:47
To Silke: SmellSunToucher 1 07-30 06:59
To hamperium: rechtSunToucher 1 07-30 06:54
To Ejtaan: botenSunToucher 1 07-30 03:59
To chefcop: small townSunToucher 1 07-29 12:09
To GreenBaron: 18 AugSunToucher 1 07-29 08:22
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Niek,
Heel mooi beeld van deze stad met toch nog een gevangen reflectie ondanks de low-tide.
Duidelijk te zien dat je van deze avondwandeling kon genieten.
TFS
Els

Its more of a small town than a village Niek, but its a great place for seascapes, I live about 30 miles away and get there as often as I can. You have really captured the essence of the place. Nice one.

Peter

Hallo Niek.
Goede foto van het 'Madurodam' aan de 'overkant'.
Zo te zien was het Low Tide.
Jan

A really nice "tide out" shot here Niek! Love the sharpness of it! The curves of the shoreline lead the eye around! I love it!
Linda
B-)

Hello Niek

Great capture with a great details very crisp excellent colors bg pov dof, excellent composure with excellent pov, I really like these building, excellnt work

TFS Kyle

  • Great 
  • Beger Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3312 W: 788 N: 4424] (19910)
  • [2007-07-29 21:00]

Hi Niek,
Beautiful view! The coloured city between the gray foreground and sky compose a excellent well balanced image! You captured a very good light on the houses' facades. Very attractive photo! Bravo! Annie

Hello Niek,
A town with interesting and attractive architecture!
Fine angle of light gives good details in the houses, nice warm colours...
Interesting foreground in this well composed image!
Greetings,
Pablo -

:-) OK-

Hoi Niek,
Heerlijke plaat, lekker 'fris' prachtige grijstonen in zowel de wolken als het water. Daar tussen het panorama met de huizen. Weer geweldig je foto's op TL te zien.
Superb posting my friend!
Hans

Kun jij op zaterdag 18 augustus? Janneke kijk of ze ook mee kan. Wordt wordt Twente dus, kijk jij maar waar.

What a beautiful picture of a lovely town Niek.
I really love places like this... they have so much atmosphere and they have such a rich history.
What I particularly like here is the low sea level.
Really lovely. Weren't there any boats on lying on the sand?? I love that kind of view too....

:-) another very nice one Niek, convincing me to go up there once for sure!

Cheers,
Anneke

OK, this makes me feel a touch homesick! Very close to my home back in Scotland, this is...

A pretty typical Scottish seaside town scene and vey well composed and captured. I'm glad you caught the tide out, much of my childhood would have been spent scampering about on beaches near here...nostalgic shot for me, thanks for posting!

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2847 W: 263 N: 5947] (23588)
  • [2007-07-30 6:56]
  • [+]

Truly beautiful colours and details, Niek! But I must admit, my nose wrinkles when I look at this. Does it smell bad at low tide?
Superb composition: the rules do work most of the time, don't they!
TFs
silke

  • Great 
  • Loon Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 105 W: 11 N: 91] (1163)
  • [2007-07-30 9:07]

Hoi Niek,
Fantastisch! Zowel in compositie als techniek (ben jaloers hihi).
X
Loon

hi Niek
mooi werk al heb ik gevoel dat ie tikje scheef staat of niet ?
met kleur en scherpte is niks mis
mooie compositie
M

  • Great 
  • OWO Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 169 W: 68 N: 327] (2335)
  • [2007-07-31 7:11]
  • [+]

Hoi Niek,

Geweldige foto van een typisch Schots dorpje. Kleurschakering komt mooi naar voren. De donkere wolken geven het geheel een dreigend gevoel. En regen gehad?

Groeten,

Edwin

Hi Niek.
You sure did bring back some lovely pics. Scotland is very beautiful. I love these seaside villages. Beautiful light and composition. I like the seaweed and reflections of low tide. Very well done.
Best regards, Steve.

Hi Niek,
What a pretty photo with all the textures in the foreground from the outgoing tide, reflections mingling inbetween..the houses lined up in the setting sun are so very pretty. Great sharpness and natural color saturation. Beautiful shot. TFS
Donna:o)

  • Great 
  • jawa Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1372 W: 0 N: 1] (12003)
  • [2007-08-02 0:37]

Hallo Niek
Een mooie overzichtsfoto geeft mooi beeld van het stadje.
Gr Jos
P**

Niek, hoi.
Heel mooi ! Voor mij jaaaaren geleden, ben nog steeds verliefd op Schotland. (Greath Yarmouth>>lake District>>Edinburgh>>
helemaal naar John O Groats in de top>> Ullapool>>Fort William>>Keyle of Lochalls (Ben je ook by de Ben Nevish geweest? )en zo weer naar beneden via Hull
Mooi Niek
Groet
John

This is really nice too Niek. You have so many good shots in your gallery. I just haven't the time to critique them all. I have to get ready for this trip! As of Saturday two of the big slideshow presentations that I was working on are done! Whew! Working with other folk's projectors is always stressful as it takes some real fine tuning to get one's colors to remotely resemble the original. Actually the second one gets its debut tonight but the projector has been adjusted in advance. I still have a couple other big presentations I am working on, so I have to set aside a certain amount of time to worry : )

This is a super, sharp image with good light and color. Jerry and I always enjoy the amazing low tides when we visit Britain. He walked way out one time and kicked the tip of something metal and dug out an amazing, old barnacle encrusted anchor... imagine trying to bring that home... our airline had gone out of business while we were there, the baggage handlers were on strike, it took 4 flights to get to San Francisco... and we did it... much to our amazement.

  • Great 
  • aido Silver Star Critiquer [C: 38 W: 0 N: 40] (196)
  • [2007-09-28 14:23]

Hi Niek,
A nice image of a town I know, along with the "beach" :-) Interesting note too, it seems you've seen more of my country than I have.
Cheers,
Adrian

Hey,
I was up in North Berwick in August so this photo caught my eye. Very nice colours and I really like the three layers (beach, town, and sky.) As with many seaside town photos this one struggles slightly for lack of a definite subject (hope that makes sense) but it's a good photo of a fantastic place and it brought a reminiscent smile to my face. Well Done.
TanDeal

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