Tintagel.

Renowned for its dramatic setting, Tintagel inhabits a savage landscape of contorted rocks, narrow inlets and sea-caves. Infused with history and folklore, visitors cannot fail to be moved by the remarkable atmosphere and stunning geographical location.

Three hundred and fifty million years ago this area of Cornwall would have been underneath the sea until volcanic activity along the shore covered the muddy sea bed with lava and ash, which were eventually turned into slate by the enormous pressure and heat. Pushed up by continued movement of the earth to create a new coastline, localized earth movements have folded huge areas of rock, resulting in the craggy striated rocks characteristic of this area.

Tintagel is almost completely bisected by the sea with the furthermost section accessed only by steep paths and steps. The ruins of the castle lie on the promontory of land projecting into the sea from the wild and rugged North Cornish coastline. The other half of the castle is on the mainland, connected by a narrow strip of land between two inlets of the sea, which has been the most popular approach since the earliest inhabitants established a small settlement here in the third or fourth century A.D.

The powerful forces of the Earth have also caused huge faults in the rocks, one of which runs underneath the land bridge and is being continually eroded by the sea and will inevitably separate the finger of land from the mainland and create an island.

Established as a royal stronghold in the fifth and sixth centuries AD, Tintagel Castle is a medieval construction built in recognition of the legendary associations of the site. The windswept headland with its contorted rocks and magical beauty has been the inspiration of many legends, the most pervasive being that of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The fabled inhabitants of Arthur’s court have provided inspiration for artists and poets for hundreds of years but we may never know whether he was a fictitious character of ancient folklore or a real person whose name became synonymous with tales of magic and intrigue. Falling into a convenient gap in history where the collapse of the Roman Empire resulted in mass migration in Britain, events were not always well documented, or even attributed to different sources making myth and history almost inextricable. Arthurian legend has evolved and generated new stories with each generation and although the origins may never be established this magical and savagely beautiful coastline remains a compelling and popular destination.

Renowned for its spectacular limestone formations, El Torcal Park was under sea until one hundred million years ago. The impressive and strikingly beautiful landscape was formed when violent movements of the Earth’s crust forced it upwards into hills and mountains reaching 1,300 metres in height whilst retaining its layered horizontal striations. Over the intervening millennia these layers have been eroded, initially by the sea of Tetis and subsequently by the elements to form incredible shapes. Several trails run through the park with the most arduous culminating in a viewing point from which it is possible to see the whole of El Torcal Park and beyond to the African Coastline.

Situated halfway up a steeply sloped wooded hillside in the Gatcombe Valley and enveloped in local folklore, the castle has been abandoned since 1690. Consequently the topic of local legend and the scene of ghostly apparitions, it is reputedly the most haunted place in the Southwest. Although the site has probably been inhabited since Saxon times, the current building was originally the home of the Pomeroy family who were in occupation since the Norman Conquest. In 1547 it was purchased by Edward Seymour, the first Duke of Somerset and the uncle of Edward the Protector.

Although never quite completed, the building would nevertheless have presented an impressive sight. On the second floor of the palatial wing instigated by Edward Seymour, an immense room known as the Long Gallery stretched 230 feet (70m) in length.

Holwell Lawn, Dartmoor is host to a spectacular display of wild bluebells, the carpet of blue softening the usually austere landscape.

Both of these images are available in the slightly smaller, but equally imposing size of 80cm by 27cm.