Showcase : The Glory of My Hometown

Don't you find that you walk through your familiar surroundings without ever really looking at them ?

You tread the same pavements each day, drive the same way to work or the shops, never taking a detour or an alternative route to get your destination. When did you last stop and look for beauty in your surroundings ? When did you last get up before dawn to go and watch how the rising sun slowly unveils your familiar surroundings ?

I'd like to shine some limelight to my hometown, Hartlepool, tucked into a bay on the North East of England coastline, just north of Teesmouth, and Middlesborough, about 20 miles south of Sunderland, and another 10 or so up to Newcastle.

On the face of it, Hartlepool isn't glamourous. Its football team has never been successful, dwarfed by its three north east rivals, the industrial days have come to an end, and the town is trying to find ways to attract investment and sustain the 90,000 or so hardy inhabitants that live there.

But this is just the face, you need to look beyond to see and feel the real beauty of the town. It is blessed with miles of coastline, that looks down to the cliffs of North Yorkshire in the south, the industrial attractions of Teeside, across from Seaton beach to St Hilda's on the headland, and then beyond the Headland up the North East coast to Crimdon Dene and beyond.

If there was ever a place to see the magnificence of nature's skies, then this is it.

Hartlepool lies at an angle on the English coast line that makes you think true north to south, but the winter sun breaks the horizon in North Yorkshire and covers Tees Bay, North Gare beach and the Blue Lagoon in a wonderful golden light as it struggles into the winter sky, making such breathe-taking shots available on its travels.

Eight hours later, It then seems to die inland to the west, but manages to light the eastern sky over the North Sea, and to the north of the town again in the mid afternoon, as it fades below the horizon.

When nature then adds broken clouds, deep grey to bright white, it gives a watery complexion to the sky, softening the harsh low light and playing with shadows both above and below. Its so easy to wallow in the glory of it all.

Still, on the ground, lies the architecture of the present and latter days of the town. The town has struggled. There are derelict sites, there a chemical plants heading out of town on the seal sands roads and there are magnificent long standing buildings for years before. These provide wonderful structures to sit beneath these poetic skies. The town's council have tried to develop, and done a pretty good job over the years. There is the Maritime museum, the marina, the renovation of the church street area and the development of walking paths to take you the lenght of the coastline.

Until I picked up my camera, I would never have thought about Hartlepool as a photogenic gift to the world, but thankfully I have my eyes opened. My gallery "Scenes from a Northern Town" is beginning to grow and be added to, but I'm yet to do full justice to the wrds I have penned above. I will........

A panorama of The Hartlepool Headland.

A Frosty Walk at the Blue Lagoon

The Market Hall at Middleton Grange Shopping Centre

Christ Church sitting below an amazing morning sky

The dramatic chemical vista of the Seal Sands

To see more of my Hartlepool shots, keep checking out the Scenes from a Northern Town gallery under the Landscapes Button above.

Whilst I only ever visit once or twice a year, I have to thank a few facebook pages that have helped me, and many other ex-Hartlepudlians, to continually enjoy the beauty of the town.

These are:-

History of Hartlepool in Images,

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoryOfHartlepoolInImages/

Hartlepool in Images

https://www.facebook.com/groups/602349489790838/

Town of Hartlepool

https://www.facebook.com/groups/173503152855994/

There are also a couple of fantastic photographers who continue to amaze me with the stunning shots they get out of the old girl

Dave Brightwell

https://www.facebook.com/DaveBrightwellPhotography

Adam Suggitt

http://www.energeticshots.com