Craggs beyond the telephone
Limestone Pavement, Yorkshire
This weeks photo challenge ‘beyond’ asks us to look beyond the obvious focus. It’s amazing how much we can miss when our attention is caught on the nearest thing to us. Often the most interesting things lie just beyond our focus. It’s a great exercise in mindfulness to look for the less obvious, to try to notice the more subtle layers around us. There is so much out there around us that we never even notice.
The photo with the red telephone box makes me smile for lots of reasons. It’s in Plockton, in the Scottish Highlands, where I spent most of my childhood holidays, as my Granny owned all of the hotels in the village. However in my teens this was my point of contact with friends and boyfriends back in Edinburgh. There were no mobile phones, and any calls made from the phones in any of the hotels would have been over heard….so the call box was my private line back to Edinburgh. I was totally oblivious to the beautiful scenery behind me. The houses just beyond the callbox are on Rhu, and they are on the tip of land from where the flag and gun marking the start and finish line of the local sailing regatta are set. Way up on top of the crags you can just about make out the television mast. I can still remember the excitement when the colour TV mast went up, bringing the wonders of full spectrum vision to everyone beyond the rocky barrier of the crags.
The other photo is taken at Malham Cove in Yorkshire, and the shapes and contours of the limestone pavement are so arresting that I didn’t really notice the amazing view of the valley far below. The source of the river which flows away into the distance below, emerges from the foot of the cliff which I’m standing on to take this picture. Looking back now the view is amazing, but I missed it at the time 🙂
breathofgreenair 
Two super shots in such different situations, Seonaid. I love the “beyondness” in the first one, while the second one reminds me vividly of feeling pretty unhappy up on the top of Malham Cove, despite the grandeur of the scenery.
I’m sorry to hear you were so unhappy when you visited Malham. The height of the drop really got to my husband, who is never great with heights. He got really anxious about the rest of us being anywhere near the edge 🙂
I just hated all the gaps in the limestone. I don’t have the steadiest pair of pins!
Ah, similar to my husband then 🙂 it was dramatic and thrilling, which of course is just the edge of terrifying.
We’re funny aren’t we? Mine doesn’t like cable cars, but I love them.
Just love the first photo.
Thank you. It makes me smile for the memories it brings back 🙂
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i enjoyed both moments. thanks for sharing.
Fabulous images!
Long time since I’ve been to Plockton. Beautiful setting.
That’s so cool that you know Plockton. Its funny but for a tiny wee village in the middle of nowhere, so many people know it and have visited 🙂
that first image is just stunning with the red phone box…wow
Great! love those shots!
Marvelous shots both 🙂
Such beautiful places!
Great job.
I love both photos. What a beautiful place.
LOVEDDDDDDDDd the second one…..its a Piece or Art…..
Very kind, thank you. When I walked to the edge it made me feel a little dizzy 🙂
lol…i can feel dizzy just by staring at my desktop…btw I am using the pic as my Desktop Background…
That’s so cool….I’m glad you’re enjoying it 🙂 Blogging is such a great way to share photos
all credit to ur pic…..
and yup…very true….m new to blogging but now enjoying it thoroughly…..
Isn’t it wonderful the way we can keep discovering “new” views even in our own photographs? I find that especially true in Rorshachs of nature–though I love the man-made telephone booth as well.
Thanks Stephanie…and yes there’s always something new to see….something which escaped our attention before. We truely live in a multilayer reality 🙂
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Red, pow! And green valley below, you have to see it. Nicely done.
Love the first photo. Unusual for me as I normally see pictures of the red telephone box in a city. 🙂
Yeah it’s always funny seeing street furniture in a rural setting 🙂
Beautiful pictures! I also did the weekly photo challenge http://maddiatharper.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/weekly-photo-challenge-beyond-2/
Thanks, glad you liked them. Yours are cool too 🙂
Perfect for the challenge! Interesting text as well. I recognize the youth and its magical obliviousness…
So true. There’s always so much to do, places to be, people to see when we’re young. Now I find I’ve slowed down, but time has speeded up!
It’s like the payphone is in the middle of nowhere.. however, that’s when we see the background..
Absolutely beautiful photo – thank you for allowing my mind to wonder back to summer holidays spent in the highlands! 🙂
You’re very welcome. It is a great place for summer holidays, although early summer is better for avoiding midges 🙂
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Amazing how photos allow us to look beyond. These are gorgeous. I really loved the beyond in both, as well as the focal points.
Thanks janineyork, both photos bring a smile to my lips with the memories they evoke 🙂
Awesome idea!
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