Slitting Mill
A landscape photography blog by Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire based landscape photographer Rob Thorley Photography.
The back end of August found me at Slitting Mill near Rugeley. I’d headed off to photograph what is commonly but apparently, mistakenly known as “Slitting Mill Bridge and Waterfall”.
After a bit of a mooch around on Google maps beforehand I’d decided to park on Burnthill Lane, and take the short path to the heritage trail. From that parkup it looked like a five, or ten minute walk to the bridge and waterfall.
I hadn’t rushed out for sunrise as I thought the location itself might benefit from a bit of light a little later in the morning. Hmmm, school boy error . . . Whilst that may have been the right call for the light (I was quite happy with the contrast between the light and shadows). What it wasn’t the right call for was the amount of foot traffic the location was getting. The traffic “problem” was further compounded by the fact that there was a family camping in the field right next to the bridge and waterfall. The kids must have just finished their breakfasts and were in full play mode around the bridge, so with nothing in the bag I decided to backtrack and head along the heritage trail to Horns Pool whilst the little cherubs wore themselves out.
To be honest I didn’t find Horns Pool very inspiring, or photogenic. I managed to waste half and hour taking a bit of video b-roll of the brook and the waterfall but photographically speaking it just didn’t do it for me.
I made my way back along the heritage trail in the hope that it was a little quieter at the bridge. Fortunately the kids who were camping had burnt off their sugar rush and were nowhere to be seen. I just managed to compose one shot up and took a couple of frames with different shutter speeds before the next family arrived with half a dozen kids, and dogs.
At this point I decided that I was flogging a dead horse with the amount of people around, so decided to call it a day. Definitely one to go back to but next time I’ll make sure I go a lot earlier.
This shot was probably my favourite, as I quite liked the movement that I’d captured in the water.
High Fall Weir . . . aka Slitting Mill Bridge and Waterfall.
So, Slitting Mill Bridge, and Waterfall . . . If I understand correctly, and to be honest I’m not sure I do . . . I think the actual Slitting Mill Bridge and Waterfall is somewhere around Horns Pool, and the bridge may not exist anymore. This bridge is possibly known as “High Fall”, and the waterfall is actually a weir but %$*# knows . . . I certainly don’t!
You can view more images from Cannock Chase, and my gallery of other nature subjects.
