Philip Mackereth

2012-01-09T15:58:00.003Z

Malvern Hills, New Years Eve 2011/2012

2011-11-08T19:51:00.006Z

Shades of Autumn...

Highgate Common

At the Sheepwalks, Enville

2011-10-11T23:46:00.000+01:00

2011-09-12T23:08:00.002+01:00

2011-09-09T15:28:00.002+01:00

Handful of pictures from a brief stay in Cornwall in August, after beach missions had ended.

Taken along the coast between Fowey and Looe.

2011-01-12T15:29:00.006Z

Photos from around Christmas, taken at Kinver Edge in the freezing weather.

Dudley in the distance

Kinver, with the Million beyond

2010-11-09T13:30:00.003Z

Views from the Malvern Hills across the beautiful surrounding counties, with colourful trees and Nov5th bonfires to be seen everywhere!

2010-11-09T12:57:00.007Z

Autumn colours, four ancient churches, and other architecture in Shrewsbury on a damp afternoon!

St Alkmunds Church, founded circa 912, possibly by Alfred the Greats daughter...

2010-10-25T18:52:00.003+01:00

Some Autumn colours!
I took these whilst out cycling, in the process of which I discovered how vicious the roads in Glasgow really are these days, what with large potholes and crevasses to be negotiated at speed!

2010-10-14T22:43:00.003+01:00

Theology no Substitute for Piety and Godliness.

Extract from E. Bickersteth, 'The Christian Student.'

"It is fully admitted that there are many devout, holy, heavenly-minded Christians who are thoroughly versed in the Scriptures, but have little or none of what is reckoned human learning : real piety may consist with considerable deficiencies in learning. And again a man may have an extensive knowledge of languages, he may know the whole theory of religion and be able to defend it most ably and skilfully against its most subtle opponents ; he may have the intellectual powers,... and yet not have that experience of the truth in its sanctifying influence on his own heart, which manifests itself in meekness, humility, forbearance, brotherly-kindness, devotion, and the whole spirit of the Christian. Dr. Buchanan justly observes that we must not confound two terms, a Theologian and a Christian. That which constitutes a Christian is faith, hope, and charity, these three. Much human learning is not essentially necessary to constitute a Christian.

Indeed a man may be a profound Theologian, and not be a Christian at all. He may be learned in the doctrines

and history of Christianity, and yet be a stranger to the fruits of Christianity : He may be destitute of faith, of hope, and charity.

2010-09-22T14:29:00.003+01:00

Some more from the summer:

2010-08-12T15:36:00.002+01:00

Here are some pics from the Lake District recently...

2010-06-02T18:43:00.004+01:00

Some Photos from a walk through the Staffordshire countryside...

2010-05-03T12:29:00.000+01:00

2010-03-02T15:46:00.007Z

Some photos from Glasgow Cathedral. This was just a quick visit, hopefully i will go back and finish it off soon. Mostly stained glass windows here:
The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1136...

2010-03-01T16:16:00.004Z

Some pics from by the river Severn in Staffordshire...

Chlorination plant...

2010-03-01T16:11:00.003Z

Some photos from the coastline near Arbroath...

2010-01-06T13:15:00.003Z

A few photos from Surrey, digging trees...

2010-01-06T12:23:00.004Z

Some photos from around Dudley...

Black Country Museum:

2010-01-06T10:13:00.002Z

Some photos from the Lake District at christmas:

2009-11-24T19:28:00.006Z

After a very long break, here are some more photos! I would post more from the summer, but my laptop is not working, so that will have to wait! (these are from the uni computer, so excuse the horrendous processing)
Whilst your enjoying looking at blogs, go and visit Walking Worthy; hopefully you will find something worthwhile there!
These are from the IRC rally last Saturday, in appaling weather conditions, with my new 40D.

2009-07-03T08:36:00.003+01:00

Photos from the Lake District.

Windfarm at Milnrow:

2009-06-10T11:29:00.003+01:00

Pics from Kew Gardens and the van den Broeks

2009-05-20T20:16:00.002+01:00

2009-05-07T00:09:00.003+01:00

I have just finished reading William Symington's book "Messiah the Prince."
This book is an excellent and depthy treatise on Christ's Mediatorial office of King.
Many would have Christ to be their saviour, but are they willing to also obey him as King of kings and Lord of lords?
The following is an extract from the conclusion to the book.

Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King !
Are the children of God in want? It cannot but rejoice them to know, that the spiritual Joseph is ruler over all the land, has under his
management the store-houses of nature and grace, and is ready to
satisfy every longing soul with ample supplies of wisdom, pardon,
holiness, joy, and strength. ‘Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and
rejoice in the Lord your God ; for he hath given you the former rain
moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the
former rain, and the latter rain in the first month, and the floors
shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.’
Are they placed amid temptations and trials? No consideration,
surely, can be more soothing, than that their Lord reigns, and has
every circumstance that can occur, every enemy that can arise,
completely under his control. ‘ God is our refuge and our strength, a
very present help in trouble : therefore will not we fear, though the
earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea ; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake at the swelling thereof. There is a river,
the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place
of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her ; she
shall not be moved : God shall help her, and that right early.’
Symington, 'Messiah the Prince'

2009-05-01T23:58:00.004+01:00

The view from Symonds Yat

Surrey.

2009-04-28T18:02:00.000+01:00

Some recent ones, from Crinan...

2009-04-27T17:31:00.006+01:00

A rather nice sunset.

Star trails. This was an half an hour exposure, but it really needed to be twice as long, as the photo was still too dark...

2009-03-07T13:11:00.001Z

a pic from Wales last Autumn...

2009-02-18T23:31:00.002Z

Pics of the Snow!

2008-11-29T22:35:00.003Z

More from Spenser...
This time describing a character who symbolises strife and discord...

From
THE FOVRTH
BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.
Containing
The Legend of Cambel and Telamond,OR
OF FRIENDSHIP

Her name was Ate, mother of debate,
And all dissention, which doth dayly grow
Amongst fraile men, that many a publike state
And many a priuate oft doth ouerthrow....
...

There whereas all the plagues and harmes abound,
Which punish wicked men, that walke amisse:
It is a darksome delue farre vnder ground,
With thornes and barren brakes enuirond round,
That none the same may easily out win;
Yet many waies to enter may be found,
But none to issue forth when one is in:
For discord harder is to end then to begin.

And eke of priuate persons many moe,
That were too long a worke to count them all;
Some of sworne friends, that did their faith forgoe;
Some of borne brethren, prov'd vnnaturall;
Some of deare louers, foes perpetuall:
Witnesse their broken bandes there to be seene,
Their girlonds rent, their bowres despoyled all;
The moniments whereof there byding beene,
As plaine as at the first, when they were fresh and greene.

Such was her house within; but all without,
The barren ground was full of wicked weedes,
Which she her selfe had sowen all about,
Now growen great, at first of little seedes,
The seedes of euill wordes, and factious deedes;
Which when to ripenesse due they growen arre,
Bring foorth an infinite increase, that breedes
Tumultuous trouble and contentious iarre,
The which most often end in bloudshed and in warre.

Her face most fowle and filthy was to see,
With squinted eyes contrarie wayes intended,
And loathly mouth, vnmeete a mouth to bee,
That nought but gall and venim comprehended,
And wicked wordes that God and man offended:
Her lying tongue was in two parts diuided,
And both the parts did speake, and both contended;
And as her tongue, so was her hart discided,
That neuer thoght one thing, but doubly stil was guided.

Als as she double spake, so heard she double,
With matchlesse eares deformed and distort,
Fild with false rumors and seditious trouble,
Bred in assemblies of the vulgar sort,
That still are led with euery light report.
And as her eares so eke her feet were odde,
And much vnlike, th'one long, the other short,
And both misplast; that when th'one forward yode,
The other backe retired, and contrarie trode.

Likewise vnequall were her handes twaine,
That one did reach, the other pusht away,
That one did make, the other mard againe,
And sought to bring all things vnto decay;
Whereby great riches gathered manie a day,
She in short space did often bring to nought
And their possessours often did dismay.
For all her studie was and all her thought,
How she might ouerthrow the things that Concord wrought.

So much her malice did her might surpas,
That euen th'Almightie selfe she did maligne,
Because to man so mercifull he was,
And vnto all his creatures so benigne,
Sith she her selfe was of his grace indigne:
For all this worlds faire workmanship she tride,
Vnto his last confusion to bring,
And that great golden chaine quite to diuide,
With which it blessed Concord hath together tide.

2008-11-03T21:12:00.004Z

2009 Calendars out now!!
Featuring beautiful scenes from around Great Britain, this A3 wall calendar will greatly compliment your home, or make a great christmas gift!!
Get yours here: http://www.philipmackereth.co.uk/calendar/
All profits this year go to Barnabas Fund.

Recent Pic...

2008-10-13T23:34:00.003+01:00

A few pics from Rora house, in the summer!

An early glow before sunrise:

View to Hay Tor, from Ramshorn down. On a 5am walk 9 of us did.

2008-10-10T18:55:00.010+01:00

Currently reading (amongst many other books), Edmund Spenser's 'Faery Queene'. Its not actually about Faery's or Queen's at all, but about various knights and chivalry, forming a set of excellent allegories about various aspects of the Christian life.
There are 6 books (uncompleted as part of a projected 12).
Book 2 is about Sir Guyon, and his search for Temperaunce.
Heres a qoute from Cant. VII.
(Guyon has met Mammon, who is tempting him with wealth, but Guyon is not interested in corrupt riches)

At length they came into a larger space,
That stretcht it selfe into an ample plaine,
Through which a beaten broad high way did trace,
That streight did lead to Plutoes griesly raine:
By that wayes side, there sate infernall Payne,
And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife:
The one in hand an yron whip did straine,
The other brandished a bloudy knife,
And both did gnash their teeth, & both did threaten life.

On thother side in one consort there sate,
Cruell Reuenge, and rancorous Despight,
Disloyall Treason, and hart-burning Hate,
But gnawing Gealosie out of their sight
Sitting alone, his bitter lips did bight,
And trembling Feare still to and fro did fly,
And found no place, where safe he shroud him might,
Lamenting Sorrow did in darknesse lye,
And Shame his vgly face did hide from liuing eye.

And ouer them sad Horrour with grim hew,
Did alwayes sore, beating his yron wings;
And after him Owles and Night-rauens flew,
The hatefull messengers of heauy things,
Of death and dolour telling sad tidings;
Whiles sad Celeno, sitting on a clift,
A song of bale and bitter sorrow sings,
That hart of flint a sunder could haue rift:
Which hauing ended, after him she flyeth swift.

All these before the gates of Pluto lay,
By whom they passing, spake vnto them nought.
But th'Elfin knight with wonder all the way
Did feed his eyes, and fild his inner thought.
At last him to a litle dore he brought,
That to the gate of Hell, which gaped wide,
Was next adioyning, ne them parted ought:
Betwixt them both was but a litle stride,
That did the house of Richesse from hell-mouth diuide.

Before the dore sat selfe-consuming Care,
Day and night keeping wary watch and ward,
For feare least Force or Fraud should vnaware
Breake in, and spoile the treasure there in gard:
Ne would he suffer Sleepe once thither-ward
Approch, albe his drowsie den were next;
For next to death is Sleepe to be compard:
Therefore his house is vnto his annext;
Here Sleep, there Richesse, & Hel-gate the[m] both betwext.

So soone as Mammon there arriu'd, the dore
To him did open, and affoorded way;
Him followed eke Sir Guyon euermore,
Ne darkenesse him, ne daunger might dismay.
Soone as he entred was, the dore streight way
Did shut, and from behind it forth there lept
An vgly feend, more fowle then dismall day,
The which with monstrous stalke behind him stept,
And euer as he went, dew watch vpon him kept.

Both roofe, and floore, and wals were all of gold,
But ouergrowne with dust and old decay,
And hid in darkenesse, that none could behold
The hew thereof: for vew of chearefull day
Did neuer in that house it selfe display,
But a faint shadow of vncertain light;
Such as a lamp, whose life does fade away:
Or as the Moone cloathed with clowdy night,
Does shew to him, that walkes in feare and sad affright.

Suffise it then, thou Money God (quoth hee)
That all thine idle offers I refuse.
All that I need I haue; what needeth mee
To couet more, then I haue cause to vse?
With such vaine shewes thy worldlings vile abuse:
But giue me leaue to follow mine emprise.
Mammon was much displeasd, yet no'te he chuse,
But beare the rigour of his bold mesprise,
And thence him forward led, him further to entise.

Psa 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Jer 17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
Pro 24:4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

"Though riches are but external and accidental,
yet it is common to call a wealthy man,
a man of substance ; it is only by having
heavenly wisdom, that we inherit substance."
(Joseph Caryl, Puritan)

2008-09-29T23:14:00.002+01:00

2008-09-29T23:10:00.002+01:00

2008-09-29T22:28:00.002+01:00

some more:

2008-09-29T20:14:00.004+01:00

Pics from the Mcrae on Saturday! just from the drummond hill stage...
First course car:

a couple which went off the edge!

a spot of beuatiful sunshine...

Jimmy Mcrae, who in the later SS5 had a rather spectacular leap off a 100ft cliff!

2008-09-17T23:47:00.003+01:00

The Confessions of Saint Augustine (a good book im just reading...)
"Too late loved I Thee, O Thou Beauty of ancient days, yet ever new! too late I loved Thee! And behold, Thou wert within, and I abroad, and there I searched for Thee; deformed I, plunging amid those fair forms which Thou hadst made. Thou wert with me, but I was not with Thee. Things held me far from Thee, which, unless they were in Thee, were not at all. Thou calledst, and shoutedst, and burstest my deafness. Thou flashedst, shonest, and scatteredst my blindness. Thou breathedst odours, and I drew in breath and panted for Thee. I tasted, and hunger and thirst. Thou touchedst me, and I burned for Thy peace."
(Book x, 38.)

2008-09-13T20:23:00.001+01:00

some pics from wales last week...

2008-08-23T23:48:00.002+01:00

I am returned from my 5 weeks away!

A sunrise at Rora house...

2008-07-03T10:50:00.003+01:00

2008-07-03T10:36:00.003+01:00

Some photos from the Glasgow city center and then the botanic gardens!
Taken with Tim Harman...

2008-07-01T10:55:00.003+01:00

A few more from the morning at Ae West.
for an animated gif of a burst of an Impreza rolling, follow this link...
http://www.philipmackereth.co.uk/images/crash.gif
:D

the river in Dumfries...

2008-06-30T23:49:00.002+01:00

A few from the morning at Ae west (stage 1)

2008-06-30T23:35:00.004+01:00

Some pics from the RSAC rally in Dumfries and Galloway last saturday!
in the morning we had the best location of the whole rally, it being a short way into stage1, on a very sharp right after a long straigh, on slippy gravel... 50% of the cars went off, and many rolled! made for a bit of excitement. the weather and the midges were not so helpful however!
will also be going up on website in due course...

From Greskine in the afternoon.

a couple of close ups from the final stage...

2008-05-25T00:06:00.002+01:00

Some pics...

A moth or something... haven identified it yet. i spent ages getting this one, as it was extremely windy! :)

And a crop, to show how beautifully sharp the Tamron is... :D

2008-05-21T17:35:00.003+01:00

Some photos of a computer package i did for a friend!
quite fun, i set it all up on a white sheet...

2008-05-13T23:57:00.003+01:00

A couple more from Anglesey, from the beach at nightfall...
(This is where i wish i had some ND Grad filters...)

2008-05-13T16:12:00.006+01:00

More Pics from Wales! These are probably my best attempts at bluebells so far; theyre so elusive to get good photos of!

2008-05-13T00:03:00.003+01:00

A veiw from Anglesey last week, looking at the mainland. its about 10 photos all stitched by hand in photoshop... the far left is Llandudno and the Great Orme, and on the right is snowdonia.
i havent bothered to crop it straight...

2008-05-08T07:54:00.003+01:00

Some Photos from the wilderness that is central scotland...

2008-05-01T14:41:00.003+01:00

2008-05-01T14:11:00.008+01:00

a few more. you can of course click on them to see a larger version.... :D

Ford focus taking off in a cloud of rubble...

2008-05-01T13:53:00.004+01:00

Some panning pics, shutter ranging from 1/50 to 1/125....

2008-04-30T23:31:00.004+01:00

2008-04-30T23:14:00.007+01:00

Pics from Rally last Saturday, up in Aberdeenshire. Was nice to be back in aberdeen for the day! :D
the place was very dusty, camera came off nice and dirty!
heres a few to start off with...
the first one is a ford focus travelling at over 100mph....

A ford escort drifting sideways at high speed...

2008-04-19T21:12:00.002+01:00

2008-04-18T21:26:00.008+01:00

Some random pics from a mountain we climbed this week!

2008-04-04T23:11:00.004+01:00

Some Landrovers we found offroading on the malvern hills...
and the Humber Bridge...

2008-02-28T20:33:00.006Z

I havent really put any portraits on here yet so heres a collection of various ones...

2008-02-18T18:09:00.002Z

some recent pics....

2008-01-01T00:46:00.000Z

Happy New Year!! (to all my 2 or so readers)

2007-12-29T20:52:00.001Z

Some Pics from the lake district last week!

2007-12-29T20:45:00.001Z

some faint star trails behind the clouds on this one. that was a 17 minute exposure at f13 iso100...

2007-12-29T20:39:00.000Z

2007-11-27T18:15:00.000Z

more of this waterfall...

about 25 seconds exposure.....

2007-10-27T17:36:00.000+01:00

pics...
the first one has a bit of a green tint which i havent bothered to clean up...

2007-10-16T12:23:00.000+01:00

Had my first driving lesson yesterday! :D

From a few weeks ago...

2007-09-01T22:49:00.000+01:00

Psalm 119

1Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

2Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

3They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

5O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

2006-11-13T19:17:00.000Z

Glasgow Science tower, and lights reflected in the titanium skin of the science museum....

2006-10-20T10:54:00.000+01:00

a Robin which I managed to get within about a foot of, allowing me to use my Tamron. Nice to do some birds for a change, or any photography at all for that matter, i have been busy lately.... :P
And Close up detail...

2006-08-18T22:11:00.000+01:00

A photo...
i like the way the leaf apears to be floating... not so keen on the background colour though...

I ought to mention that i will be starting at college in a few weeks. my Career on NS and homeschooling has come to an end.

2006-07-29T08:20:00.000+01:00

I am just about to get the train to whitby, im doing beach missions for two weeks.
that means this place will be dead for two weeks.
bye....

2006-07-25T16:23:00.000+01:00

Apparently i got to the final stages of the Wildlife photographer of the year
Competition, although i didnt actually win anything...
another photo...

I am going on Beach missions in Scarborough and Whitby for two weeks, on saturday...

2006-07-22T15:54:00.000+01:00

Beady Eyes...

A photo i took today... a Damselfly of some variety.
I suddenly spotted this composition... ... and of course, the damselfly imediately flew away...
so i spent more time chasing them, and going for the ones which landed on the thin blades of grass.
i didnt have my tripod with my, so i'm pleased its so completely in focus... compared to 20 other worse photos which werent... :D
Canon 300D, Tamron 90mm.
ISO200, 1/250, f/5.

2006-07-10T20:03:00.000+01:00

Usual Lake district scene...

2006-05-05T20:32:00.000+01:00

A common or garden duck on loch Lomond...
300d, 300mm.

2006-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:00

A water droplet...

2006-04-04T18:53:00.000+01:00

On Saturday we went off to a place on the west coast... We had a walk up a Glen and stopped to wade in the river, even thought there was still snow on the mountains, and found some Toads amongst other things...
300D, 90mm.

2006-03-29T22:11:00.000+01:00

I recently entered the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competitition. After looking through all my photos, i realised that a lot of the best ones to enter were taken a while back, in Jpeg, but the rules need it to be taken in raw... so i had a smaller choice of what to enter. 1 good reason to shoot in RAW... :S

I took this photo earlier, i saw the reflection on the marble fireplace, so i lay down with the camera on the floor...

2006-03-27T12:31:00.000+01:00

A pigeon... it was sleeping on a fence. I laid the camera along the fence to get the low perspective...
300D, 300mm, f/7, 1/1250, iso400