Oct 24, 2023

Heading to Europe for the first time at the age of 33 felt like a dream come true. Crossing the pond four months later felt like a fairy tale. My trip to England and second Europe trip of the year, started with a week of work. Our New Age Artisans team was in Stamford shooting for our new – Plaster Portal – a website dedicated to the plaster techniques you can find around the world.  My husband later flew out and met me to celebrate our one year anniversary along the coastline of Dorset exploring seaside towns.

In some ways I wish I had a more standard travel guide post for this trip. But the spectacular views of England, even in a bumbling film diary sort of way, still provide plenty of allure.

The first week of my trip was filled with long days of filming talented artisans, like Phillip Gaches and Rebecca Gilling.  I did manage to sneak in early morning walks with a camera in hand capturing the English charm and seemingly never ending views of Stamford. Unfortunately, local film shops were picked over and I could only track down my favorite black and white Ilford film.

After Stamford we spent the next few days in London. Though my husband and I quickly realized we didn’t allot for near enough time for the rich history and iconic landmarks of the vibrant city. Afternoons bookended with pub crawls and ‘cuppas’ did make the least planned part a highlight.  We spent our London afternoons strolling different museums and historic sites only to to pause for a stop in a pub.

Our favorite pub was ‘Hoop and Grapes’ most notably known for surviving ‘The Great Fire of London’ in 1666 and proudly boasting ‘not a right angle in the pub.’

The picturesque villages of the English countryside were broken up by panoramic views of rolling hills and historic cities – a stark contrast to the stunning architecture of London.

The majority of our time South was spent in Lulworth Cove, though a quick day trip to Castle Combe and surrounding quaint villages proved England was never short on noteworthy cities and natural beauty.

A particular stunning view that we couldn’t help but sit in awe of was the front window view of the Limestonestone hotel in West Lulworth. The natural beauty of England’s southern coast dotted with cows and historic farms are framed perfectly through the hotel’s window. Not surprising as the entire city of West Lulworth and all of its thatched roofs feels more like a movie set than reality.

The neighboring Lulworth Cove is a busy coastal town that sits along the Jurassic coast and where we called home. Even with the picturesque cottage we stayed in, next time we will be sticking to quieter spots in West Lulworth, like the Limestone hotel.

Why film?

Shooting film, while a new venture for me, has become a welcomed escape.  Digital photography has brought on a world of convenience for us modern day photographers, though it also beckons the ever mounting pressure to “get the shot.” So much so, that I found myself constantly with my nose in my camera when traveling, analyzing each shot to see if I had a social media ‘winner.’ Film erases all the over analyzing. There is something to a simple click of a shutter and no lcd screen in sight – a moment in time captured.