The Poppy Fields of Northumberland
Every year, usually around June, splashes of red begin to appear across Northumberland. There’s never any certainty about where these spectacular displays of wild poppies will emerge, but when they appear in a location with a strong composition and an interesting subject nearby, they create wonderful opportunities for photographers.
Poppy field at Lesbury Viaduct
The most recent example was this year at Lesbury, near Alnmouth. I’d heard there was a beautiful display close to the railway line, so as I was already in the area, I decided to take a look. After a short walk over a hill and across a few fields, I was greeted by an incredible scene: rows upon rows of vibrant poppies stretching towards a magnificent Victorian viaduct in the distance. I knew straight away it had the potential to make a fantastic photograph.
Poppies near Alnmouth
On my first visit, the conditions were reasonable, but the light just wasn’t quite right and the sky lacked any real drama. Over the following few days, I found myself constantly checking the weather forecast, waiting for the right combination of light and cloud. Eventually, everything came together, and I was rewarded with conditions that allowed me to capture the images I’d been hoping for.
While the Lesbury display is still fresh in my mind, one of the most memorable poppy fields I’ve photographed was near Aydon Castle, close to Corbridge. This was around ten years ago when I was still learning my craft, so the photographs aren’t as strong as I’d like them to be today. Even so, I still remember the sheer scale of it, a sea of brilliant red stretching across the landscape, framed by a line of trees along the field boundary.
Over the years, I’ve also photographed poppy fields near Corbridge and Meldon. There have been displays further north in Northumberland and around Bamburgh too, although I’ve never quite managed to be in the right place at the right time to photograph them. Hopefully, the coming years will bring more spectacular displays and another chance to capture these fleeting bursts of colour across the county.
Poppies near Meldon