The new year is just around the corner, so here's a review of some of our favourite pictures from 2021.

Picture 1: Here’s a spectacular sunrise over Ludlow, with the tower of St Laurence’s Church rising above the early morning mist. This was my view from Whitcliffe Common after getting up at 3am and leaving the house to the sound of the dawn chorus. It's a shot I had wanted to capture for some time, and I was delighted to see it published in The Times.

Picture 2: This is the moon rising over the Wrekin, seen from near Cound. I hadn’t planned this shot in advance, but I was driving past at sunset and just had to pull over when the sky started to take on a soft pink glow. There was still a light covering of snow on the summit and it made a nice contrast with the warm colours overhead.

Picture 3: Springtime in Shropshire was spectacular this year, despite the overnight frosts. Here’s some dazzling pink blossom near the medieval packhorse bridge in Clun.

Picture 4: Light and shadow on the Stretton Hills, showing the lower slopes of Caer Caradoc. The summit is topped by an ancient hill fort, and part of the ramparts can be seen in the foreground. This was my view towards the Lawley, with the Wrekin standing out on the horizon beneath a stormy sky. 

Picture 5: Here's Ludlow Castle emerging from the mist in an early-morning view from Whitcliffe Common. The wooded slopes of Corny Bank can be seen rising above the town, while in the distance is Brown Clee.  

Picture 6: A hot air balloon emerges from the early morning mist above the Iron Bridge during Telford Balloon Fiesta. The sound of burners echoed around the Gorge long before I could see anything, which made it difficult to plan a picture in advance as it was impossible to know when - and from where - a balloon would appear. I finally got my shot, however, and the flight of birds beneath the bridge was an added bonus.

Picture 7: Here’s the beautiful Clun Valley, with its rolling countryside and ancient footpaths. This particular day had started at 5am, and as sunset approached I found myself standing in a field above Newcastle on Clun. Offa’s Dyke can be seen snaking its way across the middle of the picture, with the Welsh border beyond the distant hills. 

Picture 8: A rainbow flashes a bright arc of colour across a stormy sky over Titterstone Clee and its ‘golf ball’ radar dome. I was on my way back from Ludlow when I spotted some dramatic clouds, so I decided to head up to the summit. The wind was unrelenting and I endured several rain showers, but I was happy with the resulting shot.

Picture 9: It looks more like the Alps than Shropshire, but here’s St Mary’s Church at Bitterley beneath the snow-covered slopes of Titterstone Clee. A solitary bird wheels overhead as the timber-framed tower stretches up into the bright blue sky. 

Picture 10: In the bleak midwinter - here are the medieval ruins of Wenlock Priory, almost disappearing under a fall of snow. I hadn’t intended to photograph this ancient place in a blizzard, but I was overtaken by the weather and probably ended up with a more atmospheric shot than if the sun had been shining.