The Art of Spontaneity: How a Change of Plans Resulted in Unforeseen Beauty

Sometimes the best results happen when things don't go to plan.

On the last weekend of March, my wife and I had planned to go for our first camping trip of 2024 on the North Coast of Devon. It was Easter weekend. Millie had four days off to decompress between changing jobs, so we wanted to disconnect and get outdoors. However, this spring's weather had different ideas, and on Wednesday, we received an email from the campsite telling us the site was a bit waterlogged. So, we decided to delay the camping trip for a month.

A backup plan for some classic landscape shots. 

Now stuck with no plans for the bank holiday weekend and it not being camping weather, we had to come up with something. Checking the rain radar for the weekend, we found a rain-free window in Eryri. With Cadair Idris being a day trip away, we decided to get our outdoor fix with a lap around its horseshoe and hopefully end the day capturing the sunset over Llyn Cau and some classic landscape shots.

 Arriving at lunchtime, the warm spring sunshine flooded an already overflowing car park. Our backup plan was looking like it was going to go off without a hitch. We ate lunch in the car park before heading up first to Llyn Cau to sit and take in the lake with a coffee before heading up to the summit.

 As we headed up the ancient oak forest path past the waterfalls, Mr G. nimbly climbing the giant steps beside us, the skies began to grey. It's OK, we thought. Just some passing clouds. It should be brightening up later. Continuing to the lake as planned, the sky greyed further, but still, optimism reigned as we sat on a rock to have a coffee.

 We hadn't even taken one sip before the sleet began. As this was the Welsh mountains, we had packed our waterproofs, meaning a warming coffee while the temperature dropped. This was fine for me and Millie, but not so good for a grumpy and cold Mr G.

 As we finished our coffees, Mr G's mood had gone from grumpy to downright miserable, and with the weather not looking like it was going to get any better, we decided to abort the plan. We packed up and headed back down the mountain to the car.

 The backup backup plan leads to unexpected results.

Again, the weekend's plan took a hit. But not to waste our trip, we decided on a new plan. We would head to Barmouth and the beach. If the weather didn't improve, at least we could get fish and chips.

 As we drove down the Mawddach Valley towards the coast, the weather started to improve. Sunlight filled the valley, the Mawddach glistened, and its banks, exposed by the low tide, glowed golden brown as the sandy mud shone. We had made the right choice.

 We pulled up in the car park just as Golden Hour set in and headed straight for the beach. As we walked towards the sea, the sun setting over Caernarfon Bay, we could tell we were going to be set for a stunning sunset. This meant that I was able to capture some great shots that I was proud of. I think I got better and more original shots than if we had stuck to our plan and stayed on the mountain.

 Once the sun had set, we set off to find a fish and chip shop. Like all good visitors to a new location, we checked out reviews to find the best fish and chip shop. When we arrived, it seemed like everyone else had done the same, and the line went down the street. Knowing we had a long drive back and being hungry, we made another change of plan and went to a different fish and chip shop around the corner. And it did not disappoint. We had some of the best fish and chips I've had.

 Fully fed, we got in the car and headed home after an exceptionally successful day, having changed plans so many times. I had not only captured some great shots I hadn't planned on, but we had had a great day out exploring places we'd not been before.

 This reflection is something always to remember with photography. It doesn't matter how meticulously you plan; there is so much out of your control when shooting amazing images. Because of this, we need to be ready to adapt to change and make the most of the options in front of us, and sometimes this can lead to far better results than we ever could have planned for.

Below are some of the images I captured from the day.