The days are getting shorter – which of course means more time to enjoy life by moonlight’s glow. Demelza Rayner meets those making the most of night-time Essex: astrophotographer Jon Allard, night paddleboarder Richard Jiggins and ghost-hunter Raymond McCarthy.
On a sunny weekend, our county’s rivers are teeming with a colourful array of kayaks, paddleboards and wild swimmers, all finding their happy place out on the water. Indeed, over the past few years there’s been a huge surge of interest in the county’s waterways.
But for those seeking a much more tranquil experience, away from the crowds, Richard Jiggins specialises in a variety of ‘out of hours’ paddleboarding tours, including sunrise and sunset. Speaking about his love of the sport, Richard says, ‘I’m a BSUPA certified instructor and have been paddleboarding for more than 15 years. I started The Paddle Company five years ago after being made redundant from Philips – the consumer electronics company. As Senior Project Manager I spent a lot of time away from my family, regularly travelling to Europe to design and develop new products. Starting The Paddle Company was a total change, and it was so refreshing to turn a much-loved hobby into a profession. My office is now the river, and my stress levels are non-existent. The best part of my job is meeting new people and encouraging them to enjoy the river in a safe manner.’
Based at The Henny Swan, situated on the Essex and Suffolk border between Sudbury and Bures, The Paddle Company is perfectly placed to take advantage of the beautiful River Stour. ‘The full stretch from Sudbury to Cattawade is 24.5 miles (37km) and makes a fantastic paddle,’ enthuses Richard.
In less than two years of the company launching, Richard decided to introduce LED paddleboarding – night-time sessions where the water immediately surrounding the paddleboard is lit up with vibrant colours. ‘Being on the river at night is just magical,’ reveals Richard. ‘The mist sets on the river, we’re able to see some incredible nocturnal wildlife and the customers absolutely love it! We run the sessions from April to October.’
While it’s important to be safe on the river, even novice paddleboarders can participate in these popular night paddles. ‘We do recommend that our customers have been on a paddleboard before, but as the sessions are fully supervised, it’s not essential,’ confirms Richard. ‘We go on the river at sunset, so there’s plenty of time to get used to the paddleboard before it gets dark. Then, as soon as night falls, the LEDS go on – it’s amazing! We see owls and bats all the time when we’re out, and occasionally we’re lucky enough to see otters. We don’t hang around too long to give them their space, but we’re always thrilled when we see them!’
Those of us lucky enough to witness the incredible Aurora Borealis earlier this year were no doubt awestruck by the multi-coloured lights that danced across the night sky. But for astrophotographers such as Jon Allard, the night sky is a constant source of fascination. ‘I love being out after dark and find it so peaceful,’ he confirms. ‘The sight of the sky on a clear night is amazing. I have always been interested in photography, especially using long-exposure shots. This naturally led to experimentation with astrophotography around six years ago and I haven’t looked back!’
Although Jon is based in Clacton-on-Sea, he’s only too willing to travel across the county for the best shots, particularly as the Milky Way moves position over the course of a year. ‘The best places in Essex for astrophotography are on the coast and out to sea, such as Frinton, Brightlingsea and Bradwell,’ he asserts. ‘It’s important to stay away from towns because of the light pollution.’
Ever since Jon chose to specialise in astrophotography, his hard work has been rewarded with some spectacular shots of the night sky. ‘One of my all-time favourite images is one I took in lockdown of the tower at Walton-on-the-Naze,’ Jon enthuses. ‘The skies were beautifully clear, and I managed to get a lot of detail into the shot, with the Milky Way rising.’
Alongside astrophotography, Jon also dabbles in light painting, a technique that uses a moving light source and long exposure times to create images. ‘I sometimes use an LED strip that can project images as you are moving it, but mainly I use coloured light tubes and a torch that connects to the end,’ Jon explains. ‘Most of my light painting shots are created in autumn and winter, as the nights draw in.’
Keen to share his knowledge, Jon regularly runs workshops on light painting and astrophotography with friend and fellow photographer, Danny Kench. ‘We enjoy running group sessions together so that we can fully support the participants in their skill development. Everyone who attends is at a slightly different stage, so this means that if one of our students is struggling with a particular aspect of the course, it doesn’t hold up the rest of the group.’
As the former capital of England and home to Europe’s largest Norman Keep, Colchester has a rich and fascinating past that can be explored by visiting the city’s castle, museums and ruins. Those keen on taking their knowledge to the next level can take a deep dive into Colchester’s history under the guidance of the CTGA (Colchester Tour Guide Association), which is exactly what newly-retired Raymond McCarthy did a few years ago.
‘I retired at 50 and made the move to Colchester from Epsom in Surrey, but always knew that I wanted to do something to keep my mind, body and soul active,’ he explains. ‘With a long interest in history and a background in sales, it seemed logical to combine these two skills to become a local tour guide.’
Sure enough, after an intensive course, Ray proudly qualified as a City Tour Guide for the new city of Colchester, running castle tours for the first year. ‘With the precious gift of time, I then decided to start my own tour company – Colchester History Tours. Although Colchester Castle is the jewel in the crown, we have so many other historic gems to share.’
Initially Ray started with general city tours and, when these proved popular, he introduced a Roman tour, a Victorian tour and a Ghosts and Witches tour.
‘Due to Colchester’s multi-layered history, which has many stories of ghosts, hauntings and the castle’s association with the notorious Mathew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch Finder General of the 1600’s, it made sense to combine a ghost tour with the true story of the witches, offering a cautionary tale of the effects of fear,’ Ray asserts.
‘My first Ghosts and Witches tour was in winter 2022 for a group of 12. I enjoy meeting people from all around the world but it’s most satisfying when I’m able to impart these stories to local residents, who weren’t previously familiar with the incredible history around them. The stories I tell become darker as we explore the ancient city streets and so it seemed appropriate to add to the atmosphere of the darkening night.’
Despite the lack of light, there’s no need to be scared when you head out on one of Ray’s Ghost and Witches tours. ‘I have always used humour in the telling of stories,’ he says reassuringly. ‘My tours are presented in a fun, light-hearted and informative style and I enjoy linking the events of the past to our modern world while giving context and history to help understand why terrible events happen.’
Spiritual lifestyle guide, Kellie Jones, supports her clients’ wellbeing by calling upon a variety of complementary disciplines – a far cry from the highly disciplined world of a dancer at Sylvia Young’s Theatre School in London. ‘I love to be on stage entertaining people, but the world of show business was not a healthy place for a highly sensitive Cancerian,’ Kelly explains. ‘I naturally drifted into the health and wellness industry as it’s the perfect blend of physical training, teaching and entertaining - my own little stage!’
Kellie ran her own Yoga and Pilates studio for 16 years, which she sold in 2018 after losing her father to cancer and took some time out to recover. Yet it was a very different life change that eventually propelled her forwards, ‘when the menopause arrived, I needed something with a sense of purpose and fulfilment,’ she reveals. ‘I’ve always been slightly obsessed with the moon and started to hold little in-person moon circles, which I moved online in 2020. ‘All Things Moon’ was born when I realised everything I love to do – from yoga, to sound baths to gardening can be attuned to the moon!
Indeed, it’s this focus on lunar energies that helps to define Kellie’s ethos and one that particularly resonates with attendees of her Full Moon and New Moon ceremonies – usually held from 8-9.30pm on zoom. ‘I want to ensure that my clients can relax in their comfy clothes, in a quiet space, after the kids have gone to bed and the work is done,’ Kellie explains. ‘A Moon Ceremony is just giving yourself some sacred, self-love time to rest, reflect, release and reconnect. While I occasionally have men attend, as female hormonal cycles are connected to the moon, it naturally attracts mostly women.’
Those nervous about attending for the first time needn’t be – there’s no requirement to turn the camera on – you simply need a quiet space, comfy clothes, a journal and pen, a candle and incense, and your favourite herbal brew.
It's clear that this route to wellbeing is a huge part of Kellie’s life, which she attributes to the fact that she’s a Cancerian, otherwise known as Moonchild, as the Moon is the ruler of the zodiac sign of Cancer. ‘There’s a magic in tuning into the rhythms of the moon and when you connect with the energy of each lunar cycle, you’ll find that your intuition is heightened and the bigger picture becomes clearer,’ Kellie enthuses. ‘When working with moon phases, you become aware of different areas of your life to focus on through each lunar cycle – when to rest and when to take action. There is relief to be found in knowing that a situation or feeling a certain way is more likely during a particular moon phase. Becoming aware of the cycles and understanding our own birthchart ultimately helps us to know ourselves and understand the outside world better. This allows us to forgive ourselves and others more easily and therefore live a more true and authentic life.’
