Most notable of Princes Woods’ remaining features from the mining days are two Inclines, which used to transport the coal from the pits to the railway station sidings. This was done by gravity, the loaded trucks running down and pulling the empty trucks back up. These inclines have been made into wide footpaths, and link with a maze of other tracks around the area, making it ideal for finding different views of favourite trees. This painting shows a hidden pool beside one of these numerous footpaths, looking towards Lyme Park. The pool is no doubt a naturalised leftover pit working and it’s a favourite painting as it’s the only one I’ve ever completed over two sessions. The first session started in sunshine then turned without warning to a torrential, unforecast, storm. I had completed the painting down to the pool level, and just watched it run off the paper, drenched to the skin, even under the cover of trees. Unusually for me, I didn’t scrap it, but returned the next week and did it again, painting over the ghost images, in flat lighting this time.