Winter's Masterpiece: My Journey to Capture the Clent Hills Frosty Sunrise in 4K UHD
As a specialist cameraman, there are shoots that stick with me, not just for the incredible visuals, but for the sheer effort and passion poured into them. My latest offering, Clip Pack #225 – Clent Hills Frosty Sunrise Stock Video Footage, is a project born from chasing unique atmospheric conditions and capturing the raw, ethereal beauty of a truly special British landscape. It's a magnificent collection that I believe would fit world-class documentaries anywhere in the world, shot right here, in the Clent Hills.
Clent Hills stock footage preview
The Ancient Heart of Worcestershire: The Clent Hills
The Clent Hills, nestled in northern Worcestershire, are far more than just rolling hills. They are a site steeped in history and local legend. Rising prominently on the edge of the West Midlands, they offer expansive panoramic views that stretch across the rural countryside and, on a clear day, provide glimpses of the distant urban sprawl of Birmingham. For centuries, these hills have been a source of inspiration, a place for recreation, and a quiet witness to the changing face of the region.
Historically, the Clent Hills have traces of ancient settlements and medieval activity. While not as dramatically rugged as some of Britain's more famous mountain ranges, their rolling slopes and distinctive features, such as the prominent Clent Hill, make them a beloved local landmark. Walton Hill is the highest point in the range, standing at 316 metres above sea level. The area covers over 440 acres and is managed by the National Trust, acting as a crucial habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including deer, badgers, and birds of prey. Their accessibility, combined with their striking natural beauty, makes them a significant part of the West Midlands' natural heritage.
These hills boast a rich and ancient history, dating back over 3,000 years, with evidence of habitation since the Bronze Age, including several ancient burial mounds. They even played a role in the English Civil War, with Clent Hill being the site of a Royalist beacon to signal approaching Parliamentarian troops. In the 19th century, they became a popular retreat for day-trippers from nearby towns, and the local iron industry even mined ore from the surrounding hills. The hills are also home to intriguing landmarks like the Four Stones, a set of standing stones believed to be around 4,000 years old.
From the summit of Walton Hill, the views are truly superb. Not only can you see nearby Wychbury Hill – a location shrouded in the unsolved mystery of "Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?" – but also out as far as the Clee Hills, The Wrekin, the Malvern Hills, and of course, Birmingham city centre. On a truly clear day, the visibility stretches out to the Peak District and even occasionally to the Black Mountains, some 50 miles southwest.
My Brutally Cold Pursuit of the Perfect Shot
For this particular shoot, it was all about the weather. It was mid-December 2022, and a truly gorgeous but brutally cold "cold-snap" had gripped the region. The forecast promised interesting low cloud conditions over ground that was already below -8°C. I started my pre-dawn ascent from the free parking on Clatterbach Lane, embarking on a short, crispy walk over the hard, frozen ground.
I arrived at the summit of Walton Hill an hour before sunrise, setting up my cameras as the cold bit deep. My trusty old Sony A7iii was ready for the more abstract shots, while the DJI Osmo Action 3 captured a long, wide-angle timelapse. In between sips of coffee, I even got the drone out for some aerial magic, doing my best to keep my fingers warm in the biting cold.
The effort was absolutely worth it. The conditions were some of the best I've experienced in the Clent Hills, resulting in some incredible low cloud, beautiful sunshine, and truly magnificent scenes. The walk back to the car was fantastic; having survived the -8°C night, the landscape was blessed with a gorgeous warm sunlight that illuminated the thick, frosty foliage, finally allowing my fingers to warm up!
Unveiling the "Magnificent" in Clip Pack #225
This pack delivers 14 minutes and 11 seconds of excellent 4K UHD stock footage, spread across 47 clips, totalling 5.65GB. It's a comprehensive visual story designed for winter storytelling:
Incredible Timelapses (4 sequences): These are genuinely some of the best Clent Hills timelapses you'll see. They capture the magical phenomenon of a low cloud and fog creating a mesmerising cloud inversion. As the sun rises in the distance, casting its first golden rays over Birmingham, the scene is transformed. The frosty fields and white trees add an otherworldly touch to these sequences.
Charming Drone Shots (7 clips): My drone shots are brilliantly composed, capturing the cold, frosty winter with a touch of magic. These aerials offer amazing sunrises, gorgeous scenery, and stunning light, revealing the expansive, white landscapes after that intensely cold night.
Documentary-Style Tripod Clips (37 clips): These ground-level shots truly tell the story of the morning. They document my hike up into the hills pre-dawn, showing the darkness illuminated only by torchlight, my foggy breath in the cold air, and the silhouettes of trees against a cold, clear sky, with low cloud still hiding in the valleys below. As dawn arrives, the sky lights up, revealing dense woodland, my footsteps on the hard ground, and the spectacular sight of hard frost clinging to white trees and foliage. You'll see warm orange light filling the horizon behind the stiff, frozen foliage. All clips featuring me are fully model released at no extra cost, including moments of me walking into the scene and onto the hill summit. The pack also includes behind-the-scenes photography and B-roll footage, offering a glimpse into the process. You'll even find epic sunrise shots with a telephoto lens, as the sun fills the sky through the foggy, misty, murky winter air, bursting with colour, and moments of me pouring coffee and simply enjoying the cold moment.
"Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?" – A Local Mystery
While not directly related to the Clent Hills' geology, the nearby Wychbury Hill is famously linked to the unsolved mystery of "Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?". In April 1943, four boys poaching in Hagley Woods stumbled upon skeletal human remains in a hollow wych elm tree. The victim was determined to be a woman aged between 35 and 40 years, deceased for about 18 months, notable for a distinctive gold tooth and high-quality clothes. The mystery gained notoriety from graffiti on a Birmingham wall asking, "Who put Luebella down the Wych Elm?" which later became "Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?". Theories have ranged from German spies to witchcraft. Though an anonymous letter in 2018 claimed the victim was Una Mossop, murdered by a group who believed her to be a spy, the case remains an intriguing enigma.
A Premier Addition to Your Library
Clip Pack #225 is perfect for documentaries, locational shows, news stories, weather segments, and anything related to the Clent Hills, Worcestershire, or the unique beauty of winter in England. You can even use it for content focusing on Birmingham and the West Midlands, given the distant views captured. This pack's visuals are so compelling, they are available as stunning wall art prints in my store, "Survived The Night", featuring white frosty trees emerging into warm sunlight on the Clent Hills.
Like all my stock footage, this pack is offered at an absolute bargain price of £1495, considering the sheer quality and uniqueness of the content. There are no extra fees for 4K UHD quality or for use in broadcast television and film. Full terms apply.
Don't miss the opportunity to bring the truly magical and challenging beauty of a frosty Clent Hills sunrise to your next production. Visit ChrisHomer.uk to secure this remarkable collection today.
Details:
Duration: 14 minutes 11 seconds
Clips: 47
File Size: 5.65GB
Resolution: 4K UHD
Experience the magnificent beauty of a frosty sunrise over the Clent Hills in Worcestershire with this truly wonderful collection of 4K UHD stock footage. This pack captures the magic of a cold winter morning, revealing breathtaking landscapes and intimate moments as dawn breaks over the West Midlands. This is a magnificent collection that I believe would fit world-class documentaries anywhere in the world, shot right here, in the Clent Hills.
Footage Highlights:
Incredible Timelapses (4 sequences): The timelapses in this pack are truly incredible, among the best you'll see of the Clent Hills. They feature low cloud and fog creating a stunning cloud inversion as the sun rises over Birmingham in the distance, a truly magical sight.
Charming Drone Shots (7 clips): The drone shots are charming and brilliantly composed, capturing magical scenes of the cold, frosty winter, well worth the effort after a night that was -7°C. Expect amazing sunrises, gorgeous scenery, and stunning light from these aerial perspectives.
Documentary-Style Tripod Clips (37 clips): These tripod clips provide the backstory, documenting the hike up into the hills pre-dawn. You'll see the darkness illuminated by torchlight, foggy breath in the cold air, atmospheric shadows, and tree silhouettes against a cold, clear sky, with low clouds hiding in the valleys below. As dawn arrives, it lights the sky, revealing trees galore, footsteps on hard, frosty ground, and spectacular scenes of white trees and foliage as the frost clings to everything. Warm orange light fills the horizon behind cold, stiff, frozen foliage.
Authentic Moments: I walk into the scene and onto the hill summit, and all clips featuring me are fully model released at no extra cost. The pack also includes scenes of photography behind-the-scenes (BTS) and B-roll, offering perfect winter storytelling. You'll also see epic sunrise shots captured with a telephoto lens, as the sun fills the sky in the foggy, misty, murky winter air, full of colour. There are also moments of me pouring coffee and enjoying the cold moment.
About the Clent Hills: The Clent Hills are a remarkable area located in Worcestershire, England. This range of hills offers panoramic views across the surrounding countryside, including glimpses of the distant urban sprawl of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. They are a popular destination for hikers and nature enthusiasts.
Ideal For: This clip pack is perfect for documentaries, location-based shows, news stories, weather reports, and anything related to the Clent Hills, Worcestershire, winter in England, or even Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Licensing: This footage offers remarkable value for its amazing quality. All clips are in 4K UHD with no extra fees for broadcast television and film use. Full terms apply.