Annapurna: Selected Field Recordings From Nepal

As an outdoor adventure addict, any album concept surrounding words such as Annapurna, snow storms or field recordings would always resonate with me, and as Insight approaches 9 years old in August, I was left wondering, why haven’t we done this before?

Nick Tearle is a full-time independent artist based in Lincolnshire, UK, with his primary occupation being an oil painter of the Fenland landscape. His inspiration is derived from a love of works in the traditions of impressionism and romanticism, alongside the works of more modern painters such as Edward Hopper.

The Fenland landscape; an agricultural flatland which covers Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, offers an ever-changing muse to work from. From season to season crops come in and out of colour and create new contrasts against the skies of billowing clouds. The winter months offer bleak and frozen scenes that make you feel cosy inside.

After spending the last 4 years living within the UK and establishing himself as a full-time artist, Nick and his partner Lizzie both decided to take a 5 month break from life in Lincolnshire, leaving behind the endless flat planes of The Fens for the roaring mountain range of the Himalayas.

A one way ticket with little planned would ultimately become one of their greatest adventures yet, in which Nick would capture the sights and sounds of the these three culture-rich countries.

After landing in Sri Lanka’s capital city Colombo from London’s Heathrow, Nick and Lizzie would spend the next 5 months backpacking around Sri Lanka, India and Nepal, a journey that would see them travel from country to country via foot, train, plane and motorcycle.

Along the way, Nick would capture the essence of life in the mountains, such as remarkable snow storms at 2500m to the traditional sound of the Tibetan Prayer Wheel as he and Lizzie complete their journey to the Muktinath Temple, one of the worlds highest temples at 3800m.

After eight days of riding, we arrived at our final destination the small town of Muktinath. It was the end of the road and felt like the top of the world. There was nothing but snow and mountain peaks in all directions. The only way up to the temple complex was by a caravan of ponies. Pilgrims, having travelled from southern India, some very elderly, were riding the ponies up to the temple site chanting as they rode. A feeling of being present at a truly spiritual place began to grow within us – Nick Tearle

Nick wrote an in-depth blog of their adventure on his website which can be viewed here. The blog beautifully captures the inspirational landscape of the three countries and some of the finest aspects of their journey.

In July’s issue of local Lincolnshire magazine I’d Rather Be In Deeping, Nick and Lizzie’s adventure received a fantastic 3-page feature that showcases the epic adventure along side the beautiful photography taken during their 5 month journey.

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All recordings were made during a 744 Km motorcycle tour from Kathmandu into the Annapurna range of the Himalayan mountains to a place of spiritual pilgrimage and one of the world’s highest temples at 3800m the Hindu and Buddhist temple complex at Muktinath.

The album ‘Annapurna – Selected Field Recordings from Nepal‘ will be available in physical and digital format later this year on Insight Music and available at future art exhibits along side Nick Tearle and his paintings. The CD will feature an 8 page booklet highlighting some of the fantastic landscape photographer captured by Nick during his adventure.

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