King’s College Chapel and a Lesson in Spontaneity and Courage

The day began as it always does when my friend and I go out to take pictures, with a strong cappuccino and a sticky pastry. We had decided to visit Cambridge. Having both achieved our MEd at Trinity Hall several years previously whilst working full-time, we had never really had the energy or time to explore our amazing surroundings. With our cameras slung around our necks, on a very grey day last year, we decided to start our photographic adventure inside King’s College Chapel. We were not disappointed. It is totally stunning!

Having taken numerous shots of the stained glass windows, the aisles and the wonderful old steps, we were just leaving the building when a porter made an amusing comment about the differing sizes of our cameras and lenses. During the conversation that followed, I asked him if he knew anywhere in Cambridge where we could take a photograph that was just a little bit different. Within minutes, we were both signing a disclaimer saying that should we fall or hurt ourselves in any way then it would be our own responsibility. He told us there were many stairs to climb and that it would be dark and treacherous underfoot. If we didn’t like heights then we shouldn’t embark on the adventure. My head was buzzing. I like to be sure-footed, I don’t like negotiating anything potentially dangerous and I am certainly not keen on heights. I wasn’t even sure I could cope with a narrow spiral staircase and anything more than about twenty steps! It was then he told us we were going to see Cambridge from the roof of King’s College Chapel. One part of my brain said “Oh no I’m not!” and the other said ” Just think of the photographs you could take!”  I wanted to seize this rare opportunity but the voice in my head kept yelling, “This is really scary and dangerous why take the risk? How would you get off the roof if you fell and broke a leg?” I could see the air ambulance hovering above me but at the same time I had this exciting photograph in my head.

We were given tiny torches as we set off on our treacherous adventure. I was completely out of breath when we reached the top, and somewhat behind my friend and the porter. We clambered along a very narrow and long corridor accompanied by bouncing rays of light from small windows. The floors were terribly uneven. After finding a small doorway and clambering up more steps, we were suddenly encased in complete darkness. Our torches highlighted the low wooden beams and by one tiny window, at the end of the roof space, I took a picture of writing gouged out of the wall. We climbed more stairs and suddenly, through a small door, the huge rooftop of King’s College Chapel was before us. I stood in disbelief initially. I couldn’t believe I had found the courage to get there. However, my newly found confidence and courage deserted me when I saw the ladder. The porter was already half way up it and shouting, ” Come on, the best views are up here!” Did I say it was a ladder? The rungs were about two inches wide and a foot apart. There was no such thing as a handrail! With my camera swinging precariously around my neck about half an inch from the lead roof, I began the climb. I couldn’t look down and yet looking up was even more terrifying. As I reached the top and sat uncomfortably astride the roof I could see the picture I wanted to take.  It was that picture that held me there and stemmed the fear. My only disappointment was the greyness of the sky.

We climbed down as gingerly as we had climbed up, and having taken the one and only shot I really wanted I relaxed and started to take pictures of Cambridge from what seemed like the sky! At one point we became the photograph as a group of tourists looked up and started taking pictures of us. This whole experience was amazing and a once in a lifetime opportunity, but deep down inside I know I would never have signed the disclaimer, ventured up a narrow and confined staircase, nor would I have ever climbed that ladder across the roof, if I hadn’t had my camera with me.