For as long as I can remember I have wanted to photograph Wastwater on an evening and hopefully be lucky enough to witness the setting sun illuminating the famous Wastwater Screes.
I imagine Autumn and Winter to be a good time of year for this with the sun setting in a different location on the horizon which may allow the light to illuminate the screes more evenly before being in shadow. However travelling from the South Lakes and using Hardknott Pass it’s preferable to go over there at night in summer. I have been over many times in Winter darkness and it’s not a big deal so long as you don’t encounter Snow or Ice. In which case it should be avoided at all cost. To give you an idea, it was over 20 degrees in the later afternoon on this lovely August day, but on the ride home later that evening it was 6 degrees on the summit of Hardknott. It felt much colder.
I arrived at Wastwater a couple of hours before the best of the light and had a little wander around the area I wanted to photograph.
Unfortunately for me I quickly realised I had forgotten my Filter holder which was a real shame as I had wanted to try some long exposure shots that would require the use of several filters and it’s not practical to hand hold several. It would seem forgetting equipment is becoming a trend recently. Not to worry. There’s nothing I can do about it and having a look through my equipment bag for some form of improvisation I found nothing and so handheld it would be.
Wastwater Screes
A behind the scene look at the making of these photographs.
Wastwater Glow The top of the distance fells catching the last of the Summer Sun.
As the light began to change I felt very fortunate to be witnessing such a great transition from beautiful view to amazingly beautiful location. Places like this really come alive when the light is right. I had been hoping no bank of cloud would appear as the sun set. There is nothing more frustrating that waiting for ages then suddenly the cloud blocks out the last few moments of the best light available.
Wastwater like so many places in the Lake District deserve to be shown in a wider than normal perspective. I took several panoramic photographs as I wanted to capture the iconic head of the lake and also the glow of the Screes with the last of the light adding some real drama to the image. I often find it’s worth hanging around after the sun has set as the light is much more even and usually on a clear day can add its own dynamic elements to an image. As the last of the light faded it was time to call it a day at Wastwater. We headed down to the Bridge Inn at Santon Bridge and managed to order some much needed food just in time.
Lewis patiently awaiting Fish N Chips.
Herdwicks
I was quite excited at the thought of driving over Hardknott and Wrynose Pass back to Ambleside. As I got into the car my excitement was increased when we realised the sky was totally cloud free. The lack of light pollution over this part of the Lake District would make a great opportunity for some Astro shots from the summit of Hardknott.
On reaching the Summit of Hardknott I got setup and was amazed to see the results on the back of the camera. Being only the second time I have attempted Astro Photography I was delighted with the results. The first time I tried this type of photography I was in Glenridding on Ullswater and was delighted to see the Milky Way.
The Milky Way over the Lake District.
Tonight however there were more stars than I had every seen before. There were literally thousands of amazing stars and to my delight the Milky Way was perfectly visible by eye. It was a real treat and the kids loved it. Although it was extremely cold at only 6 degrees C we took several shots and headed back for home.
A great end to and amazing day in the Western Lake District. You can see more of my Wastwater photography here.
