In my early photography days I spent a lot of time exploring as I called it. Getting used to places, learning about the light, how it falls and where are good places for certain times of day. I guess it’s paid off to some degree but largely today was an aimless wander against the clock. Chosing to see as much as possible, as opposed to one specific place as I’ve been doing the last year or two. Perhaps that’s because I haven’t been here since November and I just need a fix of this beautiful and inspiring land.

As with most Landscape photographers I’m aware that the golden hour, during and after sunset and sunrise can deliver beautiful light on the Landscape and present the photographer with great opportunities for capturing the beauty of the scene with the bonus of amazing light. Or at least that’s the theory, it doesn’t always happen, but you have to be there to be in with a chance.

I’ve long had a list of locations I want to capture at various times of the day and in various seasons. Often my outings in the Lake District are location-scouting missions, looking out for compositions and scenes when you have time on your side during the day. Knowing I can return to the exact spot in time for the Golden hour is a major part of the pre photo shoot planning for me.

One such location on my list for a long while is Tewet Tarn in the Northern Lake District. Tewet Tarn is a fairly easy location to get to and offers a great vista towards the giants of Blencathra and Skiddaw.

I’d pre visualised the type of shot I wanted to capture and it depended on one thing, no wind so the water of the tarn was perfectly still. Approaching the Tarn it was obvious today wasn’t going to be the day, however I’d been up since 5am so might as well make the most of it.

The Tarn is surrounded by boggy ground and getting close to the waters edge would have been very tricky without decent wellies I’d imagine.

I setup at various locations around the Tarn and took various shots. As the sun rose and the cloud shifted from Blencathra I moved on satisfied that I made the best of the situation, one for another day……

On the walk back you get a fantastic viewpoint over Blencathra and the valley below, as the sun was rising the light was getting better and better. This view I hadn’t planned for and took advantage of the light as quickly as I could, as it wouldn’t stay like this for long. Not a total waste of time then.

From here I paid a visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle only 5 minutes away, again I was the only person around which was a real treat, usually when I visit there are at least 20-30 other visitors. As the sun rose the light cast long shadows behind the stones of the ancient circle and the morning locals.

From here I moved onto another location on my list. Latrigg. A Fairly minor climb on decent paths are made pretty straight forward thanks to the elevated car park. The view over Keswick from here is wonderful. Maybe I should have been here as the sun rose, either way it’s a fine view over Keswick and Derwentwater and around the Bassenthwaite Lake. Catbells clearly visible over Derwentwater.

I continued along the path and back to the car park where I headed back to Kendal.

Blencathra over Tewitt Tarn as the sun rises to the right.

The Tree in the foreground is often the main focal point of images from here.

Fantastic light as the sun rises.

You can see more of my Lake District Prints from Keswick and the surrounding areas here.

For this particular walk I was looking for an exciting ascent, some drama from the norm. I had planned to walk Sharp Edge this weekend and Striding Edge the next.

Parking at Scales just of the A66 you are immediately onto the fell side, there’s a relatively straight forward climb up along Mousthwaite Comb where the path sweeps around and brings you out on a relatively flat section alongside River Glenderamackin a good 15-20 minute walk along this section steadily climbs you up to Scales Tarn.

The route straight ahead to Sharp Edge.

Zooming in on Sharp Edge. At this point you start to get an appreciation of what Sharp Edge is.

Getting closer.

Some other walkers on the Edge.

Zooming in on Sharp Edge.

It looks pretty daunting from here.

Scales Tarn at the foot of Sharp Edge.

Somehow I end up going round the back of the edge to start with, not sure if this is the intended route but this is where the path lead me.

Finally on to the Edge.

Apologies for the burnt out sky, keeping hold of everything was my first priority. It was pretty windy up here and taking these 360 degree panoramas wasn’t that easy, rotating around the camera on a windy ridge isn’t the easiest of thing, but worth getting so you can relive and share the experience and environment in all its glory.

Sharp.

Traffic.

Exposure sorted. Wonder if you dropped a ball from here how far it’d get, I reckon it would end up in the Tarn.

An easier section with a fine slab of rock.

Things start off pretty straight forward but as you move across the edge towards Foule Crag the terrain gets tougher. Like Striding Edge the last part is the toughest.

As I moved across the edge I became aware of someone clearly in distress. As I was going up a guy had been coming down the opposite way. I could hear him shouting for help but couldn’t see him.  As I got closer to the start of the final section, the steepest part, I caught sight of a guy who had taken a wrong turn and ended up on an outcrop that was going nowhere. At this point he was shouting for the Helicopter, seeing a memorial cross didn’t go down well and it almost pushed him over the emotional edge.

With no hope of a phone signal and being alone myself it’s a tough call, I took the option of trying to calm the guy down and guide him back up to me. I must admit in my whole live I have never seen anyone so scared, the guy was literally frozen to the spot with fear. After 5 minutes of reassurances I eventually got him to agree to turn around and lie down then crawl up to me. It must have been no more than 5 meters away but 45 minutes later he was back on the main path with me, just as I’d never seen anyone so scared before, equally I’d never seen someone so grateful.

We rested for a bit (as I took this Panoramic shot above) and moved back up the final part of the ascent to the summit (below). At this point we went our separate ways.

I doubt I’ll ever attempt to descend Sharp Edge and I know I’ll never go near it in bad weather it’s an exposed ridge that takes no prisoners in the wrong weather and given the nature of how quickly the weather can change in the Lake District extreme care should be taken in this area. Weather dependent you’d be wise to consider avoiding Sharp Edge. A few weeks after I went over there was a fatality here.

Heading for the Summit now.

Not a great view today, but it’s not always about the view.

Autumnal colours in the fields opposite the A66.

I can see the bike from here.

A stop off at Castlerigg Stone Circle on the way back to Kendal.

A popular spot with visitors. I waited a bit until they had moved on.

So I could get the whole scene in these 2 pictures.

I took the road round the back of Thirlmere on the way back, here’s a gloomy looking Helvellyn.

My bike form above. Everything you need for a day on the Fells right there.

Given the events that unfolded on my visit I didn’t get the change to take as many photos as I’d like, however I feel my time was well spent on a more pressing issue and hopefully the next time I visit I’ll be rewarded with safe weather.

Here you can see more of my Lake District Landscape Photography from Blencathra and Sharp Edge.

Onwards to Striding Edge and Helvellyn next….