The latest visit to the Lake District

I first came here in the late 1980's on a overcast cold day in mid November on a day out from college. Thankfully for my latest visit the weather was somewhat better. I'm on a walk around Crummock Water. The above looking towards Buttermere with Rannerdale Knotts to the left coming down to Hause Point (in shadow), almost above that (also in shadow) is Haystacks with Great Gable showing above Haystacks. High Crag, High Style and Red Pike complete the distant fells that surround Buttermere. On the right hand side are the lower slopes of Mellbreak.

Above is almost the reverse view to the first image looking from the top part of Hause Point (the part in shadow).

Another trip into Deepdale, this morning with some additional interest with some cloud spilling over the top. It came and went for a good few hours. The downside of the cloud spilling from that side was that the sun was also on that side therefore there were periods waiting for some sunlight. Thanks to a strong breeze it usually wasn't to long and work could continue. The last time I was here I was driven out by a snow storm...

The view back as I leave... showing, well most of what wasn't visible in the first image although Hart Crag (top left) and The Step can now be seen the top of Fairfield is still under the cloud.

It'll be one of those times when mixing a number of sketches of the different cloud formations and sunlight patches together to create as interesting a painting as possible to show how that morning was.... paintings hopefully coming sometime soon.

Subject finding trip #2 - North Yorkshire Moors

In contrast to the Lake District trip, this also combined the delivery of my three paintings for the RSMA exhibition at the Staithes Gallery, Staithes, North Yorkshire which has the private view today and continues until the 27th April. 20+ of the members are taking part in the exhibition so it should be a great show.
If you are in the North Yorkshire coast area please do visit the gallery.

Another contrast was the weather, mostly overcast with brief spells of sun or hazy sunlight.

Just after dawn, 6:30 and while the night was clear, hence the heavy frost, frozen water and slippery roads the increasing wind brought in cloud from the North Sea. What doesn't come across is how cold it was, within a few minutes sketching came to a stop as addition layers were put on... then having done that, it was something warm to drink.

 Some parts of this area can be bleak, by there's lots of bird life (even more so at this early hour) and the local sheep...

An hour later, 'slightly' better light with a blue patch of sky 'near' the sun gave some hope of getting something really nice.

 Some interesting layers with the clouds but as time passed less hope of seeing 'full' sunlight again.

By 9:00AM the frost had melted and while there was the odd patch of clear sky it never happened to be where the sun was...

Not sure what this was in the past, old farm house/buildings but a wonderful location with views down the valley and across to the mountains to the right, although on this day the tops were covered by low cloud. One of the local farmers came over in this Landrover to see what I was doing.

After that it was, head for the Yorkshire coast and Staithes, dropped off the paintings and met David Allen RSMA at the gallery. I did have a walk around Staithes, but the lack of sunlight resulted in a shorter than expected visit. It was then down the coast to Whitby for lunch (fish and chips) and then back into the North Yorkshire Moors as I headed towards home. Still more weather related things as I weaved my way across the Moors. Some heavy rain, hail and then snow on the higher ground - a real mixed bag of a day...

Subject finding trip #1 - Lake District

Sorry for not posting for some time, lots of work... anyway, below are some pictures taken on my last trip to the Lake District. A trip up one of many interesting valleys, Langstrath. It is a long valley (hence the name) and can take a hour or so just walking, add in finding the best view, doing sketches, food/drink etc and time passes all to quick. Some readers will know that I visit this valley more often than I should and have reported on it before but each trip always provides something different... this time (two days) superb light, snow on the higher ground and lots and lots of water...

The first waterfalls... Galleny Force. More interesting views to be had lower down on the foreground rocks.

Lookig back towards Stonethwaite and into Borrowdale. The above falls are behind the lower trees (right hand side)

Turning around there are more falls, some care and fence jumping needed - not the place really for taking to long over sketching... but the noise from the water was great

The first real view up Langstrath... no that's not the beck (behind trees to left) but the footpath. As mentioned lots of water...

A subject much painted by artists and why not...

Further up, another favorite location of mine, more rapids... always interesting clouds on this day, highlights on the water and snow on Bowfell.

A look back down the valley

 Again, more waterfalls and rapids...

And the view back. The odd tree does make it in this valley.

The Langstrath Beck goes through a number of narrow gorges (shown below) while above shows below the gorge with the crystal clear and deep water - in 'summer' a great place for a swim.

 Above the gorge, a different feel... at least for a while (more waterfalls etc) but that's as far as I managed.

Next day... less cloud for some of it...

Footpaths are on both side of the Langstrath Beck, yesterday I was on the other bank. Above again shows the clear water with thousands of pebbles to draw, never mind paint.

 Again the waterfalls seen in picture number three but from the other bank.

The meeting of Langstrath Beck and Greenup Gill as they then head towards Stonethwaite and Borrowdale

Still some autumn colour to be found...

The silver birch, well those that I found, still have lots of leaf and more interesting good colour. These are part of Sherwood forest and on both days seen in the evening light.

As per normal, unless to know the area it's lots of walking around until a good view is found...

Last Lake District visit...

A bit of catching up with this post, as this was from a few weeks ago and ranks as one of the top five trips to the Lake District - sadly at this time of year the number of daylight hours is small but rewarded by the better angle of sun, more colour (not just the light but on the landscape as well).

It wasn't the warmest either, heavy frost and some snow on the tops of the mountains, sketching was hard work at times with gloves etc needed in between drawing... more so at the beginning and end of the each day when the temperature was at it's lowest.

Just after sunrise beside Ullswater. As the sun climbed it cast light over the distant mountains, thankfully the cloud stayed above the mountains although it's shape changed.

Walking up into Deepdale, as can be seen, some snow around Fairfield and the Step. I've visited this dale on a number of times, usually very quite apart from one day when there was a hunt but on the day there were a number of photographers looking for the best spots... sadly due to the heavy rainfall over the last few weeks the stream wasn't cross able to the better spots.

Beside Derwentwater, with part of Skiddaw on the right hand side.

Looking towards Haystacks (darker mid section) with Pillar behind and High Crag, High Style and Red Pike to the right.

Views from this route are superb, here looking over Buttermere and Crummock Water and in the distant Solway Firth and Dumfries. It was late afternoon with about an hour of good sunlight left...

Turning around views of Great Gable, here seen with Blackbeck Tarn.

Lots more to explore and more trips to this location...

Trip to Mersea Island on the Essex coast

These pictures are from both West Mersea and East Mersea on Mersea Island which is located on the Essex coast. For those that wish to do a 'google maps' search for 'West Mersea' and then move the orange man onto the coast road (left hand side of island) for a view of this area.

The above two images show the joys of working on the coast... within half an hour while sketching this view the incoming tide had risen by over 12 inches / 30 cm, the small boat had entered the view while the light - part sun to full sun - changed throughout...

Lots of children fishing for crabs, some doing very well by the amount seen in some buckets...

Some interesting views amongst the boats.

The Thames Barge 'Dawn' waiting for high tide before moving into the main channel.

Its now high tide on this day, having been sunny for a few hours the sky is changing fast. Some people are walking back though the water on the now submerged footpath.

Off the coast at East Mersea, which is a complete change to West Mersea, a number of Thames Barges were sailing up the channel. This one was in full sail before doing a 360 degree turn and dropping some sail.

Latest from Cumbria - a walk from Seaththwaite, via Stockley bridge to Styhead Tarn and Sprinkling Tarn before returning via Grains Gill

Before heading to the main subject... while I was having breakfast (alongside Ullswater) two red squirrels ran at full speed along the top of the stone wall - amazing how something different instantly catches the eye - even though I've seen them before - not having the correct camera/lens at hand, also being in a bag, not switched on etc didn't help so was grateful to have got what I did... sadly many people that visit the Lake District never see these wonderful animals.

Having moved on and parked at the small village of Seathwaite on what was going to be a hot day. The above view shows the start and end route. The foreground path heads to Stockley Bridge - an old pack horse bridge - do a Google images search for 'stockley bridge seathwaite' will show that in more detail.

Having crossed the bridge my path leads up the steep flanks of Seaththwaite Fell heading up to meet the stone wall about 3/4 of the way up the right hand side. Closer to the top the path is near the top of Taylor Gill Force - and impressive waterfall but better viewed from the path on the other side. I with head around Seathwaite Fell, the main mountain in this view and come back via the valley (Grains Gill) on the left hand side having visited a number of Tarns on the trip.

View from near the top of the waterfall - the far distant mountains are on the other side of Keswick - more of them later

Having gained some height and time spent exploring Synhead Gill (to right) the land leveled out for a bit.

To the left is the lower slopes of Seathwaite Fell, distant view (left) is Scarfell and Lingmell with the lower slopes of Green and Great Gable to the right...

Synhead Tarn comes into view - still following the gill - main path to right

Now above the tarn on what is Syn Head - an important crossing of footpaths...

Looking in the other direction - Lingmell to the left while deep down in the valley is Wasdale Head - one of the walks up Scarfell is from Wasdale Head and comes up this valley and meets the corridor route (plus others at this point) - again see Google images 'corridor route scafell pike' which had images and maps...

More climbing, now between Styhead and Splinkling Tarn with the bulk of Great End coming into view

Moving around Sprinkling Tarn - being very hot the insects were out in force not that it stop some people heading for the water... for many on the walk from Seathwaite to Scarfell, they head around Great End - off to the left and around the right - 4 miles via the crows - a return walk of around 7-9 hours but then you think of Joss Naylor MBE (fell runner and sheep farmer) who did the top to bottom in 45 minutes plus at age 70, he ran 70 Lakeland fell tops, covering more than 50 miles and ascending more than 25,000 feet, in under 21 hours.

Height was about 2000ft at this time, not really that high, and when I think back to when I was young and walked up mountains up to 10000 in South Africa and Lesotho.

Now on the other side of Sprinkling Tarn looking towards the bulk of Green Gable (center) with Green Gable to right with Windy Gap in the middle...

Top of Ruddy Gill - heading back towards Grains Gill but lots of work on the way... In the distance is Derwent Water (plus Keswick) and beyond that the far distant mountains of Skiddaw, Lonscale Fell and Blencathra.

Some interesting gullies in Ruddy Gill backed by Great End.

More than it's far share of interesting little waterfalls on the way down, although on a hot day and after a dry spell not at their best... but then this same valley holds the UK record for the most rain at a single location in a 24 hour period - 314.4mm.

Total time over 9 hours with all the walking up and down gills (streams), walking around tarns etc, along with doing the reference gathering (sketches etc) side before heading to Keswick for food - Fish and Chips again before the long trip home.