An early start

I knew the fine weather wasn't going to last here in the north so I decided to make the most of it with a trip over to the Lakes.
It meant setting the alarm for 5.30am but that's later than normal for sunrises, by 5.50am we were on our way to Rydal Water, TT was driving so we took a bit longer to get there, he likes to maintain a regular speed to conserve fuel and ignores me rocking back and forwards in my 'go faster' attempts.
As it happens we arrived just after sunrise and in thick mist, so I had plenty of time to get from the car park to the side of the Lake.
The nice thing about mist is that it comes and goes so I was hopping back and forwards as bits appeared and disappeared from sight.
Rydal is one of my favourite lakes because it's normally very still so you can get perfect reflections, and it's about 1hr 10mins drive from Gilsland.

Here are some of the many photographs I took.

Rydal Water

Just a hint of Autumn colour, anoother two weeks and it should be lovely

The mists move back in almost hiding the Island

And the mist goes again

Two for one

Mist is burning off, it's going to be a beautiful day

The path around the Lake with sunlight streaming through the trees.

The path leads you to the Loughrigg Terraces or on a lower level path to Gramere Lake, we took the high path and I'll share some of those photographs in my next blog.

As always photo's are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

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Lake District: Buttermere

Another of the English Lake District lakes, Buttermere.
For a change these photographs were taken in the middle of the day when TT and I decided to have one of our 'away days'.
It's a flattish walk around the Lake and if you're energetic, with good knee joints there are lots of footpaths to take you up to the tops of the mountains surrounding the Lake.
The Buttermere Pines are oft photographed but, as I discovered, don't really stand out very well when the trees around them have leaves.
Never mind it's a nice run from Gilsland, with a variety of routes to chose, though the very narrow roads are perhaps best negotiated during the daylight hours.
After the walk we retired to the pub for a very welcome lunch in Buttermere - no shortage of places to eat there.
The photographs are all taken on the circular walk.

Looking back towards Buttermere Village

 Looking towards Fleetwith Pike

 Fleetwith Pike and the Buttemere Pines

A swimathon across the Lake, most of the swimmers were wearing wet suits, very sensible as the water in  these deep lakes will be freezing cold. The canoes were shepherding the swimmers

 The ridges on the west side of the Lake are High Style Ridge and Haystacks

 Light on Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks

 Fleetwith Pike, Haystacks and High Stile Ridge

The footpath around Buttermere.

as always the photographs used here are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission

Lake District

From Gilsland, it's only an hours drive to Keswick and the north Lakes, so when the weather looked promising I set my alarm and headed off to Castlerigg Stone Circle.
I'd checked the solar calculator and knew where the sun would be rising and after an easy drive down the M6 I arrived at Castlerigg.

 Castlerigg Stone Circle

Castlerigg Stone Circle panorama ( click to see it at full size)

From looking at the sun rise on the map I thought it would be rising in the perfect spot, but there were trees, still the sky coloured up and I was able to get some photographs before heading down to the Lake at Keswick.
Saw a couple photographing the boats with the light catching Catbells behind and not wanting to impose I went further along towards Friar's Crag.
It really is a beautiful lake and I pottered about for about an hour, here are some of the photographs I took.

Derwentwater

 

Derwentwater below Friar's Crag

Morning Mists on Derwentwater, looking towards Cat Bells

 

View down the Lake

 

Early morning light

Light on the bay

Friar's Crag pano ( click to see full size)

As you know I don't pretend to be a great photographer and I'm really no good with the Photoshopping stuff but I hope to show you that you can quite easily fill a weeks holiday based in Gilsland so come along and show me just how it should be done.