Hawes Bridge, Kendal, Cumbria, Summer
COVID-19 is in da house.
COVID-19 is in da house.
2 years and 3 months after the initial UK-wide Lockdown announcement, my poor Lisabet has contracted the virus.
She’s being quarantined in the bedroom, door shut, windows open, and donning a mask whenever I need to go in to deliver brews or food.
She’s coping well but the coughing does not sound nice.
As I’m transitioning between jobs at the moment, I actually have a bit of free time before I start at my new position. Thankfully this means I’m able to be useful in the house and help look after her.
Today, Lisabet insisted I make use of this week’s mini-heatwave and head out for a nice waltz in nature. So I did. A good 7-mile circular jaunt from Kendal town centre to a local favourite and back, Hawes Bridge.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm ƒ/2.8–ƒ/3.8 and a Laowa 9mm ƒ/2.8 prime. Images made 90% in-camera using Øyvind Nordhagen’s OWH Daylight Fujifilm recipe, gently finished off in Affinity Photo.
A grey heron (Ardea cinerea) standing in the middle of the River Kent, waiting for lunch. I love when they adopt this more “hunched” stance; sort of makes them look like a grumpy old man in the rain.
Looking back at the heavily overgrown path I was following all the way to Scroggs Wood.
Beyond Scroggs Wood the trail heads through the open fields alongside the River Kent. It’s at this point that pollen from all the grass really starts to wreak havoc with my sinuses.
Like a beautiful bonsai tree, but bigger.
The clear way to the falls at Hawes Bridge.
Above Hawes Bridge falls lots of teeny falls trickle into the river from the fields above.
The gorge around Hawes Bridge is proper lush with flowers and vegetation. And insects. And pollen.
Hawes Bridge falls, looking a lot tamer and smaller with the lack of rain in recent months.
Thousands of years of erosion because of this waterfall have carved overhangs above the river. Be careful near the edge.
Bumble bees happily lapping up the pollen on all the flowers in the gorge. My sinuses and eyeballs were not has happy with all the pollen.
The gorge is lush and verdant, framed nicely underneath Hawes Bridge.
On goes the ultra-wide lens to really feature some of the shapes in the limestone carved by the waterfall.
Through the bridge I zoomed in deeper into the gorge, looking almost jungle-esque.
I hopped on top of Hawes Bridge for some compositions looking down into the deep dark gorge.
The other side of the gorge towards the falls. You can see how the waterfall has carved shelves and ledges.
Spider webs? No. These are probably from ermine moth caterpillars, created as a form of protection. Creepy-looking, eh?
Back out of the gorge, I elected to follow the footpath along the A591 all the way back into Kendal. I knew this route would be windier and keep the bugs away. And help cool me down.
This beautiful cottage at Prizet sits just alongside the A591.
As I near Kendal, this scene reminds me that—in Cumbria—you’re never far away from the countryside.
The ruins of Kendal Castle sitting above Lound Road.
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Morecambe, Lancashire, Winter
We felt the coast calling us.
We felt the coast calling us.
After an epic hike around Malhamdale in the Yorkshire Dales, followed by a beautiful walk along the Keswick–Threlkeld Railway trail, it was time for something a little more… pedestrian.
The coastline was calling us, and we heeded its call. But where to go? We decided, ultimately, on Morecambe.
Morecambe has a special place in the hearts and minds of the Lisabet family. To start, it’s a favourite destination of her brother, Dwight. Additionally, Lisabet has fond memories of visiting Morecambe with her grandparents for a stroll along the promenade, perhaps with a pit stop for some tea and a slice of cake for good measure.
Morecambe was set up by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company to connect the nearby fishing village of Poulton-le-Sands with a railway line. The Company expanded the railway line further. In the 1850s Morecambe was connected to Skipton, Keighley, and Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and a settlement began to grow around the harbour and railway to service the port and as a seaside resort.
In time, Morecambe became known as the UK seaside resort, which peaked in the middle of the 20th century. In fact, Coco Chanel was known to fly directly to Morecambe from the South of France for weekends at the town, staying at the Midland Hotel.
Like most UK seaside resorts, Morecambe experienced a decline from the 1970s onwards. Even the jewel of the Morecambe promenade, the Midland Hotel, fell into disrepair until its resurrection in 2008.
Plans are afoot, though, to continue the rejuvenation of Morecambe, including the ambitious Eden Project North, no doubt following on from the success of the first Eden Project in Cornwall.
On this day, weather and light conditions were very generous, and Lisabet and I enjoyed several hours along the promenade, soaking in the massive scenes across Morecambe Bay towards the Lakeland fells.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using two of my prime lenses: a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, and a Laowa 9mm f/2.8. All images made in-camera using Øyvind Nordhagen’s Daylight Fujifilm recipe.
My lovely Lisabet, she who is skilled in the arts of being super cosy.
There appears to be a lot of new signage around Morecambe now. I like the way the design and typography reflects the early 20th century Art Deco style when Morecambe was at its peak.
Aye. Have some respect, people.
On this occasion, the tide was out as evidenced the large and seemingly endless expanse of sand and mudflats (one of the largest in Europe).
Soon we came across this fantastic sculpture, known as the Venus and Cupid (subtitled “Love, The Most Beautiful Of Absolute Disasters”). It was designed by Shane A. Johnstone in 2005.
Views for miles and miles, with some epic clouds to boot.
The people who live in these flats must enjoy some incredible Morecambe Bay sunsets.
A family carefully navigating around Morecambe’s beach pool. No doubt it will be frightfully cold.
Some braver souls than I ventured further out onto the sands. Just be careful of the quicksand…
Lone fishing boats rest lopsidedly in the sands, waiting for the tide to inevitably return.
Plenty of memorials can be found along the promenade in one form or another. Clearly a special place for many people.
Had to use some of these tide breakers as a leading line across the bay towards the Lake District fells.
We soon reach the more “touristy” part of Morecambe’s promenade. Kids playgrounds and B&Bs ahoy.
Near the clock tower one can find this metallic sculpture depicting the Lakeland fells across Morecambe Bay.
You can find some rather colourful and unusually shaped seafront buildings when strolling along the promenade.
Of course, no walk of Morecambe is complete without visiting the Eric Morecambe stature, now seasonally adorned with a Christmas hat and fluffy white beard.
Bringing sunshine to millions of people.
The clouds were looking a little dark, looking back towards Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
I love that some of the buildings in Morecambe still have their original signage.
More new signage that reflects Morecambe’s Art Deco past, complete with palm trees.
It’s rather beautifully done.
Near the Stone Jetty, I wandered around the front of the Midland Hotel to capture some ultra-wide compositions of the buildings curvature.
It’s a cracking building. Glad to see it restored to its former glory.
Around the other side of the hotel, I decided to shoot right into the sun and fully accept whatever weird and wonderful lens flares I got. In the end, not bad at all!
There are bird sculptures aplenty when you follow the Stone Jetty, such as these cool seagulls.
Love the design and layout of the Stone Jetty.
The sun was really starting to break out from the heavy winter clouds, casting long shadows that I couldn’t resist playing with.
One of my favourite bird sculptures found on the Stone Jetty, a rather depressed looking bird.
Near the terminus of the Stone Jetty, Lisabet and I spotted these mudbanks and their curves alongside the boulders. Had to line up a composition.
She’s a beaut.
Lunch was beckoning, but not before I nabbed a few more scenes along the Stone Jetty.
Remember what I said earlier about strange and unusual Morecambe buildings?
This is one of Morecambe’s prettier buildings, though; the Winter Gardens, originally built as the Victoria Pavilion Theatre in 1897.
Pre-sunset, some beautiful golden sunlight was casting beams across various buildings along Morecambe’s seafront. As well as documenting the weird and wonderful, I also wanted to capture the “other” side of Morecambe too.
Some places have existed along the Morecambe seafront for so long they’re practically institutions in their own right, such as the Old Pier Bookshop.
The light just got better and better, and we weren’t the only ones enjoying the scenes.
Another fantastic day.