Scout Scar, Lake District, Spring
2022 has been fuckin’ wild so far.
2022 has been fuckin’ wild so far.
But finally, things are a bit happier. Family members that had been in hospital for separate issues are now home and recuperating.
It’s been stressful, and there have been somber conversations.
Let’s hope the 2nd half of 2022 improves.
We’ve got my Better Half’s sister staying with us for a while. She, too, is a photographer, and considerably more established and talented than me. Today, the sun rose and a glorious spring/summer’s day was upon us. We all, keenly, felt the need to be out in nature. What better way than to explore our own back garden as it were? Up to Scout Scar we go!
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses and a new lens (more on that further in the post): a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Developed in Lightroom, finished in Affinity Photo.
Heading up Helsington Laithes, a scene of serene summery simplicity.
How about this for r/RuralPorn?
Finally, up the back of Scout Scar and over its spine to enjoy the extensive views across the Lyth Valley towards the Lake District fells.
A lone tree growing out of the limestone acts as a nice “signpost”, pointing at the Lake District fells.
I never get tired of the sheer drop from the cliffs of Scout Scar.
Looking back south. The atmosphere was so clear that we could easily make out the Kent Estuary, which leads out to Morecambe Bay, with Arnside Knott above it.
The Kentmere and Longsleddale fells using the limestone cliffs as a leading towards them.
I think this is one of the bigger vertical drops along Scout Scar, highlighted by the tiny people waltzing along the top.
I think these might Helianthemum nummularium, or Common rock-rose. They apparently prefer dry, base-rich soil, and as limestone—which is what Scout Scar is made of— contains a lot of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), an alkaline material, this would make sense.
I can tell I’ve not been up Scout Scar much during the late spring/summer, because I had no idea there were so many beautiful flowers along the cliff tops! My ultra-wide angle lens had a lot of fun.
A 3-shot vertorama featuring the nick and drop of Hodgson’s Leap with the Lyth Valley and the Lakeland fells beyond.
It’s so good for the brain to see everything looking so green again.
Beyond the nick of Hodgson’s Leap, Lisabet and her sister were motoring on ahead, heading towards the Mushroom. In the distance, the Kentmere fells, clear as a bell.
View after view after view. It’s hard to pick just one.
The Lake District fells, with the Langdale Pikes in the centre, shot from the summit of Scout Scar, which is crowned by the Mushroom shelter.
Back down the back of Scout Scar, with the Howgills looking lovely.
After we made it back to town and refuelled with coffee and lunch, we browsed some of the charity shops. In the window of Oxfam, I spotted a Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f/2.8–f/3.8 zoom “macro” lens, made for the Pentax K/Ricoh mount. I already have a Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0 with the relevant adapter to mount on my Fujifilm X-T2, so this zoom lens would work too. It included the box case, plus manual and beautifully made leather pouch case. And all for £30! So I nabbed it! And the above is a shot using my new lens, zoomed in all the way to 105mm. Bargain!
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Arnside, Cumbria, Summer
I’ve been guilty of overlooking Arnside in the past.
I’ve been guilty of overlooking Arnside in the past.
Lisabet and I have visited Arnside many times, largely for its chippy, but also because it’s the nearest place for us to access the coastline. It’s at Arnside where the River Kent becomes the Kent estuary and drains into Morecambe Bay. Much of the coast around the village of Arnside is therefore mostly comprised of mudflats and quicksand.
But there is so much more to Arnside, once a busy port. For a start there’s Arnside Knott (159 m/522 ft), which Lisabet and I decided to hike up recently. In comparison to the Lakeland fells it’s really not that big, but Arnside Knott makes up for it with incredible panoramic views. The knott is made from limestone, like a lot of rocky outcrops around Morecambe Bay, and features windswept trees bent into weird and fantastic shapes.
Arnside Knott is also surrounded by dense woodland, which we explored. After enjoying the views from Arnside Knott we descended the steep tracks down to Far Arnside, then followed the coastal path back to Arnside courtesy of a narrow, winding, and undulating track with incredible views and amazing coastal woodlands.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 lens using a customised Classic Chrome film simulation.
The way up to the summit of Arnside Knott.
Windswept trees looking like they’ve been blasted by a shockwave, shot from the near the summit of Arnside Knott and the views it enjoys.
Lisabet’s happy place: the sea. The shore at Far Arnside is made of smoothed limestone scree, which makes glittering and trickling sounds when the waves lap over it.
The start of the coastal path from Far Arnside back to Arnside. The views across Morecambe Bay get better and better.
Families enjoying the craggy shore near Far Arnside.
My lovely Lisabet, in her element.
A couple enjoy a swim in the sea of Morecambe Bay. In the distance, across the bay, you can make out Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria.
The woodland around the coastal path from Far Arnside to Arnside is largely made up of Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). However, these Ash trees are unusual in that they grow tall and skinny, rather than broad and spread out.
Gorgeous coastline that I never knew existed around Arnside.
Where we came from, looking back towards Lancaster and even making out the sloping hills of the Forest of Bowland.
Arnside Knott above the landscape.