Lowther Estate, Cumbria, Autumn
Autumn’s definitely here. You know what’s also here? The Great British Changeable Weather.
Autumn’s definitely here. You know what’s also here? The Great British Changeable Weather.
I took an educated guess at the weather today and decided our best bet for good light and conditions would be East Lake District/Cumbria during mid-morning/early afternoon. So! We ventured to the Lowther Castle and its Estate, for a healthy jaunt from the castle grounds to Askham Fell and back round.
Driving to Lowther was… interesting. It involves taking the A6 up and over Shap Fell, whereupon we were greeted with a thickness of fog that a Live Music Stage FX Producer would be proud of. Once we arrived at Lowther, the cloud base was starting to lift and the sun made various attempts to breakthrough.
Thankfully, as we hiked up Askham Fell, and back down through Helton, the cloud cover truly lifted and we enjoyed glorious autumnal scenes.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. If you’re wondering why the right hand side of my photos appears constantly out of focus, it’s because I think there’s a broken element in my lens. Damn.
Images developed using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profile.
The ruins of Lowther Castle, a popular destination for many families. The fog was gone but we were still waiting for the cloud base to lift.
The way to the Lowther Castle Courtyard. Not our destination for the day, though maybe after the hike.
I implore visitors to explore the ruins of Lowther Castle. It’s epic.
Down into the woods we go. Autumn colours are really starting to pop in Cumbria.
One of many abandoned entrances into the various private areas of the Lowther Estate.
Look at them beautiful colours.
The path pops out of the woodland beneath Lowther Castle, and follows alongside the River Lowther. The cloud cover finally starts to break up.
Sunlight breaks through and picks out the tiny village of Helton above the River Lowther.
One of my favourite parts of this hike is when you come off the road to Whale and up the “lonnin” (lane) alongside Millkeld Sike towards Helton.
We would’ve like to have spotted more fungi, but we did see what I think is known as “Chicken of the Woods” or—more properly—Laetiporus sulphureus.
My lovely Lisabet, capturing the beautiful that was developing through the lane.
Our way to Helton…
Sloe! Otherwise known as Blackthorn, and more properly Prunus spinosa. Good for making Gin with.
We follow the minor road, south of Helton, which will eventually lead us to the bridleway up onto Askham Fell.
Our goal: Askham Fell, with its fellside traced with dry stone walls.
There were quite a lot of Kendal Rough Fell sheep around the area, which I was happy to see. You tend find more Swaledale around here.
On the way up the bridleway toward Askham Fell, we stop to admire this dilapidated barn.
We paused on our way up the bridleway to admire the light and views towards Burtree Scar.
Near the flat top of Askham Fell, there were a fair few hay bales dotted around the fell side, which I didn’t expect.
Another Kendal Rough Fell yow, chilling as we made our towards Helton.
An impossibly pretty farmhouse, with many of its original features still intact.
Helton has some proper bonny cottages.
Didn’t spot any red squirrels, unfortunately.
This row of cottages in Helton enjoy some crackin’ views across the valley to Burtree Scar and the Ullswater Fells.
By this point in the day, the sky was really starting to clear up. Another barn gave me a lovely subject for this composition.
Into the woods near Gillriggs Cover as we make our way towards Askham and ultimately back to Lowther Castle.
The track took us past St. Peter’s church in Askham. Some of its windows and gravestones have seen better days.
A very low and dry River Lowther, shot as we crossed Askham Bridge to head back up the woods to Lowther Castle.
Just a nice scene and soft light as we hiked up the steep route through Lowther Castle woods.
Askham Fell, Lowther, Cumbria, Spring
Everything is starting to look proper lush.
Everything is starting to look proper lush.
After a completely washed out Saturday, today looked significantly more promising. Lisabet had found a 7.5-mile circular hike around the Lowther Estate that utilises a section of the Ullswater Way, so that’s what we did.
The walk starts at Lowther Castle and heads southwest down to the River Lowther, skirting around the tiny village of Helton and hiking west up Askham Fell. Near the summit you turn northeast and down to Askham village, over the river again, and back up the castle. Nowt particularly gruelling but a good variety of scenery, historical interest, and views for miles and miles.
We managed to avoid the rain, too.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Images are largely straight-out-of-camera using Fuji X Weekly’s “Ektachrome 100SW” recipe, with a couple of minor tweaks in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
This is Lowther Castle. The roof has been removed and much of the stonework demolished, leaving the “shell” of the castle—technically a country house—intact with lots of plants and vegetation allowed to grow within.
Some of the gatehouses have been left alone, offering this interesting composition involving the castle ruins. Just a shame about the gate.
We crossed the River Lowther here, heading vaguely in the direction of Helton. In the far distance are the “backends” of the eastern Ullswater fells.
This gorgeous lane takes you up and through the fields towards Helton. Hemmed in with dry stone walls and lined with old trees and plenty of flowering plants.
A seriously pretty lane. It may well have been used, in times gone by, to guide livestock between fields for grazing.
On the outskirts of Helton, a cute pony had zero interest in our offers of friendship. Fair enough.
Helton village towards the left. A scene of English rural idyll.
A rather fine solitary tree that I head to feature in a composition, especially with the dry stone walls as leading lines.
Heading west, this is the track heading up to Askham Fell (323 m/1,059 ft), lined with drystone walls.
My lovely Lisabet, with the expansive view behind.
This is the Cop Stone, a standing stone located near the Moor Divock stone circle on Askham Fell. A prehistoric monument, it’s reason for being lost in time. In the distance is the unmistakeable wall of the Northern Pennines.
Heading back down Askham Fell.
Askham village ahead, with the shadows of Northern Pennines looming above in the distance. The village is rather beautiful, and features a large share of houses and buildings many centuries old.
A rather beautiful old barn.
Just one of many houses in Askham that are many centuries. It kinda blows my mind that this house was built before the founding of the United States of America.
The woods underneath Lowther Castle contains a variety of rather unusual looking trees.