Cockermouth, Cumbria, Summer
Let’s move away a little from the landscapes and nature.
Let’s move away a little from the landscapes and nature.
Lisabet and I recently had occasion to enjoy an outdoor swimming session with esteemed outdoor and wild swimming guide Suzanna Cruickshank. Not only was Suzanna a total delight, with the patience and compassion of a saint, but the weather couldn’t have been better with clear skies and 20+ degree sun. We were guided on a swim in Bassenthwaite Lake, which thankfully allows for a gentle drop into the water unlike most other lakes in the Lake District. The experience was exhilarating, fun, and freeing.
If you’re ever in Cumbria, and want a pair of safe hands to guide you through swimming in the lakes of the Lake District, I can wholeheartedly recommend Suzanna.
After our session, Lisabet and I decided to have summer’s day wander around Cockermouth, one of our favourite Cumbrian towns. We had a late birthday meal to catch up on, so booked a table at the beautiful Aspava for some of the finest Turkish cuisine around.
All in all, it were a top notch day, and of course I took some photos of it. I hope you enjoy these photo memories of mine as much as I enjoyed creating them.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. Images made 80% in-camera using a customised Classic Chrome film simulation, then minor edits applied after in Lightroom and Affinity Photo. The photo of me and Lisabet swimming in the lake is provided by kind courtesy of Suzanna Cruickshank.
Lisabet and I, swimming in Bassenthwaite Lake! Photo courtesy of Suzanna Cruickshank.
Making our way into Cockermouth town centre. “Shampoochies” is an excellent name for a dog grooming business.
Cockermouth is such a bonny town, especially in the summer.
The marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, MP for Cockermouth between 1857-68. A famous resident of the town. He was assassinated in 1872 whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India
A good way to start off a Turkish meal, with Turkish draft beer. Delightfully hoppy and refreshing.
Part way through our starter, comprising of hummus, cacık (a bit like Greek tzatziki), patlıcan ezme (a Turkish aubergine salad), Kısır (spiced bulgar wheat salad), Mücver (deep fried courgette fritter), and Patates Kavurma (boiled potatoes with onion, parsley and chilli).
A selection of grilled spiced meats with rice and salad. Nobody does meat better than the Turkish.
Baklava, one of the world’s most famous desserts. Layered filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with honey.
Kopper’s Café and Bar, named as such as the building was the old Police Station.
The outdoor seating area of The Honest Lawyer, nicely decorated with hanging flowers alongside the River Cocker.
One of my favourite aspects of Cockermouth town centre is how colourful the buildings are.
See? Super pretty.
The Jennings Brewery, which started life in 1828 in the nearby village of Lorton.
The brewery is now owned by Marston’s PLC, itself part of Carlsberg UK.
All the ale and beer barrels.
We crossed the bridge and made our merry way through the Memorial Gardens, snapping idyllic scenes along the way.
Couple of young lads, deep in discussion.
Summer in Cumbria is one glorious vista after another.
A bit of old-school advertising on the side of this building. An indicator, too, as to the importance the brewery once had in Cockermouth.
A partially-masked man pauses in the street to reply to someone on his phone.
More traditional signage on the side of the Bridge Gallery building.
I love this side of Cockermouth, Market Place, with all the colourful buildings. More of this in Cumbria, please.
Dodd Woods, Lake District, Spring
After an unusually dry and cold April 2021, the rain has returned.
After an unusually dry and cold April 2021, the rain has returned.
This Bank Holiday Lisabet and I planned on a long hike through the Mallerstang valley in the Yorkshire Dales, a favourite of ours. However, reading all the weather radars and forecasts indicated a lot of rain was on its way through South Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales. By contrast, the northern Lake District looked pretty good. So we changed plans and embarked on a hike up Dodd (502 m/1,647 ft), a small fell that came highly recommended by a friend of mine.
Dodd is part of the Skiddaw range, a massive bulk of fells to the north of Keswick, which tops out at Skiddaw itself at 931 m/3,054 ft asl. Most of the fell is covered in trees as it’s owned by the Forestry Commission but the summit is bald, allowing for extensive views towards either Derwentwater and the Newland Fells or Bassenthwaite Lake and out towards the Solway Firth.
Despite changeable conditions, the car park was extremely busy and we were lucky to get parked where we did. Thankfully there is plenty of signage around Dodd Woods and we simply followed Dodd Summit Trail, snapping happily along the way. There is a lot to be said for roaming around dense woods and the quality of light you get, not to mention the incredulous views you get from around the summit of Dodd.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using two of my prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2 and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Developed using RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.
The clarity of light was superb.
Lots of families wandering around Dodd Woods, enjoying the scenery and crisp sun.
I had to line up a composition involving this unusual tree, which had formed a sort of natural arch over the footpath.
Skill Beck, like a lot of rivers in the Lake District at the moment, was very dry and barely a trickle, as it tumbled through the woods.
I love the soft transitions of light and shadow you get in the woods.
We continue upwards, following the Dodd Summit Trail.
About three quarters of the way through the hike, the tree cover starts to open up, letting in more light. I quickly snapped this photo of my lovely Lisabet as she entered a zone of open light.
Underneath Dodd summit I spotted this wonderful crag marked with flecks of vivid orange and red. I wonder if there’s iron ore in the rock around here?
Our first glimpse of the views that Dodd offers. And we weren’t even at the top yet! Absolutely immaculate. Showing Derwentwater and its fells, with the bonny town of Keswick to left.
The Newland Valley and its fells, with the Dodd Summit exit trail below.
Again with that soft woodland light…
I have to remind myself, when I’ve got my head down hiking up a fell, to always look back. Had I not done so, I would’ve missed this! The view all the way back towards the Helvellyn range, and you can even clearly see the Helvellyn (950 m/3,118 ft) summit itself, catching some highlighting!
Bassenthwaite Lake framed by two trees; famously cited as the only “lake” in the Lake District (that is, the only lake with the word “lake” in its name). The atmosphere was so clear you could also make out the Solway Firth and the Galloway mountains in Scotland.
And we reach the summit. Some of the best views of the Northern Lake District I’ve ever seen.
The Lorton Fells and Grisedale Pike. Little hovering spots of light scan across the land.
My lovely Lisabet at the summit, getting those views.
I popped on my 55mm lens to zoom in further and pick out specific scenes from the vast panorama available from the summit of Dodd. The Newland valley and fells, in particular, were looking absolutely splendid.
Lord’s Seat (552 m/1,811 ft) from across Bassenthwaite Lake.
Honestly, I could’ve taken thousands of shots from the summit of Dodd…
Grisedale Pike (791 m/2,595 ft) catching some lovely light above the Whinlatter Forest.
Following the narrow trail back down the slopes of Dodd
As we climb down the wooded fell slopes, the landscape changed from craggy to mossy and grassy.
Lovely light catching the trees and footpath.
Heading our way back down to the car, soft afternoon light blooming through the woods. I liked the tree on the right, looks like a tuning fork.