Kingsdale, Yorkshire Dales, Autumn
Flexibility can lead to great things.
Flexibility can lead to great things.
We started a promising Saturday morning with a plan to hike up the highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales: Whernside (736 m/2,415 ft).
It would definitely be the highest peak we’ve ever ascended but we were planning to “cheat” a little bit. Below Whernside’s western flank is a valley called Kingsdale. There’s a road that runs from the south, near Ingleton, through and over Kingsdale before dropping back down into Dentdale. This road enjoys a few large passing places, one of which is near the summit of the road at 468 m a.s.l. In theory, we could park at the passing place and hike the minor trail up Whernside’s western flank to reach the summit, with only 300 m of actual ascent needed.
We didn’t go for it in the end. Parking in passing places is generally a no-no, and the trail and landscape around Whernside’s western flank looked rather boggy.
Instead, we drove back down to the valley bottom of Kingsdale and stopped at an actual parking place. Here we elected for a hike up Kingsdale’s magnificent limestone fellside to locate the magnificent Cheese Press Stones.
It turned out to be a great idea on a beautiful day.
All photos shot on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS zoom lens. RAWs developed in Lightroom using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles, finalised in Photoshop.
Kingsdale, Yorkshire Dales, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Straight away from our little parking bay, the views across to Twistleton Scar and Ingleborough were magnificent. They were only going to get better.
The road north through Kingsdale, with the valley’s fantastic scar looming directly above. The main scar above the road is known as Keld Head Scar. The start of the hike heads up the fellside just as the road veers right.
Part way up Keld Head Scar, and a single tree growing out of a limestone boulder provides a nice subject with Whernside in the distance.
As we clamber through the irregular clints and grikes of limestone, and navigate the occasional boulder, Ingleborough emerges from above Twistleton Scar. An old drystone sheep pen provides a nice foreground subject contrast against the fell in the distance.
A large cluster of limestone boulders, no doubt dumped in position by the last Ice Age, provide a nice foreground focal point. They also, happily, seem to “point” towards Ingleborough.
Finally, after a fairly challenging hike and scramble through Keld Head Scar, we emerged onto a limestone plateau where we easily spotted the Cheese Press Stones. These are a pair of giant limestone boulders, probably deposited here after the last Ice Age. Why are they called the “Cheese Press Stones”? No idea.
The boulder on the left is a good 9–10 ft tall. Some estimate its weight at around 15 tons. Here, an obvious composition is hard to ignore, using the two boulders to centre and frame Ingleborough.
A few yards away, I spot another interesting limestone boulder, which appears to me almost like a cracked open egg.
Further up the plateau, a group of large limestone boulders attract my attention. I line a composition, attempting to fill the frame with them whilst keeping Whernside visible in the distance.
I circle around the cluster of boulders to find a composition featured Ingleborough. It means shooting directly into the sun, but thankfully Sony RAW files are incredible flexible.
I locate Lisabet near North End Scar, perched atop a small crag, happily editing her photos. In the distance, the Forest of Bowland is just about visible.
The way back involves navigating this ankle-breaking limestone pavement to relocate the minor trail, which takes you below North End Scar, past Tow Scar, and back down to the road.
Beneath North End Scar’s western edge, the layering and striations of the limestone is fascinating.
I am a sucker for a good drystone wall composition.
The criss-crossing and weaving of the valley and its various limestone scars and layers provide me a delightful photo with Whernside high in the distance.
Nearly back at the car, with the limestone scar of Kingsdale’s western edge in full display. A beautifully sculpted glacial valley.
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Deepdale, Lake District, Autumn
Grisdale keeps evading us.
Grisedale keeps evading us.
After meticulously scanning the weather forecasts and satellite radars, Dad and I embarked initially on a lovely hike up one of my favourite valleys: Grisedale.
Last time rain fended us off. This time, a running/trials event blocked all the car parks in Patterdale and Glenridding. No matter, that’s why you should have a back up plan! Instead, we drove back towards Brothers Water and pulled up in a little-used layby. This was the start of the hike into Deepdale.
Although no less splendorous compared to Grisedale—featuring as it does the magnificent fell of Greenhow End at its head—it’s certainly not as good to walk. Large patches of Deepdale are often submerged in water and super boggy to boot. This means lots of bog-hopping.
Nevertheless, a crisp yet blowy autumnal day greeted us and Dad and I were treated to delicious light and wonderful colours.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Developed in Lightroom using my own Classic Chrome-based preset, finished in Affinity Photo.
An autumnal Arnison Crag (433 m/1,421 ft) above Greenbank Farm. And some actual blue skies!
Closer to the farm, my beloved Herdwick sheep come into view and the sun illuminates the scene.
Passing through the farm, we followed the track towards the valley. As the wind was blowing a hooley, the clouds above passed intermittently across the sun, allowing beautiful spotlighting of light.
As we pass Deepdale Hall, Latterhaw Crag below and the back of St. Sunday Crag (841 m/2,759 ft) come into view, drenched in golden autumnal light.
It’s always important to remember: don’t forget to look behind you. Otherwise I would’ve missed this lovely composition.
Aureate light highlights the boulders that line the cascades of Coldcove Gill.
Rowan berries provide a nice colour contrast against the icy cold waters of Coldcove Gill.
Behind us, the tops of Angletarn Pikes (567 m/1,860 ft) and Place Fell (657 m/2,156 ft) are treated to similarly gorgeous light.
Finally, the crown jewel of Deepdale comes into view: Greenhow End. A magnificent fist of a fell, here being treated to some delicious side lighting.
A clump of boulders blocking the trail provided a lovely scene with Greenhow End in the distance.
We’ve reached that stage of autumn all the bracken and fern turns a beautiful rusty shade.
My Dad, doing what he does best: awkwardly posing (love ya, really).
At various points, the “trail” gets close enough to Deepdale Beck, allowing for compositions such as this.
Dad and I spotted this boulder, and immediately made out the face-like structure in its forms. So, I lined up this composition involving Angletarn Pikes.
Dad, enjoying the light play above us.
I spotted a cluster of boulders and glacial erratics, so I whipped out my ultra-wide lens to nab some more unusual and striking compositions.
I got real close to the glacial erratic, noting its wonderful lines, textures, and colours. I elected for a near-far ultra-wide composition, showcasing the strata in the boulder and Greenhow End above.
One of my favourite compositions from the whole hike. Just a perfect balance of light, contour, simplicity, and colour.
The head of Deepdale gets considerably boggier and impassable. That’s the point I usually turn back. Thankfully the views on the way back are no less splendid.
Place Fell providing the ultimate subject as the farm track makes a lovely leading line.
Sunlight bathes this field in warm light, leaving the fell in relative darkness. A circumstance of light and lines that I couldn’t ignore.
The farm track back to the main road. Almost impossibly idyllic.
Hunger was setting in. Time to grab some lunch.
After he was quite done grimacing at my camera, I managed to snap a nice warm candid photo of me Dad.
A lovely lunch was had at one of the Lake District’s most famous pubs: the Kirkstone Pass Inn, which has been in operation at the top of Kirkstone Pass (454 m/1,489 ft) since 1496 CE. What a lovely day out with Dad.