Colwith Force, Lake District, Autumn
The last of the summer holidays.
The last of the summer holidays.
After a lovely Friday evening in Dentdale, and a glorious Saturday in Kingsdale, we returned to the Lake District on Sunday for a hike to Colwith Force and back.
The weekend saw the advent of a heatwave settling over the British Isles. To counter, we head to Skelwith Bridge early in the morning for cooler conditions and before the majority of summer holidayers were about.
We were rewarded with beautifully moody, misty conditions to start, then as the temperatures rose the mist burned off, swirling around the fell tops and creating dramatic scenery. Just perfection.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS zoom and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC ultra-wide prime lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles, finalised in Photoshop.
Colwith Force, Lake District, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Typically, we start the walk to Colwith Force from Skelwith Bridge. From here we cross the River Brathay and head west. But before crossing the river, we can never resist getting up close and personal with the beautiful Skelwith Force.
Looking upstream from Skelwith Force. You can just about make out the bridge that takes you across the river.
Up and out of the woods around Skelwith Force, we head west where the views started to open up. Well, to a degree. Early morning fog clung to the fell tops, making for moody images.
Looking back down the route we came up. You can just about make out the knuckly profile of Loughrigg but nothing beyond.
After navigating a series of narrow footpaths punctuated with tight kissing gates and stiles, the trail starts to head back down Little Langdale. But before we do, this magnificent composition demands your attention: Wetherlam (763 m/2,502 ft) fighting the swirling mist as the morning sun burns it all off.
Down at the valley bottom we entered Tongue Intake Plantation and picked our way up through the woods to find our main goal for the day: Colwith Force, a double spout waterfall. Evidence of the approach of autumn is all around us.
Some people simply turn around and head back, but we’re fans of following the trail as it ascends up and above the waterfall. From above it, interesting compositions can be found of all the falls before the main double spout.
Though a little dry this time, there’s a lovely series of falls above Colwith Force that deserve attention.
Beyond the upper falls we followed the circular trail back out of the plantation and sought the Little Langdale road back towards Skelwith Bridge. Emerging from the woods, the fells were now clear of the morning mist, revealing their autumnal coats.
Just goes to show the massive difference a change of light conditions can do to the mood and feel of a photograph. Loughrigg and the Grasmere fells beyond, now clearly visible.
Herdwick yows (ewes) and their lambs peacefully graze in the now gorgeous autumnal morning sun. A timeless scene.
Nearing Skelwith Bridge, we could finally see the Langdale Pikes after being consumed by the fog all morning.
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Colwith Force, Summer, Lake District
After two successive weekends of rain, it was time to seek a waterfall or two.
After two successive weekends of rain, it was time to seek a waterfall or two.
Getting outside for some solid hiking has been difficult given the changeable conditions we’ve experienced in August. Thankfully, the week ahead is looking promising, which is fortuitous because I have a week off.
Lisabet and I got up and out early to avoid the crowds, taking on a good 10,000 steps to visit both Skelwith Force and Colwith Force. Both waterfalls are not large but after prolonged rainfall they are powerful.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using two of my prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2, and a Laowa 9mm f/2.8. Developed using RNI Films’ Kodak E100G film profile.
Getting as close as I dare to Skelwith Force. After rainfall the roaring thunder from these falls is near deafening.
Lisabet was braver than me, and clambered down the crags to the small footbridge for a different view. The spray from the falls leant a delicious mood to the scene.
We crossed the river and double-backed onto the Cumbria Way, stopping near Park House and Park Farm for some glorious views towards the Langdale Pikes as the cloud started to clear from the fells.
Gorgeous Herdwick ewes, fleeces clipped short after a hot summer and their smit marks reapplied.
Near Low Park we spot a good clump of Impatiens glandulifera, or Himalayan Balsam. It is considered a highly invasive species.
This year’s Herdwick tup lamb, just starting to grow its horns.
One of my favourite trees in the Skelwith/Colwith area. Truly gnarly, with the clouds burning up from the fells.
What a scene.
The way down to the River Brathay, with Wetherlam fighting with the clouds above.
Heading to Colwith Force. Already we can here the bassy roar of the twin spouts…
And there she is, looking absolutely incredible after all the rainfall we’ve had.
We climbed the pitched path to get to the upper part of the falls, teetering near the top of the main falls.
I plugged my 9mm ultra wide onto the camera to try and capture the scene from above the main falls.
It’s always an exciting time when the foliage starts to turn towards those wonderful autumn hues.
One final look at the upper falls before we climb higher through the woods.
Sometimes you just have to take a picture of a pretty tree.
After popping out of the top of the woods you’re greeted with the craggy top of Great How. Additionally, the sun decided to show its face.
We decided to to explore a little extra and took the path towards Stang End, snapping High Park Farm along the way with Lingmoor Fell above.
By this time of the day, many more people were on the paths enjoying the weather and scenes.
To cap the day off, we were greeted by a vocal chicken navigating its way on top of a dry stone wall. As you do.
Colwith Force, Lake District, Summer/Autumn
The sweltering heat of July is giving way to the rain and thunder of August.
The sweltering heat of July is giving way to the rain and thunder of August.
A lot of this week—especially in Cumbria—has consisted of heavy downpours, with some lightning thrown in for good measure. This has made getting out for some solid hiking rather difficult.
Today, after a washed out Saturday, we decided to throw caution to the wind and head into the Lake District first thing to get some steps in, and maybe some photos too while we’re at it.
Given all the rain we’ve had, we decided to visit Colwith Force from Skelwith Bridge again, because this gorgeous twin-falls is beautiful after lots of rain. By the time we reached the upper section of Colwith Force, the rain really started to come down hard. We walked the rest of the route out of the woods that houses the waterfall, and followed the road back to Skelwith Bridge, getting progressively more damp and sodden as we did.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a Fujinon XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4.0 lens using a customised Classic Chrome film profile.
Loughrigg Fell (335 m/1,099 ft) is already turning a rusty red. Autumn is coming.
Autumn is by far my favourite season, so seeing all the ferns turn orange and red is a happy sign for me.
A misty moody shot of the Langdale Pikes tussling with the rain.
The Lake District is home to some ridiculously quaint and pretty cottages.
This is Tutsan or Shrubby St. John's Wort (Hypericum androsaemum). As the berries contain hypericin they are toxic to humans, causing nausea and diarrhoea if ingested.
The way to the woods that houses Colwith Force. In the distance the Tilberthwaite fells are obscured by the incoming rain.
Everything was looking particularly lush in the rain.
The twin-falls of Colwith Force, positively roaring with power.
The upper section of Colwith Force. You could feel the sub-bass roaring of the crashing water before you saw it.
Colwith Force, Lake District, Summer
There’s still so much of the Lake District I haven’t seen.
There’s still so much of the Lake District I haven’t seen.
And that’s part of the beauty of it; despite being in Cumbria for 7½ years, I’m still excited and delighted to explore and find little treasures in the Lake District.
Yesterday, Thursday 23rd, it rained for pretty much the whole of the day. Thankfully, by the time Lisabet and I finished work, the rain stopped and the cloud cover started to lift. Thinking about all the rain that fell, we decided to find a waterfall we’d never visited before: Colwith Force.
We’ve been to Colwith’s neighbour, Skelwith Force, many times before, and have always promised ourselves to check out Colwith Force “at some point”. Well, that “at some point” was yesterday evening.
The walk from Skelwith Bridge was straightforward and our excitement levels rose the closer we could hear the water. Then we reached the rocky outcrop above the falls and both gaped in awe.
Why haven’t we been here before?!
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens using a customised Velvia film simulation.
Setting off from Skelwith Bridge, and looking back at the River Brathay and Loughrigg Fell (335 m/1,099 ft) above.
The cloud cover was lifting slowly, here revealing the unmistakeable shape of the Langdale Pikes.
The light was weird on this hike. The setting sun, combined with the thick yet rising cloud cover, conspired to create neon blues and gentle pinks in the sky.
The woods around Colwith Force, known as High Park, is saturated with ferns, moss, and all kinds of lichen. It also became thick with humidity in here.
The roaring sound fills our bodies and then, up on a rocky ledge…
Colwith Force. Honestly, probably the most epic waterfall in the Lake District that I’ve been to. This split-drop is perhaps the most picturesque view of the falls, but there’s much to see once you scale around and above the falls.
Above the double spout, Colwith Force narrows from a fairly wide river, with various parts of it being split by the local geology. It puts me in mind of Swallow Falls (Rhaeadr Ewynnol) in Snowdonia, Wales. The sheer power of the water and the rushing sound filled the air. Definitely best to see this after heavy rain; just watch your footing.
Back at the entrance to High Park woods the light is receding for the day, leaving behind gentle pinks and oranges in the sky.
Not a bad view towards Loughrigg Fell, on our way back to Skelwith Bridge.