Hawes, Yorkshire Dales, Summer
A Bank Holiday Monday meant a day out with me Dad.
A Bank Holiday Monday meant a day out with me Dad.
After heading down to Kendal to meet me we decided to let his new car “stretch its legs”, so head east into the Yorkshire Dales. A wander around Hawes and the beautiful Upper Wensleydale was in order.
It’s been a while since I’ve wandered around Hawes, and I was stunned by how busy and seemingly thriving it was. Hawes has always been popular with bikers anyway, but beyond the regulars there were scores of people enjoying the sights of what Hawes has to offer.
We timed it well, too. Not long after leaving Hawes via Blea Moor Road and the Ribblehead Viaduct, the heavens opened and the rain fell.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS and Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f2.8–4.0 zoom lenses. RAWs were developed in Lightroom for iPad using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles.
Hawes, Yorkshire Dales, Summer by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Hawes was so busy that we couldn’t find any parking within the town. We had to stop outside the eastern end of the town. Thankfully, that afforded us views down Wensleydale like this.
A proper bucolic northern English scene, with the characteristic golden sandstone buildings of Hawes with the crags of High Clint in the distance.
One of Hawes’ most well-known scenes. Gayle Beck flows north from Sleddale and through Hawes town centre, dropping here as a beautiful series of falls.
One of many independent shops in Hawes, some have been here longer than others.
Hawes has an almost timeless aspect to it, save for the bright blue bins of course. No matter where you look, you can always see the fells of Upper Wensleydale.
There were plenty of crochet sheep and yarn bombing all around Hawes, raising funds for Great Yorkshire Ambulance.
Look at these fantastic woollen renditions of Wallace and Gromit! Wallace & Gromit is a stop-motion animation franchise, and Wallace became well-known for his love of Wensleydale Cheese. It can be argued that the renewed interest in this cheese, courtesy of Wallace & Gromit, was what saved the Wensleydale Creamery from bankruptcy.
I couldn’t resist immortalising this timeless scene. I wonder how long they’ve been going for?
We wandered up the road towards Gayle to take in a loop of the town and get some higher vantage views of it. Here, the road points the way towards Wether Fell (614 m/2,014 ft).
The cap of Yorburgh with a pair of trees point towards it.
The well-maintained path takes you around the back of Hawes and opens up the views from above it. Here, the path serves as a leading line past St. Margaret’s Church and over the buildings of Hawes, with the nub of Smuker Hill, part of Lovely Seat, visible.
I love capturing timeless rural scenes like this. Hawes makes it very easy.
Taking the little back yards of Hawes makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
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Ingleton Falls, Yorkshire Dales, Spring
My first set of images made with my new Sony a7II.
My first set of images made with my new Sony a7II.
A wee bit of backstory is needed.
My 40th birthday is fast approaching (if you’re at all curious, it’s on the 25th April). That’s right, the Big Four Oh.
My Dad had got wind of the notion that, ultimately, if I could ever upgrade my camera it would be to one with a bigger sensor and in-built image stabilisation.
Cue a week or so ago and Dad arrives at my house with a Sony a7II. In mint condition. Cognisant that I had a Laowa 9mm ultra-wide lens that wouldn’t properly work on a full-frame body, Dad had also sorted me out with a new equivalent ultra-wide for the Sony: a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC. And a new adaptor so I could continue to use my 1980s Vivitar lenses.
In other words, he’s pretty awesome.
A few days later, we had a day out together and decided on Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales and its gorgeous Waterfalls Trail. Time to properly test out the Sony and its image stabilisation capabilities.
It did not disappoint. My ultra-wide at ISO100 and f/8 was able to get down to 1/10sec exposure with no camera shake. Amazing.
All images taken on my Sony a7II using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom, Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f/2.8–4.0 zoom, and Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide prime lenses. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, then edited and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
The first composition on the trail that catches my eye, I quickly attach my Rokinon 14mm ultra-wide and start getting to grips with my new Sony and how it works.
The first of the major falls on the trail, Pecca Twin Falls. With my 14mm ultra-wide at ISO100 and f8, I was able to get an exposure down to 1/10sec with no camera shake, allowing for water motion. Fantastic.
The trail continues alongside and above the falls. We were by no means alone; Ingleton Falls trail was very busy that day.
The top section of Pecca Falls is a tight squeeze, but I still walked away extremely happy with how this turned out.
Arguably the main “show piece” of the entire trail: Thornton Force. I realised it’d been a while since I’d done the Ingleton Falls trail because the landscape had changed. For a start, a second waterfall was cascading down the left. Additionally, it was quite easy to crawl along a ledge to get behind the curtain of water, but those rocks seemed to have washed away.
This year’s lambs, happily dosing and mucking about in the warm spring sun.
Ingleborough’s flat top catching the light, rising high above the valley floor and its inhabitants.
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Stanley Ghyll Force, Lake District, Spring
After a sobering return from a beautiful week in the Highlands, it was time for a beautiful little jaunt in Eskdale.
After a sobering return from a beautiful week in the Highlands, it was time for a beautiful little jaunt in Eskdale.
I was also due to hang out with me Dad again. After arriving at Dad’s, he suggested checking out Stanley Ghyll Force, one of the Lake District’s largest waterfalls. I were game for that!
Stanley Ghyll Force is located in Eskdale, a gorgeous valley in the southwestern corner of the Lake District. The last―and only―time I visited Stanley Ghyll Force was back in 2017. I know this because I shot the waterfall with a Sigma dp0.
Back then, I was all on me own attempting to navigate a tricky gorge. However, on that occasion, I was able to get right to the bottom of the falls for some cracking.
A lot has changed in the intervening 5-6 years. For a start, you can’t get to the bottom of the falls anymore. The path has eroded and collapsed to the point that it’s too dangerous. Instead, the Lake District National Park have created an alternative route that scales up the sides of the gorge so that you can get above the falls. In addition, they’ve also cut back hectares of invasive rhododendron and constructed a fantastic viewing station above the gorge.
We enjoyed some fantastic light, and I had a grand day out with me Dad.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28‒105mm f2.8‒3.8 zoom, Super Ozeck 80mm‒210mm f4.5 zoom, and Laowa 9mm f2.8 ultra-wide prime lenses. RAWs developed in Capture One for iPad, edited in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Stanley Ghyll Force, Lake District, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The gorge that contains Stanley Ghyll Force is wonderfully mossy and vibrant. Here, a pocket of light illuminates a boulder field exposed in the woodland.
We passed a small tributary beck that was catching some wonderful light in the gorge.
Eventually, the glory of Stanley Ghyll Force came into view. This was as close as we were allowed to get to it. Still some absolutely crackin’ light flooding into the gorge though.
After hiking up the new path made by the National Park, we found the new viewing station to check out the views it offered. And… wow. A sheer 150ft drop pulls your down the gorge and towards Stanley Ghyll Force. What a sight.
We followed the return track back down to the valley. As we did, me and Dad spotted some incredible light playing out on the distant Eskdale fells, and stopped to shoot photos like crazy.
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Talkin Tarn Country Park, Cumbria, Autumn
It was me Dad’s birthday at the weekend!
It was me Dad’s birthday at the weekend!
To celebrate, we all enjoyed a lovely wander around Talkin Tarn, east of Carlisle, before treating Dad to lunch.
The last time we were at Talkin Tarn was around November 2017. I only remember this because I had just bought a Sigma dp0 Quattro, and this walk was my first opportunity to put it through its paces. This was also back in my tripod days.
My tastes and shooting style have evolved significantly since then, but I still have a deep fondness for Sigma and their Foveon sensor cameras.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom lens. Images were made 95% in-camera using FujiXWeekly’s Super HG Astia recipe, then finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Talkin Tarn Country Park, Cumbria, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The woods around Talkin Tarn were holding on valiantly to the last of this year’s autumn foliage.
Though the rest of Cumbria was looking gloomy and wet, here in northeast Cumbria conditions were bright and dry.
Through the woods to get the last of this area’s autumn foliage.
Looking back at the woods and enjoying the play of light, before carrying on around the more open section of the tarn walk.
It was nice to see plenty of water fowl enjoying the tarn, no doubt somewhat desensitised to the presence of humans. There were your regulars such as Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and Mute swans (Cygnus olor), but also Coots (Fulica atra) and Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus).
A beautiful Mute Swan, practically glowing in the morning light.
The tarn is glacial in origin, formed around 10,000 years ago after the last Ice Age. Some of the woods around the tarn are ancient.
There were plenty of other folk enjoying the light, conditions, and scenery around the tarn.
We detoured slightly from the main tarn path to explore some of the woodland above the tarn. Of course, Lisabet has a keen eye for woodland fungi.
A thoroughly pleasant day was had by all.
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Miltonrigg Woods, Cumbria, Autumn
Ever since we returned from South Wales, it basically hasn’t stopped raining in North England.
Ever since we returned from South Wales, it basically hasn’t stopped raining in North England.
This has severely limited opportunities to get and about in the local area for some quality hikes and enjoy the season’s autumn colours.
Thankfully, Sunday just gone, conditions were largely dry during a visit to my Dad’s. So, after a wee bit of Googling, we hopped into the car and drove east of Brampton for a lovely hike around Miltonrigg Woods.
Beautiful colours, gorgeous woodland. A good way to see off the last of this year’s autumn colours.
Photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Dad’s XF18–55mm f2.8–4 zoom and my own Laowa 9mm f2.8 lens. RAWs converted in Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, and finalised in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Miltonrigg Woods, Cumbria, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Right next to the start of the walk, a beautiful scene illuminated itself before my eyes. Already the autumn colours were looking glorious and the light was just right.
A tigher composition of the illuminated ferns amongst the rusty hues of fallen leaves.
Looking back at the start of the hike. There’s nothing quite like a woodland in autumn.
Three gnarly trees entwine and reach to the skies, sheltering the fiery leaves beneath.
As the sun came out from behind the clouds, I spotted an opportunity for an ultra-wide composition featuring some of the woodland’s gorgeous ferns.
I enjoy the challenge of finding compositions and telling a simple story in an otherwise complicated landscape, such as in the woods.
The afternoon sun pierces through the seemingly endless layers of trees.
Two silver birches with a “skirt” of autumn foliage.
The light was such that you had to stay alert and keep your eyes open, as random parts of the woodland around you would suddenly illuminate and reveal a gorgeous scene to photo.
Another twisting ancient tree in a sea of ferns provides contrast against a backdrop of illuminated silver birch.
Heading back to the car park and a tunnel of light reveals a row of trees amongst a carpet of rusty leaves.
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Walltown Crags, Northumberland, Autumn
There’s so much history in the UK that it can sometimes be hard to separate the work of man from nature.
There’s so much in history in the UK that it can sometimes be hard to separate the work of man from nature.
With a beautiful autumnal weekend on the horizon, Lisabet and I set out to meet up with my Dad for a hike somewhere new: Walltown Country Park in Northumberland.
Two things piqued our interest in this place. Firstly, there’s a great section of Hadrian’s Wall to explore here. And secondly, an art sculpture—known as APERTURA—was set up near the wall as part of celebrating 1,900 years since Hadrian’s Wall was built. Isn’t that astounding?
We couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The day was bright, but not harsh; crisp, but not cold; colourful, but not garish. The staff and volunteers at Walltown Country Park couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly, and exploring this section of Hadrian’s Wall and its turrets was absolutely fascinating.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom and Laowa 9mm f2.8 ultra-wide prime lenses. RAWs converted in Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, and finished in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Walltown Crags, Northumberland, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The approach to APERTURA. A striking sight. It’s shape was designed to mimic the geography of the local area, an insight I was keen to demonstrate in this photo.
With my 9mm ultra-wide equipped I was able to capture the entire installation and use the distortion effects of an ultra-wide angle lens to emphasise the shape.
I enjoyed juxtaposing the tip of APERTURA with the afternoon sun, emphasised by setting my lens at f22 to turn the sun into a star.
APERTURA features 1,900 copper chimes of different sizes (to reflect the 1,900 years of Hadrian’s Wall), which all clang together in the wind, creating a fascinating sonic experience akin to church bells ringing.
Another composition presented itself to me, where I was able to frame Walltown Crags underneath the art installation and its imposing stature.
Whilst prowling around the art installation, enjoying its tones and construction, I noticed the moon was bright in the sky. I re-equipped my Vivitar and zoomed in tight to make the installation “point” towards the moon.
From this angle APERTURA almost looks like a spaceship, or perhaps even a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber plane.
We rounded back on ourselves, this time taking the longer path towards Walltown Crags, pictured here high above the pond. Walltown Country Park was formerly a quarry until 1976, and has since been allowed to be reclaimed by nature.
APERTURA, in context of the landscape. It is situated on a small ridge where part of Hadrian’s Wall is now missing.
On the path heading up to the top of the crags, Lisabet and I spotted this lovely simple composition of two trees framing a smaller one in the distance. Nothing fancy, but pleasing nonetheless.
Near the top of Walltown Crags the scale of APERTURA and the landscape becomes more apparent.
Made it to Hadrian’s Wall, now 1,900-years old. That mean the wall’s construction began in 122 AD. Crazy.
Emperor Hadrian commanded a wall to be built across Roman Britain, ostensibly to keep “northern barbarians” out. However, it also served as a way of keeping people in Roman Britain, and controlling trade across the border.
The wall ran from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the Northeast of England to Bowness-on-Solway in Northwestern Cumbria, a distance of 80 Roman miles, or 73 modern miles. Large sections of the wall survive, particularly in hillier areas such as here at Walltown Crags and more famously at Housesteads Fort.
The Romans made use of the local geography when constructing the wall. Large sections of it in Northumberland are built on top of various protruding crags made from hard volcanic dolerite rock. This would’ve gave the Romans a panoramic advantage when trying to spot invasions in the distance.
Of course, the local sheep are oblivious to the historical human significance of the area.
The Walltown Crags are volcanic in origin, made from hard dolerite and known as the Whin Sill. It’s exactly the same rock and protrusion you see at High Cup Nick, High Force, Low Force, and Cauldron Spout, and even as far as the Farne Islands in the North Sea. Geology North has a good map of where in North England the Whin Sill has surfaced above ground to create incredible landscapes.
Looking back at our progress across the top of Walltown Crags, tracking the route where sections of Hadrian’s Wall would’ve been. Unfortunately, even in these hillier parts of the wall, sections are missing where they’ve probably been dismantled for building material over the centuries by farmers and/or landowners.
Our destination: two protruding crags where—according to the OS map—one could find the remnants of Turret 44B and Turret 44A.
A pleasing Northern English scene, featuring trees growing from a solitary crag with cows grazing peacefully below.
Looking back at our progress from Turret 44B. It’s theorised that towering turrets were built along the wall every third of a mile, given the wall structure.
My Dad below, taking in the history of the area, as I clamber up the crag to soak in the extensive views.
Honestly, we could’ve happily carried on the trail to see even more of the wall. Alas, parking is expensive and we were due back. Definitely more to check out next time!