Sedbergh, Yorkshire Dales, Summer
After Saturday’s hike around Cunswick Fell for some glorious summer scenes, we sought more near the beautiful town of Sedbergh.
After Saturday’s hike around Cunswick Fell for some glorious summer scenes, we sought more near the beautiful town of Sedbergh.
I’ve commented before about the beauty of the Howgills and how Lisabet and I have barely touched them. The comely bumps and folds of these hills will see more of our footsteps in due course. But for this occasion I found a lovely hike that took us up towards the foot of the Howgills, through a couple of farms, and across some incredible wildflower meadows. We then joined the River Rawthey near Buckbank Farm and followed the river all the way back to the town.
A nice 5-mile circular, all in all.
Conditions, light, and scenes could not have been more cooperative for photography. The wildflower meadows beneath the Howgills were glorious.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 with my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. Images were made 80% in-camera using a customised Velvia film simulation, with minor edits in Lightroom and Affinity Photo afterwards.
The first of many wildflower meadows above Sedbergh we encountered, with Middleton Fell (609 m/2,000 ft) in the distance.
In the next field a few young bullocks and cows were giving us an inquisitive stare or two. We gingerly navigated around them, giving them plenty of room, but I did manage to fire off one photo.
The views across to Garsdale immediately started to open up. What glorious scenes.
Making our way northeast on the trail towards Ghyll Farm, the fell Crook (461 m/1,513 ft) momentarily darkens under the shade of a passing cloud.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off the sprawling views towards Garsdale. We really do live in a beautiful country.
I spotted this trio of trees with pleasing spacing between them, so I framed up for a composition with Soolbank in the gap.
A field full of buttercups and Knott (429 m/1,407 ft) bulging in the distance. Our destination is the stile over the wall, just to the right of centre.
Just one of many meadows in the foothills of the Howgills, brimming with buttercups. Above, clouds pass over Baugh Fell (678 m/2,224 ft), painting their own shadows onto the hill.
I paused at the top of climbing over the stile to capture this expansive and awe-inspiring view of Baugh Fell and Garsdale, with the characteristic drystone walls of Northern England and a horse grazing for good measure.
Some of the farm houses underneath the Howgills are a good two or three centuries old.
I largely don’t bother with focus stacking anymore. Opened this one all the way to f/1.2, focused on the fell and let the lens do the rest. All the buttercups. This would make a good smartphone wallpaper, actually.
After navigating through Stone Hall Farm we aimed for Buckbank Farm, which would allow us to join the River Rawthey. But not before taking a photo of this frankly ridiculous scene towards two of the southern Howgills, Crook and Knott, with meadows full of buttercups.
Approaching Ellerthwaite Farm, which would lead us to Buckbank and thus the River Rawthey.
Following on from Buckbank Farm we joined the bridleway southwest, which broadly follows the River Rawthey. Our next destination to look out for was Straight Bridge, which we would climb underneath to stay on the bridleway towards Sedbergh.
I always enjoy cows and bulls giving me The Stare…
Cows, trees, the Howgills, and fluffy clouds. A true Northern English summer country scene.
An interesting tree stump provided me with a lovely subject to frame in this composition.
The farm of Scrooge House with its fields of buttercups and the Howgills behind.
After pausing for a spot of packed lunch, we followed the bridleway by the river all the way towards New Bridge.
A rich and vibrant scene of summer colour I spotted by one of the becks that flows into the River Rawthey.
The way back to Sedbergh town. You’ve got to admit, it’s a proper lovely town, isn’t it?
Serpentine Woods, Cumbria, Spring
The wild garlic in Serpentine Woods has finally flowered.
The wild garlic in Serpentine Woods has finally flowered.
It’s took its sweet time, but then spring this year has been considerably colder. Nevertheless, it’s wonderful to see the woods completely carpeted in broad green leaves and delicate white flowers once again.
The weather, too, is finally starting to warm up. Perhaps summer is on its way.
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. Images were made 80% in-camera using a customised Classic Chrome film simulation, with minor edits afterwards in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
The beautiful Town Hall of Kendal getting some early evening light.
One of my favourite walks up towards Serpentine Woods involves taking two flights of steep steps.
Pretty good views from the balcony of this place, eh?
One of my favourite trees in Serpentine Woods.
My heart starts to race as I waltz further into the woods, seeing all the white flowers of wild garlic everywhere.
I do love me some gnarly roots.
There we are, wild garlic flowers everywhere. I feel very fortunate to enjoy sights like this in my home town.
Compulsory shot of one of the benches available to sit at, once you pop out of the top of Serpentine Woods. Wonderful views.
Back down into the woods to find more wild garlic. The smell immediately made me hungry.
Mum and daughter enjoy the wild garlic and birdsong around my favourite spot in Serpentine Woods.
A veritable carpet of pretty white flowers, illuminated by soft evening light.
Even crawling up the fragments of limestone dotted around the woods.
Looking back at the path that leads to the “pointless gate” I love to photo so often.
Barkbooth Lot, Lake District, Spring
If you thought there were a lot of bluebells in Staveley…
If you thought there were a lot of bluebells in Staveley…
We’re in peak bluebell season in Cumbria now. Normally, if you think bluebells and the Lake District, you might be tempted to head straight to Rannerdale. This is a rather famous little valley, branching off from the middle of Crummock Water, where during spring the valley floor erupts in a carpet of bluebells. Being surrounded on all sides by the craggy fells of Lorton Vale, it’s quite a sight. It’s also increasingly popular, and keeping people off the bluebells is becoming problematic.
Instead, Lisabet suggested we revisit a nearby favourite of ours, Barkbooth Lot, managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. This is a little woodland, and open fell, just north of Bowland Bridge in the Lyth Valley, west of Kendal. The last time we visited, a couple of years ago in March/April, it was a very hot day and there were daffodils aplenty.
By the time we arrived this time, the daffodils had long disappeared for the year. Instead, the woods were absolutely crammed with bluebells.
No matter which direction we looked, bluebells everywhere. It was wonderful.
I hope these photos convey even a modicum of the wonder I experienced.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using two prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2, and a Laowa 9mm f/2.8. The photos were 80% developed in-camera using a customised Velvia film simulation, with small edits later made in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
Into the woods we go, with gorgeous evening light beaming through the trees. Already, we’re seeing lots of bluebells.
Just a mini-scene of gorgeous evening light, bluebells, shooting ferns, and tree roots.
A solitary tree catches the golden light in a sea of bluebells.
A fallen tree trunk provides a playground of compositions for me, with this one ultimately being my favourite.
Just… a wonderful scene, and a ridiculous amount of bluebells.
Deeper into the woods, and seemingly no end in sight of all the bluebells.
My lovely Lisabet, just taking it all in.
The ferns are at that wonderful stage where they’re beginning to shoot up, unfurl, and change colour from orange to green.
Interlocking trees amongst a carpet of bluebells.
“Boss! Tree’s fallen across t’path.” “Just cut reet through it.” “Reet you are.”
Despite the beauty of bluebells everywhere and glorious evening light, I found this tree rather creepy.
A pair of tree trunks that put me in mind of a tuning fork.
The woodland opens up a little more as we near the end of the loop.
She glows.
Beckmickle Ing, Staveley, Lake District, Spring
It’s taken a little longer, but the bluebells have finally arrived.
It’s taken a little longer, but the bluebells have finally arrived.
After work recently, Lisabet and I hopped into the car and drove just a few miles up the A591 to Staveley, a Lake District village near Kendal. We had been recommended a walk near the village from my boss, due to the woodlands of bluebells in the area.
It did not disappoint.
The trail starts near the junction with the A591, a wooden sign points the way off the road towards the Dales Way. Just a few hundred metres down the path you enter a beautiful country lane, flanked either side by moss-covered drystone walls, with old trees providing shade to a beautiful carpet of bluebells.
Further around the hike, after crossing the footbridge near Cowan Head, you can explore arguably the showstopper of the walk: Beckmickle Ing woods (great name, btw). This wood provided Lisabet and I with one of the greatest displays of bluebells I’ve ever seen, never mind all the additional flowers such as the Wood Anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) and finally some Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum).
For a quieter, away-from-the-crowds walk (especially in the spring), I can heartily recommend this one.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using a Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. The images are 85% SOOC (straight out of camera) using a customised Velvia film simulation, with some minor curve and saturation finishes in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
The start of the trail, and a crackin’ evening to look forward.
Wonderful scenes across the valley.
Into this beautiful country lane we go, the small patch of bluebells below a signifier of things to come.
Towards the exit of this lane you’re greeted with a shock of purple below the trees. Bluebells everywhere.
Approaching Cowan Head, the light really starts to get golden.
A true spring Lakeland scene: this year’s lambs grazing underneath some crags on a hill.
After following the River Kent upstream and crossing the footbridge at Hagg Foot, we enter Beckmickle Ing woods. Already, the colours are getting considerably more verdant.
You’re always bound to fine at least one oddity in a British woodland.
A jaw-dropping scene, and Velvia did a wonderful job capturing all of colours and tones. One of the finest displays of bluebells I’ve ever seen.
Just stupendous. A veritable carpet or sea of bluebells.
After popping out of Beckmickle Ing woods we followed this minor road back towards the general direction of Staveley.
Another nearby woodland showed that, finally, wild garlic and its delicate white flowers were starting to bloom.
A much older tree, catching some sunset side light.
I loved how intense the sunset glow was on these leaves.
Back on the footpath to Staveley, a fleeting moment of strong golden light illuminates some distant trees and a barn.