Ambleside, Lake District, Winter
Temperatures have plunged.
Temperatures have plunged.
The nigh persistent rain of November and December has given way to a sub-zero climate and clearer conditions. Much better.
With a bright Saturday forecast, Lisabet and I ventured into the heart of the Lake District and major tourist hotspot, Ambleside. We wanted to do two walks: one, a small circular of Stock Ghyll Force, the other bigger hike up to High Sweden Bridge.
Despite being in the middle of a blisteringly cold winter in the Lake District, Ambleside was as busy as ever. This town never gets any rest.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my SMC Pentax-M 28mm F3.5 and SMC Pentax-M 55mm f2.0 prime lenses, plus my Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f2.8–4.0 zoom. RAWs developed in Lightroom, edited in Photoshop.
Ambleside, Lake District, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
A misty shot from the top of Stock Ghyll Force. Made by stacking five landscape 28mm shots, top to bottom, for a wider field of view.
The classic view of Stock Ghyll Force, currently in its more barren winter finery.
After stopping for delicious hot brews at Force Cafe, we followed the trail back down to the town. By the side of the road, this still life-esque scene revealed itself to me, and so quickly I quickly nabbed a composition.
From the town centre, it’s easy enough to find the route to the High Sweden Bridge trail. Given the direction of the low sun, we opted instead to take the trail anti-clockwise, which we’ve never done before, to get more side light.
The old packhorse bridge itself, with my Lisabet providing a nice colour contrast as she strolls across it. As I’ve mentioned on this site elsewhere, the name “High Sweden Bridge” might seem unusual, given this is located in the Lake District, England. The “sweden” aspect originally comes from the Old Norse sviðin (pronounced “swee-thin”), the past participle of svíða, meaning “to burn” or “to singe”. In this context, it refers to the clearing of land by burning.
Looking up Scandale, admiring the light beams scanning across the face of High Pike (656 m/2,152 ft).
Heading back down the higher eastern side of the Scandale valley, I equipped my 70–210mm lens for some tight and distant compositions. Fully zoomed in, I was able to pick out the mist clearing from the summits of the Langdale Pikes, on the right, and Bowfell on the left.
My 70–210mm also has a macro mode, which I used to try and capture these beautiful and tiny Cladonia pyxidata lichen.
Lake District sheep get all the best views.
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High Sweden Bridge, Lake District, Spring
It was nice to get a bit of altitude.
It was nice to get a bit of altitude.
I think the last time we hiked the High Sweden Bridge circular was back in June of 2020, just as the UK was starting to come out of the first COVID-19 Lockdown. Wow. Time flies, eh?
With this weekend due to continue its favourable weather conditions, we followed Saturday’s hike around Brough Castle with a longer, more strenuous hike up to High Sweden Bridge in Scandale, above Ambleside. I tell you something: it was so good to finally see the Lakeland fells clearly.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Fujinon 23mm f/2.0 and my adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0 prime lenses. Images developed in RNI Films’ Velvia 100F film profile.
On this occasion we elected to park at one of the free lay-bys before you get into Ambleside proper. This would give us a few extra 1,000 steps or so.
Wansfell Pike (486.9 m/1,597 ft) above Ambleside, clear as a bell in the beautiful light.
We soon found the steep lane that climbs up into Scandale, and the views quickly improved from “This is pretty” to “Bloody hell!”
On the way up, a cute little Robin (Erithacus rubecula) made its presence known to us atop a drystone wall. Didn’t fly or away or anything. Happy to chill and let us take photos.
Soon, High Pike came into our sight, lit up like a beacon in the spring Lake District sun.
Higher and higher the trail went. Astonishingly clear views towards Rydal Water, Loughrigg, Silver How, and the Langdale Fells were enjoyed.
My lovely Lisabet, perched on the ancient packhorse bridge known as High Sweden Bridge.
After crossing High Sweden Bridge, it was time to ascend up the Scandale fell side in order to find the ridge that let back down into Ambleside.
The full extent of Scandale opened up before us. On the eastern side of the valley, a minor footpath continues up the valley to link with Scandale Pass, which takes you onto Kirkstone Pass should you so wish.
When crossing the stile, I paused at the summit of the climb to snap this obvious composition of the drystone wall leading all the way to High Pike.
The Coniston fells come back into view after finding the open ridge back down into Ambleside.
The wonderfully craggy profile of the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, and Crinkle Crags.
A minor sheep track branches off the main trail, heading towards Nab Scar. The skyline of the fells is impossible to resist a photo.
One last peek at the Langdale Pikes before we drop down the fellside into Ambleside.
The long ridge of Wetherlam sinks beneath the bulk of Loughrigg as we descend.
What a fantastic and bizarre looking tree.
Near Low Sweden Bridge, a flock of young Kendal Rough Fells peacefully graze on the new grass.
What a crackin’ day.
High Sweden Bridge, Lake District, Summer
Lockdown restriction continue to relax in the UK.
Lockdown restriction continue to relax in the UK.
From Monday June 15th non-essential businesses can reopen to the public once again, as long as they follow social distancing guidelines. Some of the bigger companies have already started opening up again.
Until then a lot of the country is still in lockdown, although in some of the busier parts it might not seem like it.
Lisabet and I decided recently to venture into the Lake District proper for a solid hike. Typically, during the summer, we would avoid a lot of the Lake District honey pots as they tend to be far too busy. But thanks to the Lake District National Park’s Safer Lakes initiative we were able to see—within half an hour—which car parks in the Lake District were busy and which weren’t, then plan accordingly.
On this occasion we noted that all Ambleside car parks were rated as “Not very busy” with an encouraging green light. Once we arrived we couldn’t believe our eyes. We have never seen this popular Lake District town look so empty, especially in June.
We walked the High Sweden Bridge route from Ambleside, before clambering onto Low Brock Crags and taking the ridge back down the other side of Scandale into Ambleside. The weather treated us very well and the clarity of the light was sensational.
A very dry Stock Ghyll trickling under North Road Bridge. You’ll find a few old watermills along this beck; there were once 12 of them.
We soon started gaining height once we hiked up Kirkstone Road and then onto Sweden Bridge Lane. Ambleside enjoys being surrounded on most sides by fells; in this particular scene, the fell in question is Loughrigg Fell (335 m/1,099 ft).
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) are out in full force now. Here they line the winding Sweden Bridge Lane up Scandale.
A gated field offers a view beyond to Nab Scar (455 m/1,493 ft), Heron Pike (612 m/2,008 ft), and Great Rigg (766 m/2,513 ft).
Zooming in from Sweden Bridge Lane to capture the unmissable shape of the Langdale Pikes, with Bowfell (902 m/2,959 ft) to the left. Below them, underneath Nab Scar, you can just make out Rydal Water.
A single foxglove growing out of the mossy boulders. A lovely composition that I’ve also sort of ruined by completely missing the focus on the flowers. Oh well.
High Sweden Bridge, a centuries old packhorse bridge that crosses Scandale Beck, before the beck drops down a series of falls. In the distance rises the flat-topped Dove Crag (792 m/2,598 ft). The bridge’s name might seem weird; it’s not named after the Scandinavian country. Rather, the word “Sweden” here comes from—that’s right—Old Norse once again: svi∂inn, meaning a burned clearing. Over time, svi∂inn became “swidden”, which in turn became “Sweden”.
Climbing back out of the valley from High Sweden Bridge gives you a better view of the rest of Scandale, and especially Scandale Head, catching the light here.
A wider and more expansive view of Scandale with the sun fully out, shot from underneath Low Brock Crags.
My lovely Lisabet leading the way back down Scandale’s western shoulder, with England’s largest lake Windermere in the distance. A glorious view.
Round here it’s basically impossible to take a “bad” photo.
Looking back up towards Scandale Head with some Highland cows grazing peacefully below.
Where we came from.
And where we were going to.
We gave way to some Highlands cows that were traipsing up the path we were heading down. Gotta give them plenty of room with those horns!
Look at those horns.
Gorgeous beasts.
The path back down to Ambleside, featuring the knuckly and knobbly profile of Loughrigg Fell and then rising even higher in the distance lies Wetherlam (763 m/2502 ft).
A lovely little scene from Low Sweden Bridge as Scandale Beck cascades down a variety of falls.