Grisedale, Lake District, Winter
Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s to a peaceful and gentler 2024.
Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s to a more peaceful and gentle 2024.
Though I’ve enjoyed time off work between Christmas and New Year, it’s not exactly been pleasant. Storm Gerrit washed across the UK, rendering most days miserably wet. There were even tornado warnings, largely unheard of in the UK.
On New Year’s Eve we learned that New Year’s Day promised much nicer conditions, and so we endeavoured to rise early and head into the Lake District for a solid yomp on the first day of 2024.
Conditions were certainly nicer, though you can never predict weather in the Lake District 100%. Hiking along the valley bottom of Grisedale towards the valley’s head, we were washed with wave after wave of fine drizzle. Thankfully, it never rained that hard, and in between the downpours we still managed to nab some glorious photos.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Pentax SMC 28mm F3.5 and Pentax SMC 55mm f2.0 prime lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles, finalised in Photoshop.
Grisedale, Lake District, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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Hayeswater, Lake District, Summer
Here’s one we’ve not been to in quite some time.
Here’s one we’ve not been to in quite some time.
After June’s dry conditions and soaring temperatures, July has been unseasonably cool, stormy, and wet.
A succession of wet weekends exhausted our patience, so Lisabet and I braved the Sunday and head into the Lake District.
The initial plan was for a valley bottom walk around Grisedale, one of my favourite places in all the Lake District. However, as we approached Brothers Water, Lisabet suggested revisiting Hayeswater instead, and I heartily agreed.
The last, and only, time hiked up to Hayeswater was way back in June 2013. A lot has changed in a decade. For a start, despite being 10-years older, we’re both fitter. The hike up to the former reservoir was considerably easier than we remembered it.
Our journey into Hartsop and up to Hayeswater was punctuated with frequent downpours and brief bursts of localised light. It made the going tough, but boy did it make for epic photos.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii with a Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS zoom lens. RAWs were developed and edited using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film emulations.
Hayeswater, Lake District, Summer by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
From Cow Bridge car park, Hartsop Dodd (618 m/2,028 ft) towers over you as you head towards the sleepy little hamlet of Hartsop.
Looking up Patterdale, another squall drenches Place Fell.
After passing through Hartsop, we’re greeted with this view of Gray Crag (699 m/2,293 ft) whilst a small flock of Swaledales eagerly keep their distance from us.
Looking up Pasture Bottom towards Threshthwaite Cove as a small gap in the cloud cover lets some light in.
Beyond Hartsop, the trail quickly gains height, opening up the views back across Patterdale to the Fairfield and Helvellyn fells.
Another big squall soon drenches the Patterdale fells. It would be our turn soon.
With the steeper part of the trail behind us, a brief pause allows me to compose this image of Lisabet heading onwards with Sulphury Gill streaming down the fellside and The Knott (739 m/2,425 ft) rising sharply above.
The ascension ceases. At Hayeswater, I zoom in on the sheer face of High Street (828 m/2,717 ft) as clouds blow across.
Hayeswater is natural in origin, but was dammed in 1908 to supply water for Penrith. In 2005 it ceased to be used as a reservoir, and in the summer of 2014 United Utilities removed the dam, restoring the natural form of the tarn.
We watched as waves of clouds washed across the fell tops.
After stopping for lunch in the pouring rain, we started making our way back down the trail. 250 yds from the tarn, a new bridge crosses the gill that allowed for some nice compositions.
The waves of rain eased off and soon the immense views across Patterdale to the Helvellyn fells revealed themselves to us. To the bottom-right of the image you can see the old Filter House, now a private residence.
Glad to vaguely dry, I started to relax as we made our way down the trail. Beyond, the cloud cover lifted from the fells.
A break in the cloud illuminated the fells, if only for a moment, and I was able to capture this epic scene.
Nearing the valley bottom, the shoulder of Hartsop Dodd is bathed in glorious golden light.
A tighter, zoomed in composition involving a drystone wall, pasture field, and Raven Crag.
Perhaps the finest shot I got from the whole day. A dilapidated barn covered in a carpet of moss with a tree growing out of it. Beyond, a break in the clouds allows an intense burst of light to illuminate Raven Crag.
A true rural Lake District scene with the unmistakeable form of Hartsop Dodd keeping watch. The sky darkens as the clouds drop down and close in again.
We tried a different route back to the car park, passing by this gorgeous cottage as another wet squall starts to close the end of our walk.
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Grisedale, Lake District, Summer
It was time to show Dad the glory of Grisedale.
It was time to show Dad the glory of Grisedale.
With the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee giving us two days holiday, Dad and I were able to spend some time together. We embarked on a hike up Grisedale, an offshoot of the main Patterdale valley near Ullswater. To my mind, Grisedale features one of the greatest valley sceneries in all of the Lake District.
I’ve attempted to show Dad Grisedale before, but the good ol’ Lake District rain has impeded us.
This time, we could not have asked for better conditions.
Please enjoy these glorious scenes. And, if you do like them, consider supporting me.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my new Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105 mm f/2.8–3.8 lens. Developed in Lightroom, finished in Affinity Photo. Grisedale, Lake District, Summer © 2022 by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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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.
Grisedale, Lake District, Spring
Grisedale has to be in my top 3 favourite Lake District valleys.
Grisedale has to be in my top 3 favourite Lake District valleys.
I have a fairly troubled history with this place. The last time both Lisabet and I visited it was the middle of summer on a clear and hot day. We hiked all the way from the foot of the valley to Grisedale Tarn and back down. About 7 miles and 1,300 ft of ascent. In mid-20s heat, with no wind or clouds. Whilst being 23/24 stone. I suffered on that walk, and stumbled a lot on the way back down, which angered me.
Now I’m 7-stone lighter, much fitter, and mentally better. It was time to revisit this gorgeous valley, especially as it’s my birthday weekend (38 years on this planet, goodness).
Grisedale is a tributary valley of Patterdale, located in the north-eastern Lake District. Not to be confused with Grizedale Forest, which I’ve also been to. There’s quite a few Grisedale in Cumbria and North Yorkshire, and the etymology is the same: Old Norse gris meaning “pig” or “boar”, and Old Norse dalr meaning “valley”, giving us “valley of the boars”.
Most people access Grisedale for the purposes of summitting Helvellyn via Striding Edge, one of the “classic” Lakeland fells for thrill-seekers. But Grisedale itself has so much to offer, especially the views toward the head of the valley, featuring the craggy faces of Nethermost Pike (891 m/2,923 ft) and Dollywaggon Pike (858 m/2,815 ft), both ultimately subsidiary tops of Helvellyn itself (950 m/3,118 ft).
We arrived good and early, pre-8am. By the time we returned to the car, the car park was full as well as all the lay-bys and roads around Ullswater.
This summer is going to be insanely busy.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Developed using RNI’s E100G film profile.
Gowbarrow Fell, Lake District, Spring
Spring conditions are somewhat changeable at the moment.
Spring conditions are somewhat changeable at the moment.
Lisabet and I have been somewhat fortunate with this week-long extended Easter break. The first few days were relatively balmy for Cumbria, peaking at around 15°C. By Good Friday an “arctic blast” was arriving from the north, and temperatures quickly dropped by around 10°C or so. Despite the swing in climate conditions, the sky has remained consistently free of clouds.
This changed today and forecasts were warning of intermittent, and possibly heavy, snow squalls drifting through the county. We had originally planned for a hike around one of our favourite valleys, Mallerstang, but a sudden rush of inspiration from Lisabet meant heading up and over Kirkstone Pass towards Ullswater.
We quickly charted a route above the epic Aira Force, stopping to pay a quick visit to High Force, then out of the woods beyond High Cascades and up onto the shoulder of Gowbarrow Fell (481 m/1,578 ft). Then we would summit at Airy Crag, observe the Ullswater Way all the way around the eastern shoulder of the fell, and follow the track down the hill’s southern face, with sweeping views of Ullswater and the Helvellyn fells all the way.
What followed was an experience that ranked in our top three fell walks of all time. Absolutely glorious.
The only downside is that not long after starting the ascent up Gowbarrow Fell, my camera ran out of battery charge. I very much assumed I had enough charge, but temperatures barely above freezing point quickly saw to that. Thankfully my Google Pixel 3XL can shoot RAW files, which I relied on for the rest of the hike.
This is a fell we will definitely be revisiting, especially in late-summer when all the lovely pink heather will be blooming.
Photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2, using a Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens and Laowa 9mm f/2.8 lens, as well as my Google Pixel 3XL. Developed using RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.