Hull Pot, Yorkshire Dales, Winter
A month since my last post.
A month since my last post.
I do apologise.
The weather in January has been, well, shocking to say the least. We endured three named storms: Henk, Isha, and Jocelyn. Isha, in particular, was one of the most powerful storms the British Isles have seen since 2000.
Additionally, we’ve had periods of below freezing temperatures, resulting in widespread ice.
It’s been… interesting.
Thankfully, the weekend just gone, it was nice enough for us to finally head out. We chose the Hull Pot route from Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales. I had an inkling that there’d still be some snow liggin’ about in the Dales, contributing to a water-saturated landscape and, hopefully, a waterfall flowing into Hull Pot.
And we finally saw it.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Pentax SMC 28mm F3.5, Pentax SMC 55mm f2.0, and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC prime lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom, edited and finalised in Photoshop.
Hull Pot, Yorkshire Dales, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The characteristic drystone walls of the Yorkshire Dales remained steadfast in the face of all the snow we’ve had recently, resulting in these snowdrifts piled up against them.
Our way forward. We knew on this day that there’d only be 2-3 hours of good light, and boy was it dramatic.
Looking back at where we came from. We were very much on the edge of two weather systems. Conditions over Horton-in-Ribblesdale saw blue skies and puffy clouds, but closer to Pen-y-Ghent it was blowy, dark, and stormy, giving us epic light.
A good sign: A small waterfall where there usually isn’t at Horton Scar. Above, Pen-y-Ghent fights with the dark and stormy clouds.
Further up the bridleway, the site of an extinct waterfall below Pen-y-Ghent, which is now obscured by clouds laden with snow. A burst of sun to our right picks out the details in the land.
And there she is, finally ticked off my bucket list. England’s largest natural hole, Hull Pot, with Hull Pot Beck tumbling down 60ft into the chasm. As mentioned before on this blog, Hull Pot is a large cave where the roof has collapsed, which has resulted in this massive chasm below Pen-y-Ghent. With my ultra-wide 14mm equipped, I was able to capture the entire scene.
We clambered as close to the waterfall as possible as it crashed over the edge into Hull Pot. As I had no tripod, I shot this with my ultra-wide 14mm at f/22, taking multiple exposures of the same scene. In post, I then averaged the exposures together that gave me that long exposure effect on the water.
Looking up Hull Pot Beck and its many cascades. By the normal way of things, this beck is dry as it usually disappears into the maze of caves beneath Pen-y-Ghent before it reaches Hull Pot. With all the rain and snow we’ve had, the beck was able to complete its route, crashing 60ft down into Hull Pot and re-emerging at the surface nearer Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
A different view of Hull Pot from its eastern end. Two boulders balance precariously on the lip of the pot.
At around 450 m/1,476 ft above sea level, a few snow patches have lingered around the edges of Hull Pot, allowing for some interesting compositional leading lines.
A particularly clean snow patch nearer the falls gives me an idea for a composition involving Pen-y-Ghent in the distance. Fellow hikers milling about the edge of Hull Pot give you a sense of scale of this place.
Heading back down to the village, signs were clear that the best of the day’s light were done as the storm clouds rolled in. We were thankful to get what we did, though.
Did you enjoy these photos?
Kendal, Cumbria, Winter
Winter has arrived rather abruptly.
Winter has arrived rather abruptly.
After a week of near- and sub-zero temperatures, the weekend arrived and the snow fell. In Kendal, conditions didn’t seem too bad so we decided to hop int’ car and head into the Lake District proper for some lovely snowy mountain photography.
At Ambleside, we quickly decided we should turn back.
The further we drove into the Lake District, the heavier the snow was. We decided the sensible thing was to turn back and return home. Ultimately, this turned out to be the correct decision. The central and southern Lake District area was buried in snow. 5,000 people have been left without power, and cars have been dumped where they stand, with people seeking temporary shelter.
Today we woke up to a snow covered Kendal. So, we donned our winter gear and some sturdy boots to have a waltz around town whilst we got some errands done.
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.
Kendal, Cumbria, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
My Lisabet, immediately digs in and cleans up for the good of the neighbourhood.
Virgin snow in the courtyard.
Looking back down the cobbled yard to our place. An almost timeless scene.
Families were out in full, making snowmen, throwing snowballs, and sledding on hills.
Abbott Hall, its grounds covered in snow. I love the symmetry of this composition.
The sky attempted to brighten up, but to no avail.
Pleasing shapes and lines created by fresh snow on a winding garden fence.
The picturesque Nether Bridge. I love how timeless this scene is.
Heading back home via Kirkland, the old part of Kendal town. The main road’s been cleared, but I’m sure lots of the minor country roads are still suffering.
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Cunswick Scar, Cumbria, Winter
The first snow of the season has arrived.
The first snow of the season has arrived.
Fortunately—living where I do—there are plenty of quick routes one can take from the town centre to ascend some nearby hills and check out the expansive wintery views.
The Lake District fells? Howgills? Barbondale fells?
They did not disappoint.
Atmosphere was clean and clear. You could almost reach out and touch the mountains.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom lens. Shot using the Classic Chrome film simulation, edited in Capture One for iPad and finalised in Affinity Photo 2 for iPad.
Cunswick Scar, Cumbria, Winter by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
We’ve had a week of sub-zero temperatures, resulting in snow. It’s also largely been dry and completely clear, so it was no wonder lots of other people (and their furry friends) were out and about enjoying the views.
My lovely Lisabet, enjoying the beautiful light and atmosphere of the Kentmere fells.
For others, the outdoors are best enjoyed whilst exercising.
Up on the summit of Cunswick Scar, the Coniston Fells positively glow with snow.
Zooming out to capture the entire expanse of the Lake District fells. Not all of it covered in snow as of yet.
However, looking towards the Howgills… wow. Clouds washing over them like a waterfall. Glorious light, highlighting the beautiful contours of the Howgills.
Navigating the steep path around Helsfell Nab towards these barns was… tricky. A popular trail means compacted snow that became frozen over and over again.
Only about 1pm at this point, but already the sun was setting and drenching the land in warm winter light.
Back down to the beautiful Auld Grey Town.
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Scout Scar, Lake District, Winter
On Saturday just gone, my Dad celebrated his 68th birthday!
On Saturday just gone, my Dad celebrated his 68th birthday!
Do you know what else happened on that day? Storm Arwen arrived. And it brought with it sustained winds of over 60mph with gusts approaching 100mph. Ultimately it caused power cuts for tens of thousands of homes across the UK as trees were torn from their roots and slammed into power lines.
In Kendal, we were one of the lucky ones. So rather than try to get to Dad’s house for his birthday, which involves driving over the A6 or M6 at altitudes several hundreds of metres above sea level, we postponed the get-together for Sunday.
This was fortuitous because as Saturday blended into Sunday, Storm Arwen left and snow arrived. By the time Dad arrived in Kendal, a fresh coating of powdery snow had packaged Cumbria in wintery goodness. What to do? Go on a walk, of course!
So we hiked up an old favourite, Scout Scar, to get some crackin’ winter views across to the Lakeland fells. And surely we did.
A smashing day all round.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Fujinon 23mm f/2.0 prime lens. Images were developed with RNI’s Fortia SP film profile, then finished off in Affinity Photo.
The goal initially was to drive up to, and park at, the main Scout Scar car park. We had to abandon this, though, as the entrance to it was slick with slushy ice and compacted snow. Instead, we navigated up Brigsteer Road and began the hike at the lay-bys behind Scout Scar. Already, the light was looking delicious.
My lovely Lisabet and my Dad, taking in the scenery in their own ways. Far, far in the distance are the comely shapes of the Howgills, covered in fresh snow.
It wasn’t long until we came across our first sledging family, excitedly pulling their sledge back up the fell side for another ride.
As we gain height, the views looking back across Kendal to the Howgills open up. Our excitement builds. The day is crystal clear.
And there they are, the Lakeland fells, covered in the first of 2021’s snow.
Storm Arwen made damn sure there were no autumnal leaves left on the trees. A landscape of auburn and yellow has quickly been replaced with fresh white snow.
My lovely Lisabet, glowing as she does.
The Kentmere and Longsleddale fells, in particular, were looking absolutely stunning. Mountains really do look taller with snow on them, don’t they?
I’ve been up Scout Scar so many times. I never get sick of the views from its precipice.
Something else I never get sick off: Lisabet’s hair.
Windswept trees, stripped bare of their leaves as the sun begins to set.
As we began our way back down the fell, there were still plenty of people making their way up.
Clouds laden with snow quickly started to form over Kendal.
The setting sun managed to creep underneath the gathering clouds, shooting beams of golden light across the tree tops.
A crackin’ end to a lovely day.
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.
We parked in a National Trust lay-by not too far from Glencoyne Bay. I had a quick wander down towards the shore of Ullswater, knowing that at this time of year there’d be daffodils aplenty nearby. I weren’t wrong.
It was a gusty day, with the thermometer rarely reaching above 4°C. The wind chill factor pushed that number below freezing, feeling very raw on the face. Fortunately it made light conditions very changeable, which I always really enjoy. I adore watching the light scan and caress the fells.
In the woods of the Aira Force gorge, with one of my favourite trees in view. It puts me in mind of a pair of tights sagging down to the ankles.
Understandably the footpath around Aira Force woods is one way, which we made short work of. From the small stone bridge above the waterfall, my 9mm ultra wide lens allows an expansive and unique view of the drop down to the plunge pool and beyond. The usual viewing area below the waterfall is currently blocked off, as the National Trust who own the land here are currently working on a new and stronger viewing platform.
Beyond the main show that is Aira Force, one can take a quick detour off the main footpath to get this view of High Force.
This photo marks the change from my Fujifilm X-T2 to my Google Pixel 3XL. As we ascended up the western shoulder of Gowbarrow Fell, it became increasingly difficult to stop looking back at the evolving panorama behind us. Ullswater, and the Patterdale and Helvellyn fells.
Not only that, the higher we climbed the more we could see of the Northern Fells. Here I utilised the wooden marker as a compositional aid, pointing towards Blencathra (868 m/2,848 ft).
And eventually… summit! This is Airy Crag, the peak of Gowbarrow Fell. The views are expansive and exceptional; from here it’s easy to pick out not just the northern fells of the Lake District but also right across the Eden valley to the Northern Pennines. That also meant we could see the dark clouds steadily moving towards us.
The view from the summit towards the Helvellyn massif.
And the northern fells of Blencathra and Skiddaw.
As we started to round Gowbarrow’s eastern shoulder, the snow squalls came thick and fast.
But whenever a snow squall did pass, we were immediately rewarded with a burst of sun light.
Near Collier Hagg we found a nice crag to sit on and eat some lunch whilst admiring the views. Looking east across the Eden valley, it was easy to make out the North Pennines getting absolutely hammered by the rain and snow.
As we started to make our way towards the southern face of Gowbarrow, near the Memorial Seat, this view opened up that quite literally made me shout an expletive! A moment Lisabet and I will never forget.
I had to take a vertical composition as well.
We came off the Ullswater Way to admire the views down Ullswater towards the Patterdale and Helvellyn fells. Truly incredible scenes.
My poor Pixel’s attempt at a “zoom” photo. It’ll do.
Pandemic Peregrinations: Helsington Barrows, Cumbria, Winter
It’s amazing the difference 24-hours can make.
It’s amazing the difference 24-hours can make.
Yesterday we were hiking through mist and fog with a landscape covered in frost and snow.
Today a lot of the frost has melted, the sun was out, and the atmosphere was crystal clear.
So this time we did one of our favourite local hikes. From the front door, up Captain French Lane and onto Brigsteer Road, then follow the road up towards Helsington Barrows. Here we came off the road to explore a new discovery of ours, Warriner’s Wood. We’ve mentally bookmarked this area for spring and summer, but we thought we’d have a wander through the woods now. It were really quite pretty.
Popping back out of the woods we crossed the road onto Helsington Barrows and began the long ascent up to Scout Scar. And it was at the summit that we were simply floored by the spectacle of the Lake District fells covered in snow. Not only were they beautifully coated in the white stuff, but the atmosphere was so crystal clear you felt you could reach out and touch the fells. Incredible.
I hope you manage to get a sense of the awe and wonder we experienced through these photos.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using both my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 and Laowa 9mm f/2.8 lenses. Developed using one of RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.
Berries have been replaced with flowers made of ice.
The road through Warriner’s Woods. You can see the stile on the left; this is the way into the woods on foot.
Had to snap this moss-covered tree with some sort of vine crawling up it.
Another interesting sight. Is it five separate trees, sharing the same root system? Or one tree that’s split into five? I couldn’t say, but I know I’ve never seen owt like it. Here’s a photo of me climbing into the bowl of the trees.
Same tree, different angle.
Still some nice pops of colour about in Warriner’s Wood.
Out of the woods we cross the road and up onto Helsington Barrows, following the trail up to Scout Scar.
The views open up the higher we climb. Looking back at the way we came, I frame this shot of Lisabet with the wonderful snow-covered shapes of the Howgills in the distance.
This was the view that made both me and Lisabet cuss in awe. Probably the clearest I’ve ever seen the Lake District fells from Scout Scar.
Life… finds a way.
Once we arrived at the cairn we followed the edge of Scout Scar northwards towards Hodgson’s Leap, snapping happily along the way.
I whipped out my 9mm ultra-wide lens for some vast and expansive compositions.
Probably my favourite shot from the day: a little tree growing out of the limestone crags of Scout Scar, still with some frosting on its branches.
Near Hodgson’s Leap with a sheer drop down to the Lyth Valley below.
Looking back the way we came. The atmosphere was so clear we could see all the way out to Morecambe Bay, which seemed to be experiencing a more overcast day.
Heading back into Kendal, down my favourite road: Beast Banks.
If I’ve got my 9mm ultra-wide lens with me I rarely resist a composition of Kendal town hall.