Rydal Water Autumn Reflections oct 29th 2012

A glorious sunny morning was forecast, with light cloud in the afternoon, so with the autumn colours really good now another trip up to the lakes seemed like a good idea.    the waterfalls at Stock Ghyll near Ambleside are one of my favourites so hopefully i could shoot them first thing then go off somewhere else.
leaving early i have missed the worst of the m6 traffic and arrived in the lakes . it is about 9 o'clock and windermere is like a mirror with mist hanging low above the water. i think since the conditions are perfect for reflection images i will leave the waterfalls until this afternoon and will take a look at Rydal and Grasmere first to see if i can get the colourful trees reflected in the flat calm water, hopefully:)
i have parked the car at Pelter bridge at the end of Rydal water, mist is hanging over the fields behind me and the sun is breaking through nicely :)   crossing the bridge i start walking up the road towards the lake, hoping that it is not rippled . i get my first glimpse of the lake and it is looking perfect, the colours are wonderful.  i set up my first image from the roadside, putting up the tripod on the stone wall . the view is superb and this is probably the best image of the day, but will let you all decide on that!

this is looking like its going to be a really good day :D , the light is wonderful for a few minutes, here is a slightly different view taken from a little further along the road, the famous "Rydal oak" reflected in the water looks superb this morning. it has been a few years since i have seen it with its golden leaves still on, i always miss them!

as i continue down the road towards the boathouse where i can get down near the water the reflections are looking great . i usually walk over the top of Loughrigg fell opposite  but wont get any reflections from that side as the road runs all the way along the lake.

i have made my way down onto the fields that run along the waters edge.  the ground is very wet underfoot around the overgrown boathouse, and i have just soaked my foot!   Arghhhh      Loughrigg fell looks great in the early morning sun ,it would have been a good walk up there today with superb views over Elterwater and beyond :)    but i have these awsome reflections to shoot.

turning towards Pelter bridge the mist is hanging over the fells , with the sun in the wrong place it was hard to get a decent image but this one is not too bad. there is a Heron on the small island fishing

moving along the small field section i can now use my 70-300mm lens to get these reflection images, including a couple of panoramas .  this is amazing to see, the lakes at its best :)

                                                              view Panorama Large  HERE

     a full wide view , pity the sun was behind a cloud and not lighting up the trees as in above image!

 another panorama image, slightly different composition to the previous one, i cant believe no other photographers are here  , it will not stay flat like this for very long! and i have just spotted there is another Heron on the far bank, must be plenty of small fish for them as have seen quite a few today.

As the sun is getting higher it is now not hitting the far side , but the bank further down where i have just walked past is now in the sun and as i can see the cloud building i need to be quick to get a last few shots before the light goes.  walking towards the boathouse , i take a low level shot with the grasses in the foreground.

             using the long lens to show the colours, this shows the beauty of the autumn in the lakes

the last remnants of the mist are now just disappearing , but the sun is now lighting up some of the trees and the fell side whereas the far side is now in the shade.

                          zooming into the distance the cloud is breaking up around the trees:)

                    the last glimpse of the sun in this image, soon to be obscured by cloud:(

the sun has now been hidden by all the encroaching cloud, what a shame but the colours still look good as i walk back towards the car park.

    i will now go back to Ambleside and head up to Stock ghyll falls for the afternoon, this morning has been wonderful walking in the early morning sun with amazing views :D