Showing posts with label Derwent water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Derwent water. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Lake District Derwentwater Oct 7 2018

It is Saturday evening, I have got home from work and with the van already packed and ready to go we are driving straight up to the lakes , heading to Great wood on  Derwentwater .   I checked on the highways website for roadworks on the a66 , they are closed east bound but open west bound until 8pm so we should be ok.   The matrix signs on the m6 were saying the same so we continued past junction 36 and heading up to j40,  the next matrix sign said a66 closed BOTH directions!!!!   wtf!

Cutting a very long story short, after driving around clueless on different diversions going nowhere,  I found a route from j41 that went through back roads to come out at Mungrisdale , which is an area I know a bit , its only a couple minutes to get back on the Keswick road from there,  good job this van is not too big.

        Eventually we have parked up and I get the camera out to shoot a couple of astro shots.

                                                  5dsr    f4 , 25 secs  iso 2400




The following morning I have got up early to try shoot a sunrise over Derwentwater with the drone,  its just too cloudy but will try anyhow as the wind is forecast to get very strong later today so this may well be my only chance to fly.

                                                     Chester doesn't merge in very well  !




                                       Which way should we go?     straight on I think...…





Up with the Drone,   its not the weather I had hoped for, but I can try and get a couple of images.

                                                                   9 frame panorama




Taking a look at the small island, named St Herberts island   .   I have noticed the blue/green algae blooms around the island and  out across the calm surface.





                 Taking the drone down low for a closer look...…………..





                                            Topdown directly over the patterns on the surface.
           There are warning signs around the lake warning of this algae as it is poisonous to dogs.

                    It makes for a good abstract with the algae and cloud reflections in the image.





                                              A 2 frame merge over the end of the island.






                           7 frame Vertorama from 400ft clearly showing the algae formations.





                         18 frames merged together for this topdown view of the entire island.





                   Time to land now having used two batteries, a walk to Ashness bridge now.
              Mollster crossing a wooden bridge, not her favourite to walk over it has to be said.





                                       We are heading to Ashness bridge ,  which way Jan?
                                                and I haven't brought my camera.  Doh!





                           Ashness Bridge, one of the most photographed views in the Lakes.

                                                        Think Mollster likes it ………….






                                         Nice to see a glimmer of sun on the fells behind.





                                                                     Jan snapped me  haha





Time to go back to the van now for lunch, then wait to see what the weather does.  forecast is for heavy rain and gale force winds.
As predicted , Its been chucking it down all afternoon,  but has cleared up enough to walk down to the lake.




       Its wild down here , blowing a gale and raining again.   We are almost getting blown over!









                                                                    Back to the van now....




The following morning we are driving back through the lakes,  and decided to stop of at Grasmere on the way.
Parking up in the layby below Helm Crag,  a walk through the village and maybe around part of the lake.




                                     Autumn is approaching fast,  trees are colouring up now .





                  The sun is breaking through the thick cloud now and again, lighting up the fells.





                                                        The sun illuminating Helm Crag.





               A lovely view through a garden looking towards Helm Crag still with the sun on it.





 Time to head back to the van for lunch now, and then home.  After two last shots with the long lens as the light rakes across the fellside trees.








Where will we go next then ?

Thursday, 5 February 2015

A Snowy Lakes Trip Jan19 2015

There had been a good snow fall a few days ago up in the Lake district, so i decided to go for a walk around Thirlmere/Helvelyn.  Arriving at the Swirls car park i start my walk over the wooden bridge going up the Helvelyn path as i have always done , Mollster hasn't been up here , but not sure how far we will get today as the conditions don't look too good up top.



                                Making the steep climb up looking down the valley below .


                                                             Sun shining on Skiddaw.


 The steep slopes above Thirlmere.  plenty of snow on Armboth fell (i think)  and the surrounding fells opposite.



                                                        Mol rolling in the snow :)     yay


                          Looking up towards Browncove Crags , looks like it is snowing!


                                          Time to pose Mollster  , great view from up here :)


                                              The view Without a posing Mutt!!!!!!!   lol


       Upwards we go , its getting a bit icy for my micro spikes!  the wind has blown all the loose snow away leaving compacted snow/ice.    I have decided to stop here and turn back as i don't feel its safe to carry on!    its a shame after reaching  2,467 ft and almost getting near the top of the steepest section before it levels off , but !  the steep ice here it too dangerous for me to come back down safely. A couple of other climbers have also decided to go back also , except one young girl without any equipment , spikes or crampons who has continued with another climber!!!!!!!  stupid!


                                               Snow blowing in from the right now.


                                   Stopping on way down to shoot the fells :)  blue sky now.


                                            The wind has chiseled the snow into patterns





                                                              More posings Mol :)


                                 Sun lights up the snow on the foreground boulder :)


 Almost back down , i think i will head into Keswick to the Chippy , then Castle Rig stone circle.



 I have now arrived at the stone circle, i have always struggled to get good images from here , the snow on the fells with the blue sky looks great today :)




 Looking in the opposite direction, the light on the fells is awesome!    i quickly put my long 100-400 lens on and shoot this, my favourite image of the day so far .

the fells are, Thanks to Ray for naming these fells ;)    the long lens has compressed the field of view bringing the furthermost fells closer.


      Catbells (451m), Robinson (737m), High Stile (807m) & Red Pike (755m) on the horizon.




                                   And looking past the stone circle to the sunlit fells beyond!



                                       panorama of the circle  view larger HERE
  


                                                   Thick cloud over the fell tops now.




  A long exposure of 125 seconds 17mm wide angle as the sun starts to get lower and colour up the clouds a touch.


Looking across to Derwent water and the sun getting lower i must get going to see if i can shoot the sunset over the lake.
The sun is setting now and looks like it might be a nice one, so i am going to drive down to Keswick again and walk to Friars crag to shoot over  Derwent water.      Arriving just in time , the sun is setting already so i have not got time to walk to Friars crag ,its a better vantage point near the landing stages, so i quickly set up tripod and Lee filters to shoot long exposures with the Big stopper.

There are loads of seagulls and ducks on the water in front of me but the long exposure ghosts them out of view :)

                                                                  39 seconds f13 iso 200


I should have left Mollster in the car , she is pulling to get to the ducks that someone is feeding and as i was kneeling down framing an image, she has just pulled me over!!!!!!!!!  Arghhhhhhhhh



                 I have put the long lens on to fill the frame with colour,  really like the result :D


                                                          35 seconds f11 iso 200




                                                          105 seconds  f11 iso 200



                                                    The end of a great day in the lakes :)