Photographing The Lake District

Product Information

Side Pike is a fell with a distinctive slope on the right and it’s one I often like to include. While on the left there are some beautiful Scots pine right on the water’s edge which frame the tarn wonderfully on that side. Rydal Water is a small lake situated only a couple of miles north west of the village of Ambleside. As such, it’s an easy location to get to, and the access and parking is pretty good. There are quite a few good viewpoints you can head for, so I’ve listed a few of my favourites here. I’d advise arriving around the earlier part of the day, and sunrise in particular, for the best light and conditions. Viewpoint 1 (Shoreline) Viewpoint 1 (Shoreline)

Park in the same area, but this time, instead of following the shoreline path, take the route that forks off to the left. This path leads up onto Loughrigg Fell via Rydal Caves. The views constantly improve as you gain elevation, but it should only take you around 25 to 30 minutes of steady walking to reach the first (lower) plateau of the fell, which gives expansive views over Rydal Water. Meanwhile, a short walk away at Crow Park, is a wooden gate and wire fence that provides a great subject when partly submerged by high water. Walk to Friars Crag too and explore the views south to the jaws of Borrowdale. When you are shooting lakeside, the best conditions are typically still, cool, misty mornings and Derwentwater is a great morning location throughout the year. 2. Ashness Launch I hope my top ten locations for landscape photography in the Lake District will prove a great starting point for when you visit, but this article barely scratches the surface. While there is plenty to explore in the Penrith and eastern areas of the lakes, Ullswater is the jewel in the crown. Being approx. 9-miles in length, it is the second largest lake in the Lake District.There are some fantastic elevated views to the southern end of Rydal Water from Whitemoss Common, and the effort needed to reach them is minimal. Park in the Whitemoss (pay and dispay) car park, on the right hand side of the road as you travel along the A591 from Ambleside. Covered are lakes, tarns, jetties, bridges, valleys, waterfalls, woodlands, villages, cottages and farmhouses, grand panoramic viewpoints, shows and events, historic houses, castles and gardens. This edition also includes two outliers, St Bees Head on the west coast and the Appleby Horse Fair. My advice would be to not set too rigid a plan, and try to think of locations that will work in differing conditions. The colours of the fells are always great at this time of year. Maybe look for locations where you can exclude the sky and give more prominence to the colours of the trees and fells.

In this guide, I share plenty of Lake District landscape photography tips to get you started. I’ve also included seven of my favorite locations. Of course, in a place as beautiful as the Lake District, it’s impossible to mention every awe-inspiring view, so I highly recommend you spend some time exploring the area on your own. Dropping 20 metres through a forest of towering trees, Aira Force is a powerful waterfall in a lovely setting that is a perfect family day out in the Lake District.For the many walkers that visit, it’s the chance to get away from the urban environment and explore the region’s unspoilt peaks and fells. With four mountains reaching over 3000 ft, and many more with spectacular viewpoints over the various valleys and lakes, there’s a challenge available to suit everyone’s ability level. When the tarn isn’t frozen you can catch some interesting reflections. Take care around the water’s edge as the ground around the tarn is very wet and boggy. Buttermere is a beautiful lake set in a remote part of the Lake District. In the rain and wind, the mighty crags that surround it form a forbidding barrier to other valleys. But, on a calm day, some of the best lake district views unfold before you. In my opinion, the first couple of hours of daylight are best. If you can get them, still conditions and clearing mist make for some wonderful atmospheric images. However, if you can keep rain off the lens, damp, murky conditions (which tend to be quite frequent in the Lake District!) can also work quite well, in conjunction with long exposures to smooth out the lake surface.