The best photographic locations in the Lake District

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Hi all

We're going to Ambleside for a week mid Sept armed with mountain bikes and camera gear.

I'm unlikely to take much if any camera stuff on the bike with me so (for my wifes sanity) time will probably be equally divided between photos and biking.

So, I'm after the best locations to capture some of the most magical landscapes the Lakes have to offer. And where better to ask such a question than here :)

In fact if anyone knows some great biking routes there that would be pretty handy too ;)

Thanks in advance

Mark
 
Hi,

I'm also going up to the lakes soon, and was asking the same question. Sorry to hijack your post Mark, but will act as a bump as well.

I know all of the lakes is beautiful, but am looking for some inspiration and focus so I don't just take photos of everything I see!!

Any help appreciated,

Dom
 
Wow, big ask, the whole of the Lakes is a photo opportunity. I always find Buttermere to be a lovely place, the view from Catbells is excellent and not too strenuous a climb, Langdale is great as well.
Might be an idea to search the landscape section for Lakes photos and see which areas look good to you.

Cheers

Andy
 
Does anyone have the postcode for surprise view. Couldn't find it last time.
 
mattyg said:
Does anyone have the postcode for surprise view. Couldn't find it last time.
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Postcodes are only given to houses, not bits of rock. Can give you a grid reference if you like. That's assuming you mean the Surprise View in Borrowdale, not the one in Patterdale, Wasdale, Langdale, near Coniston or anywhere else that townie trippers have suddenly discovered.

(Alternatively park near Ashness Bridge, and just go exploring. You'll find it. There's more than one spot.)

As to OP. Lakes is full of biking routes. Just go! Try Claife Heights for bikes and cameras, and if you can ride the descent to Belle Grange I'll buy you a pint.
 
mickledore said:
Postcodes are only given to houses, not bits of rock. Can give you a grid reference if you like. That's assuming you mean the Surprise View in Borrowdale, not the one in Patterdale, Wasdale, Langdale, near Coniston or anywhere else that townie trippers have suddenly discovered.

(Alternatively park near Ashness Bridge, and just go exploring. You'll find it. There's more than one spot.)

As to OP. Lakes is full of biking routes. Just go! Try Claife Heights for bikes and cameras, and if you can ride the descent to Belle Grange I'll buy you a pint.
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I went there years ago and I'm sure there was a left turn off the main road that went immediately up hill. Somewhere between keswick and ??? I'm sure there was a house hence the postcode.

Like I said its been a damn long time. 20 yrs or more.

Its daft really as the folks had a static in Threlkeld for yrs.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, I have no problem with obvious, overdone shots, as I haven't done them yet!!

Also, I'm a keen walker, so any hikes to photo opportunities would be great.

Problem with the lakes is it all looks good! I just know that if I go without a plan, I'll end up with hundreds of mediocre pics, rather than a couple of great ones.

Thanks again,

Dom
 
Oh should have mentioned, any good bad weather locations as well. Chances are it won't stop raining!!
 
Top of my list is Buttermere, especially if yoa make the effort to climb a little - Haystacks is the easiest and one of the best viewpoints in the area.

The Langdales are also pretty special..in fact most of it is although for me, despite it been extremely popular, Windermere is overrated

Simon
 
Like Andy said the whole of the area is one big photo opportunity.

If you really want to, you can go to the same places as all the other blokes with tripods and cameras, and take the same photos they're taking. But they probably won't look as good as the ones you see on postcards and posters everywhere, because you probably won't have the perfect light that is so rare in the Lakes. I've been to Ashness Bridge literally dozens of times and never managed to get decent light for the view.

Or you can go somewhere else and make your own luck.

This is from the Loughrigg Terrace, between Ambleside and Grasmere. It's no effort to get to, but out of peak season you hardly see more than a handful of people there.

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This was from the top of Low Fell on a glorious summer day and we didn't see any other people all day.

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Depends what you want, really.
 
CA12 4SQ Is the post code for the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld, at the foot of Blencathra, and 4 miles outside of Keswick.
 
We used to drink in Salutaion Inn pretty much next door I think.

That Low Fell shot is simply stunning.
 
50 yards away, was in both on Sunday. First time in 32 years, which was the last time I did Blencathra.
 
If you are staying in Ambleside you have to give Blea Tarn in Langdlae a go.Stunning location.

Here's a nice drive for you-Leave Ambleside and head for Keswick.You will pass Rydal Water,Grasmere and Thirlmere on the way.When in Keswick head for Borrowdale.You can have a nice drive alongside Derwent Water.Keep going and you will go over Honistor Pass.This will drop you down onto Buttermere and then Crummock Water.Pull into the Kirkstile Inn for some lunch at the end of Crummock water.Head past Loweswater and then head for the coast.Follow the coast past St Bees and then head back inland to check out Wastwater.Finish it off with a trip over Hardnott and Wrynose pass back into Langdale and then the short drive back into Ambelside.A stunning drive and you will see lots of locations that you will want to re-visit.
Don't forget that Ullswater is only a short drive over Kirkstone pass from Ambelside.

Cheers
Gary
 
mattyg said:
Does anyone have the postcode for surprise view. Couldn't find it last time.
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Really easy to find.Take the Keswick to Borrowdale road.Take the turn for Ashness Bridge/Watendlath Tarn.Drive up the hill and over Ashness Bridge.Carry on past the first car park and up through the woods.You will then come to a bit of a clearing with a car park.Park here.The viewpoint is about 50 yards away.
The road only goes to Watendlath Tarn and then stops so you can't really go wrong on the road.It's actually worth driving into Watendlath.Nice little Tarn with a NT car park.

cheers
Gary
 
vulcan2912 said:
If you are staying in Ambleside you have to give Blea Tarn in Langdlae a go.Stunning location.

Here's a nice drive for you-Leave Ambleside and head for Keswick.You will pass Rydal Water,Grasmere and Thirlmere on the way.When in Keswick head for Borrowdale.You can have a nice drive alongside Derwent Water.Keep going and you will go over Honistor Pass.This will drop you down onto Buttermere and then Crummock Water.Pull into the Kirkstile Inn for some lunch at the end of Crummock water.Head past Loweswater and then head for the coast.Follow the coast past St Bees and then head back inland to check out Wastwater.Finish it off with a trip over Hardnott and Wrynose pass back into Langdale and then the short drive back into Ambelside.A stunning drive and you will see lots of locations that you will want to re-visit.
Don't forget that Ullswater is only a short drive over Kirkstone pass from Ambelside.

Cheers
Gary
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Done that drive and variations a few times over the years, best done at a quiet time as these days the are some poor drivers on those country roads
 
walks - for some good views down the valleys including some lakes you could do Ambleside to Loughrigg and drop down to the terrace for the views to Grasmere and walk bak via Rydal water in to Ambleside. Or park up in Eltermere and walk to chaple stile up to Silver Howe and back towards loughrigg terrace and drop back down to elterwater, great views again including various waters in the shots.
 
vulcan2912 said:
Really easy to find.Take the Keswick to Borrowdale road.Take the turn for Ashness Bridge/Watendlath Tarn.Drive up the hill and over Ashness Bridge.Carry on past the first car park and up through the woods.You will then come to a bit of a clearing with a car park.Park here.The viewpoint is about 50 yards away.
The road only goes to Watendlath Tarn and then stops so you can't really go wrong on the road.It's actually worth driving into Watendlath.Nice little Tarn with a NT car park.

cheers
Gary
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Thanks

I knew it was off a road:bang::lol:


May take a trip up there next week.
 
mattyg said:
Thanks

I knew it was off a road:bang::lol:


May take a trip up there next week.
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It's actually a b****r of a place to take a decent photo from.Very little in the way of decent foreground.It is a stunning view.It just doesn't look that spectacular in photographs.
A couple of very poor efforts from the archives.
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Cheers
Gary
 
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Sorry guys NON of those shots convinced me NOT to go and try and shoot them.:D

They look really good. I take on board the foreground issue though. Time to play with 12-24mm.

Really like the boathouse one
 
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If you want shots of Skiddaw and the lake the best suggestion is to forget Surprise View. That's just a honeypot for trippers who know no better.

Here's a couple I took from the path from Lodore to Manesty early last Sunday morning. No postcode, but it's clearly marked on the map.

The path was flooded last weekend, so wet feet I'm afraid, but it meant that there were no disturbances from early morning dog walkers: and it helped with the reflections.


6:16AM by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr


6:27AM by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr
 
vulcan2912 said:
For photography or just in general.Adults,kids?

Cheers
Gary
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Photography. I will be gutted if I spend a week up there and don't get anything decent because it's rubbish weather for the whole week, which is quite likely in the Lakes!

Dom
 
DrPips said:
Any ideas for bad weather?

Dom
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That's probably one area where the Lakes doesn't do itself justice.A couple of suggestions are the Aquarium at the end of Windermere.There's also the motor museum close by.
Muncaster Castle and the World owl centre are worth a visit(same location).
Very poor weather for me in the Lakes means shooting waterfalls,woodlands etc and there's plenty of those to have a go at.Aira Force at Ullswater being a prime example.
Don't forget that if you are in the middle of the Lake District you are only about 30-40 mins drive away from the coast.

Gary
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Is St Bees worth a visit?
 
Both those shots of the boathouse look excellent!! Whereabouts on Ullswater is it? Or is it hard to miss?

Dom
 
If you are feeling adventurous - a good wet weather option is to explore Hodge Close.
Best to read up in advance or take someone who has been there before as there are no obvious ways into the main quarry.
I love the descent - reminds me of Jules Verne "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" - a man-made wooded ridge descending below ground with towering cliffs on all sides heading into the abyss towards a huge underground passage.
Great for shots of trees against rock, reflections, abstracts - or leave the camera in the car and just explore!
 
Well......if you fancy quarries try Cathedral Quarry. Try and get a decent shot of this pillar, either from ground level or the side chamber up above. Get a "perfect" shot and you'll have made your reputation. Many have tried, and nearly all have failed. The lighting is "challenging" to say the least, always leaving room for improvement.


The Pillar HDR with jpegs by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr


The Pillar from above by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr
 
If you can drive through Buttermere Fell and Honister pass, you can get some good photos. BUT especially if you can get there on a wild and wet grey day. The atmosphere of the place can be quite threatening on such days.
 
DrPips said:
Both those shots of the boathouse look excellent!! Whereabouts on Ullswater is it? Or is it hard to miss?

Dom
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e

It's at th Pooley Bridge end of Ullswater and is pretty hard to miss.It's right on the main road.

Re St Bees-It's an ok place but there's not much to do apart from walk/explore.There is also a lighthouse if you backtrack towards Whitehaven.You can get a mean ice cream in the little tea room by the sea.There's also a golf course perched on the cliff tops.
A few examples from St Bees-
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Cheers
Gary
 
For sheer beauty especially on a FINE day, drive from Bowness on Windermere towards the Kirkstone pass. The views down into the valley near to the Bowness end are breathtaking. We are going to Ambleside too on 23rd October.
 
andsome said:
For sheer beauty especially on a FINE day, drive from Bowness on Windermere towards the Kirkstone pass. The views down into the valley near to the Bowness end are breathtaking. We are going to Ambleside too on 23rd October.
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I shall be there. May bump into you!
 
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