We have been driving South for several hours, it’s late on a Thursday night, passing only the odd lorry, we make good time. The destination is the South Lakes, England and the plan is to walk, hike, scramble the Fairfield Horseshoe which starts and finishes in Ambleside. It’s an early start on Friday morning to pack the backpack with camera gear (always pack too much) and lunch (can’t pack enough) we set off. The forecast’s promise of dry weather holds true which is quite something for the Lake District and we are soon taking our layers of windproof jackets and multi activity soft fleece jumpers off as we bake in the mid morning sun. Will it last...?
The purpose for this walk is to photograph Lake Windermere through the valley that leads to the town of Ambleside and on to Windermere. When we get to the middle ridge, just before the Fairfield summit we look south down Rydal Beck Valley for the photograph. In all the guide books and walking blogs of the route it’s THE view, regularly described as the best in the Lakes and a must for a clear day, it doesn’t disappoint. There were quite a few clouds forming by now making an ideal scene for some black and white photographs. The sun was occasionally breaking through and lighting the valley, this really created drama and needed for mid-day photography.
The view towards Ambleside and Windermere.