Lyme Park, Disley, Cheshire

One of the classic views from Reflection Lake.

But it's all a question of timing - cloud movement, light and avoiding static people in a densely detailed section... one out of three isn't bad!
Note to self... don't visit on a weekend!

Tags:   Lyme Park Lyme House National Trust estate house National Heritage Grade I listed building grounds gardens Reflection Lake lake water reflections long exposure LE Lee filters 0.6 ND grad 10 stops big stopper Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF17-40mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Lyme Park, Disley, Cheshire

Couldn't resist...

Tags:   Lyme Park Lyme House National Trust estate house National Heritage Grade I listed building grounds The Cage walk trees hanging about bored wife Lee filters 0.6 ND grad 10 stops big stopper Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF17-40mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Lyme Park, Disley, Cheshire

A very spur of the moment trip to Lyme Park to photograph the house reflected in the lake. Only the house and gardens don't open until 10:30am. A couple of hours to kill... not much fun for a non-photographer.

Tags:   Lyme Park Lyme House National Trust estate house National Heritage Grade I listed building grounds The Cage walk trees hanging about bored wife Lee filters 0.6 ND grad 10 stops big stopper Andy Rouse Canon EOS 5D MkIII EF17-40mm f/4L

© All Rights Reserved

Ullswater, Lake District

We had gone up to Penrith to the Gheged Centre in support of Mrs R’s cousin Rod Ireland who was giving a lecture on “Lake District Photography at Night” as part of the Cumbrian Photography weekend. After the event we decided to head back via Ullswater and naturally having packed my camera decided to call in at Aira Force. It was mid afternoon by the time we arrived and I wasn’t expecting much in the way of great light as the sun was high in the sky but it managed to reach the depths of the waterfall in a way I hadn’t expected...

On another note... it’s good to see the lakes recovering from the devastating floods from last Christmas and visitors are returning. However, further down the lake at Glenridding the true scale of the floods is still clearly visible with shops and hotels still closed and rebuilding of the river causeway leading into Ullswater.

Tags:   Lake District Ullswater lake waterfall National Trust landscape long exposure filter 4 stop

© All Rights Reserved

Ullswater, Lake District

Possibly the most famous of the Lake District waterfalls, it drops 65 feet into a rock pool surrounded by a woodland. The area is owned and managed by the National Trust, who have provided graded paths to make access easier and a viewing platform at the base (this image taken half way down to the platform). The main falls (Aira Force) is a short distance from the National Trust car park on the A592 between Watermillock and Glenridding.

The stream which flows over the waterfall is Aira Beck which runs from the Upper Slopes of Stybarrow Dodd and through heather covered slopes of Gowbarrow Fell down to Ullswater. One kilometre before entering the lake the beck makes a 65ft drop down a rocky ravine at this waterfall. The waterfall is situated within Gowbarrow Park which was originally owned by the Howard Family of Greystoke Castle. They landscaped the area around the waterfall and used it as a pleasure garden, planting over half a million ornamental trees and establishing a network of tracks, footpaths and bridges. In 1906 the park was put up for sales and it was purchased by the National Trust.

It is believed that the Lakeland poet William Wordsworth paid many visits to the area around Aira Force; he was probably inspired to write his poem "Daffodils" with the opening line, "I wandered lonely as a cloud" as he observed daffodils growing on the shore of Ullswater near where Aira Beck enters the lake near Glencoyne Bay. The falls themselves are mentioned in three Wordsworth poems, with the most famous reference being in "The Somnambulist", where in the final verse he writes:

Wild stream of Aira, hold thy course,
Nor fear memorial lays,
Where clouds that spread in solemn shade,
Are edged with golden rays!
Dear art thou to the light of heaven,
Though minister of sorrow;
Sweet is thy voice at pensive even.
And thou, in lovers' hearts forgiven,
Shalt take thy place with Yarrow!

Tags:   Lake District Ullswater lakes Aira Force Aira Beck waterfalls National Trust Watermillock Glenridding water stream drop falls beck Howard Family Greystoke Castle poet poem William Wordsworth Daffodils I wandered lonely as a cloud The Somnambulist verse

© All Rights Reserved