The Lake District National Park here in the UK is famed worldwide for it’s epic vistas and areas of natural beauty alongside, of course, it’s landscape photography offering. And for good reason. It is simply stunning!
England’s largest national park, situated in the county of Cumbria, the Lake District has it all. Breathtaking mountainous landscapes, dramatic coastlines and beautiful waters.
Attracting over 19 million visitors annually (STEAM 2018: Cumbria tourism) it is home to circa 2,000 miles (3,000km) of public access walkways. For its size, it doesn’t house too many people (around 45,000 residents) but it is the natural habitat for an abundance of wildlife and fauna, many being rare species.
There is a lot to love about England’s Lake District.
Beautiful Blea Tarn, not a lake!
But…..there are not many actual lakes to love! Only one in fact. Yep, that’s correct. the Lake District National Park only has one official lake; Bassenthwaite Lake. the rest are all tarns, meres or waters by name…..there’s one for your pub quiz bank!
In reality of course, there are many more, with sixteen large bodies of water and seventy six smaller ones that could still typically be classed as a lake.
And so let’s take a look at a few that, as a photographer, you should not miss. I’ve created this list with accessibility in mind, but some will still require some level of mobility. But I’ve noted where in the descriptions. One thing is for certain, visit any of these spots and fabulous landscape photography will be at your fingertips…..oh and it should be said that these are in no particular order - this isn’t a chart show!
Derwentwater
The famous view from Crows Park, albeit with very high water levels
Derwentwater lies towards the north of the Lake District, just south of the town of Keswick and under the shadow of the Barrowdale Fells and Skiddaw. This is a very accesible area, with fantastic routes around much of the water, offering great opportunity no matter your fitness or ability.
Ashness Bridge itself is rather picturesque too.
There are several parking locations around but I have found parking at the Lakeside car park, adjacent to the theatre, to be a great starting point. This parking location is a pay and display and is privately owned but has lots of spaces. Within a minutes walk of the car park, you’ll find access to Crows Park, from which the header picture was taken, or you can head to the numerous docking points and further along to Friars Crag which is a beautiful location to photograph from. If you fancy a bit of a hike, head up to Ashness Bridge from here and get some spectacular views from over the water. Or, if you don’t quite fancy the walk, you can drive up in 15 minutes or so and there is a National Trust car park (free for members) within a few minutes walk of Surprise View, from where you’ll have a birds eye view of the water below.
A fantastic spot for a days photography.
You can also take a look around this location with me and see these photographs being captured by clicking one of the following links:
Ashness Bridge and Surprise View
Rydal Water
The boathouse at Rydal Water
Rydal Water is located centrally in the Lake District, north of Windermere. Formally known as Routhmere, Rydal Water is a fairly small body of water but has lots to offer. Being a roadside location, it is fairly accessible to reach, but some of the paths are less than smooth and there is the occasional fallen tree to clamber past.
The RAF regularly startle you by flying overhead
Personally I have found parking by St. Mary’s Church to be the best place to start your day’s photography. This is on-road parking and can get very busy, certainly during peak season. A small donation to the church is required and there is an honesty box in place for your coins.
From here you are a short walk from the gateway through to Rydal Water, which is just a short walk along the main road. Or you can take a trip past the church and up to to Rydal Falls, a lovely waterfall which is near Rydal Mount (the once home of Wordsworth).
Not only are the waterside views picturesque, but you can almost be certain that at some point during your visit you will encounter a sonic boom as the RAF fly through the valleys, so have those long lenses prepared for that!
All in all this is a fabulous location and is great for a mornings photography which can be extended to a full day if you fancy capturing both the waters edge compositions and Rydal Mount and Falls.
You can catch me walking around Rydal Water on a misty day by clicking the link:
Rydal Water - Everything Changes
Grasmere
Grasmere - the view from half way up Loughrigg Fell
Grasmere is a beautiful location situated just north of Rydal Water, in fact it feeds into Rydal via the River Rothay. It was from a viewpoint of Grasmere that William Wordsworth once declared ‘the most loveliest spot that man hath found’.
And if it is William Wordsworth connections you are after, then they can be found in abundance in the village of Grasmere situated on the shores of the water.
The mountainous ranges to be photographed from Loughrigg Fell are spectacular
The land surrounding Grasmere is privately owned. And whilst a lot of this is loaned to the National Trust for public access, there are private areas, meaning that you have to venture out onto the roadside pathways to navigate all the way around.
And Grasmere has great significance for the National Trust. The trust was formed as a direct response to ‘The Island’ being privately sold in 1893. Over one hundred years later, The Island finally became National Trust owned.
Photography wise, there are lots of compositions to be had from the shoreline. But if you want the truly spectacular shots, then you’ll be wanting to head up Loughrigg Fell over Grasmere. It is fairly accessible, with the route up to Loughrigg Terrace suitable for most and opening up some spectacular views.
Taking the steps from the Terrace onto the Fell can be hard on your lungs! You need a moderate level of fitness and a good supply of water. But if you can manage it then it is so worth it. The views of mountainous ranges and the viewpoints into the valleys below rank high on this photographers list of amazing locations.
White Moss car park gives good access to Grasmere (and Rydal above too) but is a good 15 minute walk to the shore and it doesn’t come cheap. This is by far the most expensive car park I have had the pleasure of in the Lake District and, if I remember correctly, 6 hours or so was somewhere in the £20 range…..not cheap!
Follow me up Loughrigg Fell and see some more shots here:
Wastwater
I have a particular fondness for Wastwater, not only is it absolutely stunning, was once voted Britains favourite view and seems to have its own mini climate!…but it is also where I got engaged to my now wife, on one knee, along the shoreline.
And so it had to feature in my top five. But all personal affection aside, it is breathtaking. It almost feels like another world. Like you have stumbled across a long lost island. Whenever I have ventured to Wastwater, the air has been still, the silence deafening and the water crystal.
This is the deepest water in the Lake District National Park, and indeed England. It’s surface lies 200ft above sea level, whilst the floor is 50ft below sea level. It is a glacial lake and is reputedly crystal clear at the bottom….Sadly it has cost several divers their lives as they tested out that factoid for themselves.
The water itself is roadside and the views from there are just magnificent from so many differing angles along the shoreline. There are several places to park and several lay-bys along the road too. And of course there are some truly splendid walks and hikes to be had, some of which are extremely difficult and shouldn’t be attempted without the right gear.
The other difficulty with Wastwater is getting there. It is a long drive from the M6 and there are not many amenities along the way so ensure a good supply of fuel and supplies if you are heading there. It is secluded and it is unlikely you will get any phone signal either. But wow, it is truly magnificent. Just grab your tripod and your camera and enjoy.
Tarn Hows
If you have ever watched any of my videos over on You Tube, or regularly visit this site, then you’ll know of my love with Tarn Hows. For me this has everything. Fabulous vistas, great waterfalls, wonderful wildlife, unique woodland and lots of cows!
The memorial stone over Tarn Hows.
Trees unique to this part of the world - imported by a former owner of the estate
But as it offers so much, it attracts many. If you have any plans to photograph here then steer clear of the weekends (or any day during high summer) as it gets so busy and there are lots of people, dogs…..and photographers!
Perhaps only Derwentwater rivals it on this list with the amount of visitors it attracts. Partially, I imagine, due to its links with Beatrix Potter (she of Peter Rabbit fame) who bought the estate here with the profits from her first book. She later bequeathed half of the estate to the National Trust, the rest followed in her will.
And, as it is a National Trust, there is a decent sized car park here (free for members) with good facilities and usually a National Trust member on hand in the car park to offer guides and advice. During summer you can usually find an ice cream van parked up and on occasion other vendors too.
Part of the lower Tom Gill falls
And once you have parked and got yourself ready, there is so much to explore. No matter your fitness levels or ability, you won’t be disappointed. There is a good, well kept walkway around the tarn and plenty of walks venturing off it up into the surrounding fells with views over many mountains in the central Lake District.
And of course the waterfalls. Some splendid waterfalls drop down the Tom Gill hill on the Mary Glen stream, well worth checking out for some great photography. You’ll want your nd filters if you go in the middle of the day.
Tarn Hows is North East of Windermere, about 20 minutes drive from Windermere town and is well worth a visit if you are in the area. You could easily spend a full day exploring and photographing.
And if you want some more information on Tarn Hows (and a couple more tarns in the area too), then click this link to go to my full guide to photography at Tarn Hows - apologies for the audio, it isn’t the best, but worth a watch if you are planning to go:
I hope this article has been of use to you, let me know if you plan on visiting any of these areas via the comments, I’d love to hear from you.
Dave