Can Lake District weather be too good?

I love a bit of drama in my landscape photographs and normally, the Lake District in February has it in abundance.  Last Friday however, the clear blue skies and sunshine was more reminiscent of a fine summer day – with clear views and visitors sunbathing!

It was a day we chose to walk around Derwentwater and dramatic weather aside, it was the perfect day to be relaxing in the Lakes. A rare occasion when the weather is this good in February and too good for the type of photography I’d intended, but what’s not to like about this area of the country at anytime of year?

Here are a few photos from the walk. I’m sure anyone who has done the walk around Derwentwater will recognise these views.

Waves on the Lake, surely not…

When you visit the Lake District in February, you expect some photographic challenges.  

On the day we arrived the sky looked typically brooding and the sun was doing its best to break through. Just the sort of day you want for landscape photography, especially as the rain was just about holding off. 

I wanted to get a photo of the Millennium Stone on the shore of Derwentwater with water around it,  as last time I visited it was high and dry.  No danger of that this time after the recent rain and snow. The real challenge in getting the picture on this visit was going to be the wind.  

The wind was absolutely battering the shore of the lake, but seemingly just in this particular cove! The normally calm lake was being whipped up into a frenzy and waves were crashing over the stone. Long exposure shots were near enough impossible to keep sharp as the tripod was also being battered.  It was also bitterly cold but I did manage to get a few shots, not the greatest pictures but I’ve included a few here anyway.

My next post will feature some pictures from a circuit of the lake two days later, when the weather was, if anything too good. 

In Pictures: Preston shivers

The end of January brought some wintry weather to Preston. A flurry of snow and ice, nothing too serious but enough to cause travel problems.  For most countries this level of cold and snow is not noteworthy but in the UK every year we seem ill-prepared for any bad weather.  Perhaps it was the wrong type of snow and ice or maybe, more likely, the wrong type of tyres but at least it looked nice for the photos!

These pictures were taken on a walk along the Lancaster Canal and down along the Ribble Link.

Preston, UK. 30th January 2019. UK Weather. A light covering of snow made driving conditions trickier than normal in Preston. The snow continued to fall until mid morning.

A lLock on the Ribble Link Canal at Ashton in Preston

Lancaster Canal at Ashton in Preston

A trip to the moon

This weekend the ‘Museum of the Moon’ exhibition landed at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston and I went along to check it out.

The main attraction is the impressive looking 23 foot high moon model which is suspended in the centre of the Grade 1 listed building but there is more to see in the adjoining gallery.  Children will love the life sized astronaut model and the detailed space rocket models on display.

No doubt about it though the huge Moon is the star of the show. There’s also a soundtrack by award winning composer Dan Jones which plays unobtrusively while you stand and gaze at the Moon in all its detail. The moon model is by British artist Luke Jerram and it’s bound to prove popular with the Preston public. Check the Harris Museum for details of special Moon related events during the exhibition.

Here are a few photos of the installation.  The moon is visible in Preston until 24th February.