Lake District- where to visit

rob-nikon

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I'm off to the Lake District and I thought I would ask if there are any good places for landscapes. I'm going to be staying Eskdale in the west of the Lake District. So far I'm planning to visit Wast Water, Ennerdale Water, Derwent Water, Ashness Bridge and take the Honister Pass to Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater.

Is the Honister Pass as bad as The Hardknott Pass? My wife didn't like Hardknott and I don't think she would be too happy it Honister Pass was the same!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The weather looks quite mixed so I'm hoping the light and conditions will be interesting.
 
+1 for what kimo said. I really don't like drops seen from cars but Honister has never been a problem.

A walk to consider. If you park at the slate mine on the top of Honister it's the start of a relatively easy route to Hay Stacks.
On a good day you will get stunning views, and a feel of the high tops without too much sweat..
 
Honister is easy. From Borrowdale just select first gear and welly it for quarter mile. Easy after that and no big drops. Watch out for cyclists - they suffer getting up it!!!
 
Slaters Bridge and the Cathedral Cave are stunning, there's a nice pub that you can park next to for a proper pint on the way back....and if you're lucky you'll catch a nice young lady skinny dipping in the river like I did last week... who then looked suitably embarrassed in the pub garden after, when I walked in, saw her and gave her a little nod....
 
As people have said Honister is easy, in my younger days use to drive 3.5 ton vans over it. As pointed out just keep an eye for cyclists going up and coming down as some seem to not think straight (this coming from an ex-cyclist). Of the places that you have listed I would have put down the same. May want to add Coniston to the list, but Ennerdale is my favourite (if the weather is nice then there is no better IMHO). With regards to my old home town of Keswick, it can get a bit busy, are you planning on going during a bank holiday? On Ashness Bridge, its nice its pretty and been in photos many many times, there used to be a scout hut above it when was in the scouts. would try to get up there early as Ashness can get busy, then there is surprise view about 10 minutes walk that over looks the lake.
 
Cathedral cavern is great if you can find it. It is a real challenge to get the correct exposure. You might need to practice your HDR/merging techniques.
 
Borrowdale is my favourite Lakes valley, just over Honister, lots of variety, you can't go wrong.
 
Tarn Hows is beautiful and worth a visit on a good day.

I was shocked at the ritual parking heist, daylight robbery parking in the lake district!
 
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James Wheeler said:
Tarn Hows is beautiful and worth a visit on a good day.

I was shocked at the ritual parking heist, daylight robbery parking in the lake district!
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Yes in the honeypots - it's been like that since at least the 1980s though.
The sheer numbers of cars and people in general at the popular spots is quite disconcerting especially at peak periods like bank holidays and fine spells like recently.
 
rob-nikon said:
I'm off to the Lake District and I thought I would ask if there are any good places for landscapes. I'm going to be staying Eskdale in the west of the Lake District. So far I'm planning to visit Wast Water, Ennerdale Water, Derwent Water, Ashness Bridge and take the Honister Pass to Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater.

Is the Honister Pass as bad as The Hardknott Pass? My wife didn't like Hardknott and I don't think she would be too happy it Honister Pass was the same!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The weather looks quite mixed so I'm hoping the light and conditions will be interesting.
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You won't go far wrong with these places, plenty to shoot.
Look forward to seeing your shots......
 
Im doing the Lakes this weekend and sounds like a similar criteria to you Rob, Id suggest Ullswater as well there are some lovely trees in the water
 
Great thread, am heading to the Lakes in a couple of week time.

Was wondering if there are any must visit waterfalls to photograph with not too tough walks from parking?
 
Thank you for all of the suggestions, I spent a nice 5 days there. I managed a few landscapes but red squirrels at the B&B took priority for the limited time I had for photography. I did manage to visit most of the places but only spent time photographing Buttermere and Derwent Water. I tried Ashness Bridge but there was a group of 10 people standing on the Bridge and about the same number on the banks.
 
Blea tarn was gorgeous couple of weeks ago , though didn`t enjoy the drive up or down
 
Just wanted to pop a quick thank you to those who have contributed suggestions in here, i'm popping over to the lakes on a mini cycle tour shortly and these have given some nice options to my routing that I might have otherwise missed!
 
I'm off to the Lakes next week and this has given me much more focus as to where to photograph, many thanks for all the information.
 
metroman said:
I'm off to the Lakes next week and this has given me much more focus as to where to photograph, many thanks for all the information.
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This thread helped me for a recent trip, plus a book on where to photograph in the Lakes, and various internet articles.
One mistake I made was dashing about from iconic location to the next I never had time to simply just wander and find something different.
The one location I would heartily recommend as a "must" is Wast Water, touted as "Britain's Favourite View" its just stunning, with so many creative opportunities, then carry on the road to Wasdale at the end of the lake and there is a terrific rural pub for nosh, its the starting point for many Scafell Pike walkers.
Most "overrated" for me was Ashness Bridge, it is picturesque but crawling with walkers and toggers.
Good luck with the weather, was lousy for us, but its still a beautiful place to be, even in horrible weather.
 
:clap: sorting my camera bit's and bobs now, and the "Long range" weather forecast is so so. I did Wast Water a few years ago using my Fuji bridge camera so having extra knowledge and an SLR might improve shots that I took there previously, we ate in that pub as well.
 
I must admit I don't get Lake District. Great nature, but I just don't find my way round it, except maybe Wast water.

I find it really shags the cars and there is mostly hardly anywhere to park and some greedy farmers even try to rip you off for stopping. You simply don't get that in Scotland (the 2nd bit).

Is there any resource that shows where to park (for absolutely free obviously) and where the best views and walks are? I guess rental car is better idea for wrecking suspension.
 
daugirdas said:
Is there any resource that shows where to park (for absolutely free obviously) and where the best views and walks are? I guess rental car is better idea for wrecking suspension.
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Yes, the 2 books in the 2 posts above - thousands of people visit the Lakes every year (as I do).. never heard anyone complain about how it affects their cars, mainly just weary limbs hiking up all those mountains :)
 
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simonkit said:
never heard anyone complain about how it affects their cars, mainly just weary limbs hiking up all those mountains :)
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That place properly shags cars, and it's not so much steep gradients as potholes, bumps and rally-X ramps! Greedy councils could spend some parking fees on fixing roads instead of posh dinner or installing more bloody parking meters. Disgrace.
 
daugirdas said:
That place properly shags cars, and it's not so much steep gradients as potholes, bumps and rally-X ramps! Greedy councils could spend some parking fees on fixing roads instead of posh dinner or installing more bloody parking meters. Disgrace.
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You got a s*** car then, ive been a lakes lover for 40 years and travelled the area extensively in 10-15 different cars from rusty old Allegros to Fiestas and never a single issue with any poor roads in probably 100 visits up there.

Probably not paid more than half a dozen times for parking either, there are hundreds and thousands of free parking places all over the Lakes.
 
Gary Coyle said:
You got a s*** car then, ive been a lakes lover for 40 years and travelled the area extensively in 10-15 different cars from rusty old Allegros to Fiestas and never a single issue with any poor roads in probably 100 visits up there.

Probably not paid more than half a dozen times for parking either, there are hundreds and thousands of free parking places all over the Lakes.
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Do make 100 visits in 6 months, then come back and tell me your car doesn't any suspension repairs. 100 in 40 years is just over twice a year - hardly enough when you spread it through all your rusty fiestas.
 
daugirdas said:
Do make 100 visits in 6 months, then come back and tell me your car doesn't any suspension repairs. 100 in 40 years is just over twice a year - hardly enough when you spread it through all your rusty fiestas.
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It doesnt just sit in a car park while its there
 
daugirdas said:
I must admit I don't get Lake District. Great nature, but I just don't find my way round it, except maybe Wast water.

I find it really shags the cars and there is mostly hardly anywhere to park and some greedy farmers even try to rip you off for stopping. You simply don't get that in Scotland (the 2nd bit).

Is there any resource that shows where to park (for absolutely free obviously) and where the best views and walks are? I guess rental car is better idea for wrecking suspension.
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If you join the National Trust you can park in their car parks for free. Here are plenty of places to park, and yes, for many of them it costs money, that's just the way it is.
 
icnoble said:
If you join the National Trust you can park in their car parks for free. Here are plenty of places to park, and yes, for many of them it costs money, that's just the way it is.
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not keen on supporting anti-photography commercial organisations :(
 
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