Wastwater persistance

The Screes, Wastwater

Wastwater in Wasdale is one of my favourite English lakes. Catch it in the right light and it just looks fantastic. This photograph was made during November 2006 at the end of a long and cloudy day. I don't remember much about the day other than I certainly hadn't planned to end it at Wastwater as I was staying over the hills to the East at Langdale!  Ending the day there was pure chance :-)

And what a fantastic end to the day it was.  In addition to this photograph I took another looking down Wasdale towards Wasdale Head which is still one of my all time favourites.  Since then I've been back to Wasdale several times but the light has never again been as good.  Landscape is a genre that demands lots and lots of time and patience but when it comes together the result is fantastic and hugely rewarding.

I'm sure I'll keep returning to Wastwater as after 10 years I must be due another break soon ;-) But, why go back?  Well, those photographs were made with a Canon EOS 5D, the Mk1 version. Both camera technology and my skill as a photographer has greatly improved since 2006 so I believe, given the same conditions, the result would be much better :-)

Wasdale is tucked away on the Western side of the English Lake District and is surrounded by large hills on three sides, the Eastern side has the highest mountain, Scafell Pike (978m), in England.  As a result the area has mountain weather.  i.e. Clouds and poor weather can get hung-up on the mountains and take time to clear.