Locations To Take Your Camera

This is an ongoing project and from time to time I will add locations on here and give you an idea of what to look for and too expect

1.Wasdale

Wast Water

I have lost count of the number of times I have worked around Wasdale. Not only on my landscape photography workshops but when out with my own camera taking images just for myself. To me, it is one of the greatest places in the Lake District to go and photograph.

Infact, in the UK.

Why?

Just standing on the shoreline by Wast Water will give you a clue.

Even if the clag is down!

So much to see and so much to get the camera out for.

This is your starting point before you venture deep in towards Great Gable and from then on, you just keep walking left, right and straight ahead, into some of the most fantastic locations.

This particular part of the lakes is not over commercialised and I find that very appealing. It isn’t what you would term remote until you venture past the Wasdale Head and it is not long before you are right out in deepest mountain country. Without sounding condescending you should be properley ‘suited and booted,’ anywhere around here, prepared for the eventualities of ‘real’ mountain weather and its terrain.

There are a number of ways to get there but most will travel by car.

The spectacular is via Hard Knott, then passing through Boot and Eskdale or you can access via Birker Fell (my preferred route) or by driving around the coast and dropping in via Gosforth. Any of those will give you excellent views of this area.

Once you arrive by Wast Water….well, the vista is simply as good as anything you will experience anywhere in this country. It begs for you to put on those boots and walk around.

I know because that’s exactly what I have done countless times and on many days I have hardly seen anyone.

However…… since Covid, that isn’t the case but I avoid the weekends and find mid week is always best.

This little guide will not ‘touch the sides’ of this ‘three sided amphitheatre’ but will concentrate on Wast Water itself.

It’s surrounding locations will follow in another guide.

*Clicking on the title of the photograph below will take you to my online shop*

The starting point for most people has to be by Wast Water itself and if you simply want a good image to take home of a classic view, then you really are spoiled for choice!

THE SLABS AND THE SHELTER

The beauty of this spot is that if the rain is driving behind you, then ‘set up’ in the shelter and fire away! You are on ‘the slabs’ and they offer a great foreground from lots of different angles.

A note of caution, be mindful of how slippy they can be when there has been rain. Yes, surprisingly it rains there…..!

THE SHORELINE

Take your pick but I have always preferred down by the large rocks behind the island. This area offers a myriad of choices and of course the seasons and the water level create different feelings to the photograph. Even if you cannot see Great Gable, it still makes a compelling image.

SUNRISE

I prefer winter so I don’t have to get out of bed too early and there is generally always somewhere to find a decent spot.

Says it all!!

THE UNUSUAL

Sometimes we get lucky and arrive finding ‘freak’ conditions and is the classic situation of, ‘right place, right time.’

This was one of those days.

There wasn’t a breath of wind and everything was still. Pure pot luck but I always say that the more you go, you increase that luck and the greater the chance you have of obtaining images such as this.

Those are a few very simple places to plant your tripod as you arrive by Wast Water and they will change every time you visit.