Sunset at The Roaches

Wow, it’s been about six weeks since I last posted. Holidays, laziness, and generally not actually getting any good pictures for a while in the rainy summer we’ve had this year.

I finally got some nice shots on a trip to The Roaches. This is presumably a corruption of the french word “rocher” and it’s a large area of exposed gritstone crags, famous among english rock climbers and very popular for walkers and picnickers. It’s also pretty popular with photographers and I’ve usually seen others around with big cameras and tripods when the weather is promising.

The only downside is that the distance is pretty much flat. It would be nice to have some hills on the horizon to add interest but I suppose you have to work with what you’ve got. In fact isn’t that the whole point of landscape photography? If I can’t get good shots at The Roaches then perhaps I should hang up my camera.

I hope you enjoy these shots. Now we’re getting into autumn I’m hoping I’ll be getting plenty more.

Askrigg and Bainbridge – around Wensleydale

Wensleydale

Another trip around Wensleydale, this time through the meadows and fields at the bottom of the valley around the villages of Bainbridge and Askrigg.

Again the fields were full of flowers and everywhere you see the pattern of drystone walls and barns that the Dales are famous for.

Right now I’m really concentrating on the Dales and I’m hoping I’ll get the chance for more overnight wild camps before the summer ends. Doesn’t look very likely with all the rain we’ve had so far.

Wensleydale

Wensleydale

Wensleydale

Wensleydale

Wensleydale

Wensleydale

A Wensleydale round

A walk around the south side of Wensleydale.

Gayle

• 9 miles
• 560 metres
• View the route on plotaroute.com

Eskdale overnight – the morning after

I wrote last week about my overnight wild camp to Eskdale and the wonderful viewpoint of Border End.

Wharfedale overnight

I had an overnight trip to the Yorkshire Dales last week, camping in mid-Wharfedale above Conistone. I’d previously scouted this area and figured it would be a good bet. It’s a beautiful spot with the stone barns so typical of the dales.

Eskdale Overnight

A mountain wild camp made easy. An overnight trip sleeping out on top of Border End in the Lake District with magnificent views of Eskdale, the Scafells and the Duddon Valley but with little in the way of effort – apart from negotiating traffic on the switchbacks of Hardknott pass.

Conistone Circular – monochrome dales

A circular high level route from Conistone in Wharfedale.

Wharfedale

• View the route on plotaroute.com
• 9.5 miles
• 450 metres ascent

A did this walk to find overnight wild camping locations but it turned out to be a superb walk in it’s own right. The views up and down the valley are incredible and at this time of year the wild flowers are at their best in the limestone meadows. Unfortunately my camera decided to pack up as I got to the best of the flowers – c’est la vie.

Although I’m extolling the wild flowers I’ve decided to convert these shots into black and white. When shooting in mid-day mid-summer the light isn’t entirely flattering and the colours, although lovely in real life, don’t add to the drama. Converting to black and white lets me concentrate on the shapes and textures of the landscape.

Wharfedale

This walk follows a fantastic high level balcony that is taken by the Dales Way, with limestone edges for company, with a higher return to the high moorland of Conistone Moor. As you climb the terrain changes and you move through geological layers to a gritstone layer. The gritstone bedrock also changes the vegetation. At the top you can look down over the head of Nidderdale.

The carpets of wild flowers get even better as you get closer to Grassington but this was where my camera stopped working, so no more shots.

I hope to return soon and try overnight wild camping to get sunset and sunrise colours.

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale