It’s Sunday, so here’s a few memories from one of my favourite places, the Lake District.
I haven’t visited for about two years now due to Covid etc and I’m really itching to get back there this year. I quite fancy going in Autumn when there are some beautiful colours in the trees & mountains and also some glorious sunrises and sunsets.
Also, I was supposed to be going out for the day at Fountains Abbey but an upset stomach put an end to that! I’m ok(ish) now but I thought I would also post a few images from the last time I went!
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! The Lakes are steeped in history and mystery with some stunning caves, stones and more. This week the Lakes a few of the beautiful water falls – enjoy and have a great Sunday.
Moss Force (top right, bottom middle & right) can be found in Newlands Pass, above Buttermere village. Access to Moss Force is fairly easy as the waterfall is roughly 220 yards from the road between Keswick and Buttermere.
The falls are an impressive sight after rain as torrents of water plunge 100 meters below.
Aira Force
Aira Force is a beautiful waterfall located just off the banks of Ullswater. Park at the National Trust car park and follow the Gowbarrow Trail through the forest, passing Aira Force to reach the summit of Gowbarrow.
This famous waterfall has been a popular attraction for over 300 years, and has even been written about by the likes of William Wordsworth in his poem Airey-Force Valley.
Rydal
Rydal Falls is situated just off the A591 between Ambleside and Grasmere. It is a ten minute walk from Rydal Mount, once home to the poet William Wordsworth.
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! The Lakes are steeped in history and mystery with some stunning caves, stones and more. This week we are having a look at some of the beautiful wild life that I have seen on my many visits to the Lakes.
Perhaps the most iconic of all of the wildlife that has found a sanctuary in the Lake District is the Red Squirrel. Native to the UK, its numbers have reduced significantly since the introduction of its cousin the Grey Squirrel.
The Lake District is one of the last remaining places in England where you can see the Red Squirrel with the largest population in England surviving here. You may also spot road signs alerting you to the possible presence of Red Squirrels, encouraging you to slow down!
Also, Herdwick Sheep can be found roaming freely throughout the Cumbrian fells. This iconic breed is native to Cumbria and it’s thought that 99% of the population live in within the county’s border.
All photographs are taken by SJ Butler Photography & must not be copied or reproduced without permission from SJ Butler – thank you
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! The Lakes are steeped in history and mystery with some stunning caves, stones and more. This week the Lakes in pastel – enjoy and have a great Sunday.
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! The Lakes are steeped in history and mystery with some stunning caves, stones and more.
Castlerigg Stone Circle or the the Keswick Circle in the older historical sources, and its exact purpose still remains unclear, but researchers believe that it was used for ceremonial or religious purposes.
Castlerigg Stone Circle was built around 4,500 years ago in the Neolithic times.
The circle, probably once had 42 stones, now consists of 38 granite stones arranged in a circle, approximately 32.6 x 29.5 m in diameter. Within the ring is a rectangle of a further 10 standing stones. The tallest stone is 2.3 meters high. It was probably built around 3000 BC – the beginning of the later Neolithic Period.
Probably built around 3000 BC, the beginning of the later Neolithic Period, Castlerigg Stone Circle is one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. It is important in terms of megalithic astronomy and geometry, as the construction contains significant astronomical alignments.Rydal caves are a must if you visit the Lakes. Situated above Rydal Water near Buttermere
Inside Rydal Caves are stunning patterns on the rocks. Unfortunately, the caves are manmade. Rydal Cave used to be called Loughrigg Quarry. The Lake District is famous for its slate and, in the 19th century, Loughrigg Fell was a Slate Mine where it would be sourced from.
All photographs are taken by SJ Butler Photography & must not be copied or reproduced without permission from SJ Butler – thank you
so as it’s Halloween tomorrow here’s a bit of info about the day. Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals held around the end of October in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. People believed that, at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come ‘alive’ and walk among the living. They thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits. This may be the origin of the Halloween costumes seen today. In Puritan times, Halloween celebrations were outlawed, but they were revived in later times.
Did you know that the City of York has gained a reputation as perhaps the most haunted city in England and it is often known somewhat affectionately as ‘the City of 1000 ghosts?’
Usually on the way to the Lake District I stop off at Thorpe Perrow Arboretum which is stunning in the Autumn with beautiful tree foliage. At the moment poor Cumbria (The Lake District) is having a lot of rain and there is a lot of flooding.
Halloween used to be called All Hallows Eve, or the day before All Saints’ Day, observed on November 1.
It can be called Halloween Bob Apple Night or Duck Apple Night but I’ve never heard it call that in North Yorkshire. Apparently, this comes from a traditional game played at this time of year and known as ‘apple bobbing’ or ‘apple ducking’. Some people believe that apple bobbing is a reminder of the way women accused of witchcraft in the middle ages were tried. They were tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked into a river or pond. If a woman drowned, she was declared innocent. If she survived, she was declared a witch and burnt at the stake. So, there was no way out for the women accused of being a witch!
Pumpkins and Gourds which we use to turn into spooky lanterns. I remember having to carve a very sold turnip which took forever!
Some aspects of the modern Halloween celebrations, such as carving lanterns out of vegetables originated long ago. Many customs originated in the United States and have travelled back to the United Kingdom. All photographs are taken by SJ Butler Photography.
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! If you go to the Lakes, be prepared for every weather. All photographs are taken by SJ Butler Photography.
Walking round Derwentwater – no rain todaySlater’s Bridge – if you look carefully at the River, you’ll see that’s it’s absolutely pouring down!
The climate, together with the geology of the area has made the Lake District what it is today.
In the last 2 million years a series of ice ages have left the area buried under glaciers. These rivers of ice carved deep lakes & u shaped valleys between the hills.
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day!
Today I’ve included a video of how powerful (and noisy) Aira Force Waterfall is and a video of the sunset over Ullswater & Glenriding a few years ago.
An 18th-century pleasure ground, Aira Force was the backdrop for William Wordsworth’s poem ‘Somnambulist’ – a Gothic tale of love and tragedy. There are so many woodland trails to discover in this landscape of contrasts. Quiet glades give way to dramatic waterfalls, with Aira Beck thundering down a 65-foot drop past ferns and rocks.
The Somnambulist
William Wordsworth
List, ye who pass by Lyulph’s Tower At eve; how softly then Doth Aira-force, that torrent hoarse, Speak from the woody glen! Fit music for a solemn vale! And holier seems the ground To him who catches on the gale The spirit of a mournful tale, Embodied in the sound…
Sound on! Top of Aira Force – Cumbria
Aira Force is a showcase for the power and beauty of nature; it’s a place to escape the ordinary.
Whether it’s watching the sunset on the beach when you’re on holiday, or just catching a vanishing glimpse of the twilight sky from your kitchen window at home, there’s something stirring about seeing that big golden ball sink below the horizon, painting the sky a million shades.
The image below was taken on the Yorkshire Moors and was one of the most beautiful & colourful I have ever seen. I had seen the heart stone on the ground and thought it would be cool to have that in the image as well.
Copyright SJ Butler Photography
“Dawn and dusk are mutual friends of the sun; one opens the door … to a brand new day and the other one has to shut it to embrace the darkness of night.”
“The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness ” Yann Arthus-Bertrand
It’s Sunday so it must be visit the Lake District day! So missing the Lake District, Cumbria. It is over a year since I last went and I’m feeling the pull to go more than ever, especially that my favourite time of the year is almost here. For now, I will have to be content with memories from yesteryear, I hope you like them. This week it’s the turn of fabulous sunrises and sunsets. How beautiful are these?
“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”
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