Photographing Sunrise and Sunset in The Lake District
This post has been sat in my drafts for ages as I wanted to add more to it, but if you’ve seen my other post, then you will understand why I am posting it now, I’ll do another post later in the year when I have some more to say and have shot some other parts of this incredible part of the world!
Photography at Sunrise and Sunset can be one of the most rewarding and yet most frustrating pursuits in photography, largely because it often relies on a huge sprinkling of luck alongside some careful planning around where to be and when to be there; that awesome golden hour light doesn’t always show up! I hope in this post, to give you some ideas for your next sunrise or sunset photography trip in The Lake District.
Before we start, other than your camera and tripod, here’s some things I recommend taking with you:
Head Torch - these trips start and/or finish in darkness or poor light, this well help you to light your way.
Layers - it’s cold before the sun comes up and gets very chilly wet the sun goes down. Stay warm
Water + Snacks - stay hydrated and don’t get hungry. Plan to take enough for your whole trip. And then a little bit more.
Not something you take with you, but always make sure someone knows your plans in case there is a problem.
Remember, that no amount of planning is going to guarantee you that dramatic sunrise and those amazing golden colours. You’ll improve your chances of getting ‘the shot’ if you’re in the right location and at the right time - something I learned quite quickly when I moved to the area and something which I am still learning now. I use the Photopills app to help me plan these trips. There’s also a called Alpenglow which is starting to get really good at forecasting the quality of a sunrise, but I still don’t rely on wholly on it and like to take a chance!
Here’s a list of the locations covered in this blog:
Blea Tarn
Ullswatwer (Glencoyne Bay)
Helsington Viewpoint
Rydal Water
Elterwater/River Brathay
Ullswater (Pooley Bridge)
Blea Tarn - Sunrise
This has to be one of the most beautiful, most peaceful and easy to access views in the whole of The Lake District.
The tarn is located about a 300 meter walk from the National Trust car park (free parking if you’re a NT member), a really easy walk and the pay off is huge! A word of warning however, the car park is accessed via a steep (1 in 3 gradient) road from both sides of the valley. The road will be largely impassable when the weather is poor/icy/snowy so bear this in mind before you set your sights on a winter shoot here!
The walk from the car park is easy, but can be very boggy underfoot when you leave the path, so make sure you’ve got decent boots on.
This is a popular spot with photographers owing to the mirror-like reflections of the Langdale Pikes in the stillness of the water.
My visit was in mid-septmeber, and as the year progresses the sunrise moves further round to the east until it begins to track back again over the winter months.
If you’re lucky enough to be here on a still day then you will be rewarded with those super-sharp reflections and don’t forget to pack your polariser!
Blea Tarn National Trust Car Park
What3Words Location: fires.bolts.stammer
Ullswater - Sunrise
Ullswater is another easily accessible location for photographers, with a National Trust car park conveniently located about 50 meters from the shore.
This location provides panoramic views of the Eastern Fells of the Lake District.
There were a number of other photographers here the morning that I visited, which is testament to the beauty and peacefulness of the location, but it does mean you’ve got to work hard to get something unique!
A word of warning though, the midges here have a real taste for human so make sure you’re covered up or have some repellent spray with you.
National Trust Glencoyne Bay car park
What3Words Location: live.trying.sketching
Helsington Viewpoint - Kendal -Sunset.
This is a little gem which is a regular haunt for me as it’s not far from where I live! Great for those who don’t like to walk too far as you can park up, get out of your car and shoot!
The views here are dramatic and span all the way from Morecambe Bay in the West extending right across much of the Lake District, with foreground provided by the River Kent and the Lyth Valley.
The car parking here is free and you can stay as long or as little as you would like. There’s also a really lovely church if that’s your kind of thing too.
Car park at the Parish Church of St. John
What3Words location: taken.stroke.king
Rydal Water - Ambleside -
Sunrise.
This is another location which is easily accessible and there is a ton of great compositions, but you’ll need to hunt for them. There’s handy parking which is located at White Moss Car Park, which will set you back £5 (you can pay by card if you’re not a fan of carrying cash). When you leave the car park, turn right and walk back along the footpath which runs alongside the A591 and you’ll soon be in amongst the photography!
The walk here is flat and there is nothing to push your limits, definitely an easy walk, with the occasional incline and you can walk as far or as little as you wish. I covered about a total of 1km there and back. A lot of compositions can be shot from the footpath, but if you want some different foreground interest then be prepared to climb a couple of walls and fences.
This one is worth a scouting trip before you go as the best compositions aren’t always apparent when you’re walking in the dark lit just by your head torch!
This isn’t the most peaceful spot as you’ll have the early morning traffic to contend with, even you venture closer to the water so don’t expect the soundscape to match the tranquility of the landscape.
What3words location: tint.eagles.whizzing
Elterwater and The River Brathay, Ambleside.
You’re probably noticing a trend in these entries (I am!) that many of these locations are pretty much “drive up” and are easily accessible, and that’s no different in this one! Elterwater turned out to be an incredible morning’s photography.
Arrive early and park Silverthwaite Car Park (£2 an hour and cards are accepted), just off the B5343. I arrived at just after 6am but minutes later it was starting to fill up. From here, leave the car park, go straight across the road and follow the short woodland path until you hit the the gravel path which runs alongside the The River Brathay.
The gravel path is easy terrain, but be careful in the woods when you’re up and about in the early hours - your head torch is a must!
There’s shots galore along here and if you get the mist and a whisper of breeze then you’re golden. Around a 500 metre walk will see you arriving at Elterwater, where you have amazing views of the Langdale Pikes which are reflected in the water.
The sunrise in November is practically opposite the Langdales and if you’re lucky then the sun will light those peaks up like fire!
It’s much more peaceful than the previous spot at Rydal Water and there’s even a few Herdies knocking about in the neighbouring fields!
what.3.words hourglass.universally.sparkles (for the stones)
what.3.words perplexed.succumbs.curated (car park)
Ullswater - Pooley Bridge - Penrith
Yet another easy walk, but not for the faint of heart in other ways - I’ll explain.
Parking for this one is easy, there’s plenty in the Pooley Bridge area (it get’s very busy, so just because it’s there, don’t expect it to be easy to park!), so have a look around and see what suits you. I managed to find something in a lay-by so didn’t have to pay for this one! Everything around this location is fairly well paved, but that does mean you have to walk along roads without footpaths, and a couple of the locations you can stand are on grass verges - BE CAREFUL, WEAR SOMETHING BRIGHT, DON’T STAND HERE ALONE AND KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU! (Disclaimer - you have been warned, if you get run over, it isn’t my fault!). If you don’t fancy this, then there is an elevated spot in the carpark next to the B5320/A592 junction (W3W location below at the end of this section).
The shot everyone wants is The Duke of Portland Boathouse, and to get a decent shot of this, you’re going to need either a super long or have to take your chances with the traffic (again, be careful, you have been warned, not my fault, I’m not telling you to do this!) and get close to the fence.
This is a good sunset spot, with the sun setting behind Helvellyn the evening I was there. Unfortunately, the sky didn’t give me everything I wanted that night, but it still had a go at putting on a bit of a show!
What.3.Words: contemplate.enacted.length (paid parking) /// magically.leopard.code (free lay-by parking) /// pacemaker.estate.sticky (dodgy grass verge photography) /// ///juicy.narrow.sprouting (safer, slightly elevated views of the water)