Photographing Scafell Pike – The Stream

Photographing Scafell Pike on the climb was great but after a tough climb and a descent that really tested my knees, it was lovely to be able to slow things down and get the camera out. The stream that runs alongside the path up to Scafell Pike offered a wonderful blend of ingredients. The water level was low allowing access to various points within the stream. I imagine that isn’t always the case. So, avoid taking any risks. There was a wonderful fallen tree that gave strong leading lines. It was covered in an interesting bracket fungus and it was hard to not be drawn in by it.

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The light was far from perfect but I tried to get a sense of how I might create something if I returned. With so much going on I sat for a while and tried to unravel what lay in front of me. I started to think I needed to head back by myself and started to dread the fact I was already considering getting up at first light to hobble back to this spot.

Even when I look at the photos now I see such huge potential for creating a variety of different images.

Photographing Scafell Pike - Unfinished Business

When I’m travelling with my wife, I know that early mornings offer a small window of opportunity for me to get out amongst it. I definitely had some unfinished business by the stream, so I set my alarm and packed my bag again. There was the small matter of whether I would be able to walk in the morning to consider. I had managed to drag myself to the pub after the descent so there was hope. It is always the second day when I struggle. When you are passing through a landscape like this, you have to take every opportunity to feed your creativity. Photographing Scafell Pike is not something you get to do every day. The demoralising alternative is the regret you feel when you get back to your well-trodden locale thinking back over missed opportunities.

The Next Day - A Return

I awoke early, there was no snooze applied to my alarm. My wife would relish the lie-in and thankfully my legs appeared to still be working – just! I was able to get back and re-consider the stream from a number of different positions. There was less time pressure and I was able to spend a couple of really wonderful hours by the stream with not a soul about. There would be no ‘what ifs’, no regrets and a much shorter ascent get the bacon and coffee readied. I can’t wait to get back and enjoy this beautiful spot in the not too distant future.