Welcome to South Lakeland - Windermere and the Leven Valley

South Lakeland: Leven Valley
Windermere with Ambleside and Bowness, Hawkshead, Sawrey and Esthwaite, Troutbeck, and the Leven Valley

South Lakeland: A Personal View
Through the photographs of Mike Morton

Lakeland Beyond
Follow the links to explore specific regions of Cumbria, and galleries of other images by Mike Morton

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+44 (0)7812 210880

South Lakeland
Made Easy!

South Lakeland has been subdivided following natural and political boundaries, mainly based on valleys radiating from the central massif of the Lake District. The subdivisions have been named according to the chief river into which the waters of that valley drain, for example the River Leven which drains from Windermere, Esthwaite and the Troutbeck Valley, the Kent from Kentmere, and Crake for Coniston which has been grouped with Rusland and Grizedale Forest. The central lakes area incorporating Langdale, Grasmere and Rydal Water has been named after the Brathay. The exception is Bay which covers the Furness and Cartmel Peninsulas, the region south of the National Park which borders Morecambe Bay

S1: Brathay & Rothay The Langdales, Grasmere & Rydal

S2: Crake Coniston, Tarn Hows & Grizedale

S3: Leven Windermere. Troutbeck & Hawkshead

S4: Kent Kendal, Kentmere, Arnside and Kirkby Lonsdale

S5: Morecambe Bay Furness & Cartmel Peninsulas

Click on the links to the left to explore each o these regions through the lens and with additional notes and tips for visitors. These pages contain galleries and may take a moment to load.

To purchase photographs or large format images please contact Mike
Telephone: 01539 531258
Email: mike@lakelandbeyond.com

+44 (0)1539 531258
+44 (0)7812 210880

info@lakelandbeyond.com

The region around Windermere is one of the best-known and most visited in the Lake District partly due to ease of accessibility by road and rail, but also on account of the beauty of its landscape. Indeed, rich industrialists from Manchester and the Lancashire mill towns were largely responsible for developing the region during Victorian times and built many of the fine villas around the shores of Lake Windermere as weekend retreats. One of them, Colonel Ridehaugh of Fellfoot House even had his own private steamer called the Britannia. An excellent example of one of these retreats is Blackwell, an Arts and Crafts house now open to the public. Blackwell provides an ideal introduction to this area - afternoon tea on the lawn with a magnificent view over Windermere and the Coniston Fells is irresistable! The beauty of the Lake District also attracted plenty of romantics - poets, painters, writers - perhaps the best known in the Windermere area was Beatrix Potter who lived, penned and painted at Hill Top in Far Sawrey. She went on to support the protection of this unique landscape and way of life through her work in helping to establish the National Trust which now owns huge parts of the National Park. The region still inspires many people, attested to by the number of crafts people and artists who have made this region home. Today Windermere is the playground of the Lakes, especially Bowness with its marina, steamers and other boats, and the restaurants, cinema, bars and gift shops which brim over with tourists during the summer months, especially those on the trail of Peter Rabbit. Ambleside at the northern end of the lake, best known for its diminutive Bridge House, is the climbing centre for this region with numerous mountaineering shops and easy access to the Langdales, Loughrigg Fell, Wansfell, Fairfield Horseshoe and Troutbeck Valley.

The photos in this gallery don't really reflect the most popular tourist traps - rather they reveal some of the less visited places around Windermere - places that require getting out of the car and walking, or discovering on a quiet morning in the Spring, Autumn or Winter when the crowds have long gone home! Even in mid summer it is possible to escape the hustle and bustle of Bowness or Ambleside. Note: there are several more smaller images from the region on the main South Lakes page.

UPDATED:23 /6 /2010

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Some people put away their cameras as the nights draw in, but some of the best light and atmospheric conditions can be found in autumn and winter, Top left shows the early morning mist lying over the River Leven at Fell Foot, where it drains from Lake Windermere; Right is the view from one of my favoirite viewpoints, Gummers How, It is Christmas day and the snow lies deep and clouds obscure the lake and the Leven Valley. Surprisingly there were a few brave souls making the most of a White Christmas, including a couple who were sharing champagne on the summit, having just got engaged! Bottom left is another winter view, this time the road from Bowland Bridge. The final view is of autumn colours refected in the River Leven where it flows from Windermere.

A perfect summers day overlooking Windermere from Brant Fell, looking northb towards the Troutbeck Valley, Fairfield Horseshoe and Helvellyn group. It is August and we were waiting for the start of the Windermere Airshow - moments later a Spitfire and Hurricane were streaking along the lake, then the Red Arrows. There is never a dull moment here. Right of that is a sunset taken overlooking the hills above Lakeside. I could fill these pages with sunsets. There is something special about the western sky reflecting the distant ocean. All comes to a spectacular close with some amazing shows of light and colour, especially in the winter when the sky seems to be burning with an intense shade of red. This one was unusual due to the m,anner in which the clouds appeared to be lined. Below left is the national Astible collection at the Royal Hotrticultural Society gardens at Holehirdnear Troutbeck. Holehird has been carefully laid out so that no matter when you visit there is always something to see. Right is another view of Windermere, taken in winter from Ghyll Head, another of my favourite viewpoints. The snow covered mountains are blushing in the setting sunlight.

The woods between Windermere, Coniston and the Duddon Valley are carpetted with dazzling bluebells in May. Most of the forests were once coppiced for charcoal so there are plenty of woodland rides and clearings lighting the understorey. You can still find charcoal burners on the heights above the Winster valley from time to time. These bluebells were on the edge of Staveley-in-Cartmel. To the right is snow melting in the Hawthorns. Below left are more Autumn colours reflected in the River Leven, and on the right wonderful reflections in a mirror-like High Dam. The crowds all head for Tarn Hows, which is undeniably picturesque, but High Dam above Finsthwaite can be equally beautiful at certain times of the year. It requires an gentle uphill trek through coppiced woodland and bilberry bushes so apart from Sundays, it is usually quite peaceful. Like Tarn Hows it ws man-made, a reservoir created by a low dam, but the magic lies in the trees - a balanced mix of larch, Scots pine and silver birch.

Late autumn of 2009 saw horrendous floods in Cumbria on an unprecedented scale. Those at Cockermouth which was hardest hit were justifiably well documented. However, for 2-3 days the heavens opened and the waters rose throughout the counrty. At times it felt as if it was never going to stop. In this region Windermere overflowed and flooded all properties including many important hotels around the lakeshore. The Swan, Lakeside and Whitewater at the southern end of the lake were all closed until well after Easter for refurbishment. Meanwhile, the old arched bridge at Backbarrow , which spans the kargest waterfall in the Lakes (by volume) was overwhelmed. The parapets were washed away and the high water mark was several feet higher than the highest previously recorded in the nineteenth century. Like the famous bridge at Newby Bridge it withstood the torrent, but only just. Several others across the county fell. The views above show the foot of Windermere with Fellfoot to the left, and Lakeside to the south. The River Leven normally curves right and flows south to Newby Bridge. Top left is the view from Gummers How on a normal autumn morning with mist over the lake and the Leven Valley. To the keft is the same view during the floods. The waters have swelled the lake and the banks have burst. The flood can be seen extending left over the main A592 to the A590 which had become a flooded causeway. Before the last Ice Age the Leven flowed this way and through the Cartmel Peninsula to Morecambe Bay. As the glaciers retreated this route was blocked by a dam of glacial moraine and the river forced its way through the gap at Backbarrow where it flows to this day. However, during the floods it was as if the river had remembered the past! In the lower pictures the extent of the fllood at Fellfoot and Lakeide can be seen. The channel from the lake to the river to the right of the picture is the course of Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway - oops!

The photographs at the top are winter views taken from Gummers How. Left is the view over a cloud covered Windermere to the snow covered plateau of Finsthwaite on the right. The second picture is the view westwrds over the lake to the Coniston Fells - the Old Man of Coniston and Wetherlam. Below left is a double hauled train on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway skirting the River Leven as it approaches Lakeside. It was a Santa Special day and I waited most of the day watching several trains slowly working their way up the valley, leaving a trail of steam behind them, just for the best shot. Right is a corner of Windermere between the islands viewed on a very still late summer's morning from Ghyll Head.

More snow, long shadows and a cloud covered Lake Windermere. Left is an early winter view over Windermere and the Fairfield Horseshoe from Ghyll Head. The low, afternoon sun highlights the red leaves and dead bracken and adds colour to the snow-capped mountains. Bottom left is a train on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway reflected in the River Leven on the final approach to Lakeside. The low sunlight emphasises the white steam. The view to the right is a very early morning shot over Bowland Bridge and the Winster valley taken from Strawberry Bank. Apart from the plethora of 4x4s and Porsches which frequent the Mason's Arms at weekends this is another tranquil backwater.

Top left is Windermere from a different angle - this time from Troutbeck, looking southwards to Bowness Bay, the islands, and Gummers How which can be seen rising to the right of the lake. It is Spring and the hawthorn is in flower - the Lake District is well-known for its show of May blossom. To the right is a view over Lakeside. The early mist is dispersing and has revealed two steamers moored at the jetty - the 'Swan' and the 'Teal'. The latter, which is shaped like an Indian canoe was launched over a century ago, in 1891. The building in the background is the Aquarium of the lakes. Bottom left is another snow scene with skeletal trees emerging through the swirling clouds. The final picture in this group shows flooded fields at Bowland Bridge in the Winster valley.

Late Spring in the Lakes - and an idyllic landscape: Blelham Tarn with the distant Coniston Fells, viewed from High Wray near Hawkshead. The second picture shows the floods of 2009 at Fellfoot Park. The trees normally mark the edge of the Lake. The water was almost lapping the tops of the windows in the tearoom, and the tops of the arches of the boathouses. Among the trees the top of a wo metre high signpost could just be seen peeping out of the water. It had been planted firmly on dry land!

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Romantique Couture - HOME PAGE
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BUTiQ - ONLINE BOUTIQUE (COMING SOON)

Romantique Couture
1 Atkinson Court, Newby Bridge, Cumbria LA12 8NW
Tel. 01539 530648
Mobile: 07812 210810
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