Northern England
Castles make great photographic subjects and Northumberland has 70 or so for you to explore
It’s far from grim up north. Gritty, perhaps, with its abundance of national parks. Here are four of my favourite locations north of the Watford Gap – or thereabouts… 13 LATRIGG FELL
The Lake District is probably the favourite place for many landscape photographers and, when the leaves start to change, it attracts them like a magnet. I prefer the Keswick area, as there is just so much to photograph there. The mountains surrounding Keswick afford some spectacular views, such as Cat Bells to the west and Wall Crag to the east. Both of these viewpoints require a moderately strenuous climb, but there’s another location that’s a short, easy walk from the car park. Latrigg Fell overlooks Keswick from the north and is reached by a small single-track road behind Underscar Hotel. There’s something to photograph in every direction. The best time is at dawn, when you may be lucky to have mist in the valleys.
14 LIMESTONE PAVEMENT
It’s hard to choose a location in the Yorkshire Dales, as there are so many wonderful landscapes, but I decided on the unusual geological feature of the Limestone Pavement, particularly with a lone tree growing from it. The contrast of a tree surviving in a rocky environment against the odds makes a symbolic image. There are a few popular locations, such as Twistleton Scar near Ribblehead where the trees are bent over from the prevailing winds, and the area above Malham Cove, as shown here. The limestone pavement provides some wonderful patterns that can be used as leading lines to the tree. Any time of year is good; even in winter when the leaves have dropped, as the structure of the tree is more evident.
15 MILLSTONE EDGE
The Peak District National Park is the first of Britain’s 15 national parks and, oddly enough, there are no mountain peaks here, rather rounded hills with gritstone edges overlooking valleys. The name is thought to derive from the Pecsaetan, an Anglo-saxon tribe who settled there. It’s often overlooked by landscape photographers looking for the best landscape locations in Britain, so why, exactly, does it make my list? How about the endless stunning views from the easily accessible dark gritstone crags, the beautiful lush green valleys and the heather-covered moorland that bursts into colour in August – and that’s just for starters! Millstone Edge (pictured here) is a great location for late afternoon light and sunset. Park at the Surprise View car park and walk a short distance to Millstone Edge. There are numerous other photo locations nearby, such as Stanage Edge, Froggat Edge and Mam Tor, where various photographers assemble for the dawn light in anticipation of the Hope Valley filling with mist.
16 DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE
Castles make great photographic subjects and Northumberland has 70 or so for you to explore. Some of the best are along the coastline and are a short drive from one another, such as Lindisfarne Castle, Bamburgh Castle and – my favourite – Dunstanburgh Castle. I like Dunstanburgh because you have two great locations to shoot from. The coastline from the north side of the castle has large black round boulders that make a great foreground and from the south, where I took this shot, the rocky coastline during a long exposure makes a great image. This is dependant on the level of the tide, so check before. This was mid-tide, so the water was rushing over the rocks. Try using an ND filter to achieve a longer exposure of several minutes.