Loughrigg, Lake District, Autumn
There are several Wainwrights—that is, Lake District peaks written about in Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells—that are considered key or “core” Wainwrights.
They include the likes of Catbells, Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, and the Old Man of Coniston.
You could also argue that Loughrigg Fell should be included as a core Wainwright, too. And in all my years of living in Cumbria I’ve never once been up this relatively small yet sprawling fell.
So, at 5:00am this morning, we changed that.
Loughrigg Fell, or just Loughrigg, is one of the smaller Lake District fells, measuring only 335 m or 1,099 ft (compare this to England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike, coming in at 978 m/3,209 ft). However, its mass covers a surprisingly large area near Central Lakeland. To its north are two lakes: Grasmere and Rydal Water. To its west the fell overlooks Loughrigg Tarn followed by Elter Water. East, the River Rothay runs through a shallow depression, and south of Loughrigg is England’s largest lake: Windermere.
Because the fell covers such a large area there are many ways to access its numerous crags and the summit. We arrived at a lay-by near the shore of Grasmere and set off for the fell at around 6:45am. We took the route through Penny Wood onto Grasmere “beach” and then up into Deerbolts Wood, before joining Red Bank and taking the steep pitched path up onto Loughrigg’s various nobbly crags.
The morning was clear and glorious, and we watched as the rising sun slowly lit up the various peaks you can make out from around the shoulders of Loughrigg, such as Wetherlam and the Langdale Pikes. By the time we hit the summit the sun had risen and was covering the rolling crags of Loughrigg in golden light.
What a cracking morning.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4.0 lens using a customised Classic Chrome film profile.
Looking back down the steep pitched path that was our route up to the summit of Loughrigg. Silver How (395 m/1,296 ft) starts catching the soft pre-sunrise light.
Loughrigg features lots of lovely crags from which you can take your pick of compositions towards the distant fells. Here I pointed the camera towards the Langdale Pikes as they started to glow.
I find another or Loughrigg’s crags, surrounded by autumnal fern, which I use to point towards Wetherlam as it glows pink.
Higher up we can better make out the Langdale Pikes and Crinkle Crags (859 m/2,818 ft) as more of the land is bathed in warm sunrise light.
Another crag offers a framing and leading device for a composition towards Dunmail Raise, north of Grasmere village.
My lovely Lisabet takes a pew on some crag and enjoys the views as more of the fells light up in the sunrise glow.
A beautiful Herdwick yow (ewe) stares at us curiously with its smiling face. Behind her are the glowing slopes of Lingmoor Fell (469 m/1,539 ft).
The Rydal Fells, which ultimately lead up to Fairfield (873 m/2,864 ft).
Looking up the undulating folds towards the summit of Loughrigg, marked by a trigpoint.
I wanted to capture the criss-crossing and layering of the land as the sun rose over the fells.
Looking back at the route up to the summit of Loughrigg. In the distance is Grasmere village and the fells north of it: Helm Crag, Steel Fell, and Seat Sandal.
From the summit of Loughrigg you can finally make out some of Windermere lake.
From the summit you can enjoy a clear view of Wetherlam (763 m/2,502 ft), which I shot from the summit’s crags.
Probably my favourite photo from the whole hike.
Another ewe enjoys the views from one of Loughrigg’s crags.
The rolling craggy landscape of Loughrigg as the walking trails meander towards Windermere.
Lisabet inches closer for a better snap of the ewe and her lamb.
Incredible views from Loughrigg towards Elter Water and Wetherlam above.
Up in the Lakeland Fells autumn has arrived as the fern on the fell slopes turn a beautiful rusty colour.
A lone Herdwick ewe munches on the bracken in a steep gully below the rolling crags of Loughrigg.
Near Loughrigg’s northeastern slopes you can find increasing evidence of quarrying. Here we found a deposit of slate, forming a little mound of its own.
Tracking the outcrops of rhyolite and basaltic andesite towards the Scandale fells.
Lisabet pauses to enjoy the views as we navigate our way down the slopes of Loughrigg.
Back onto the main path that circumnavigates Loughrigg, known as the Loughrigg Terraces, we find Rydal Cave. This is a man-made cave; created as consequence of quarrying slate for roofing material.
A pool has filled Rydal Cave, offering crisp reflections that I played around with.
We spotted teeny little fishes in the pool too! Couldn’t say what they were, though.
Back on the main path around Loughrigg and looking up at Ewe Crag.
Into the woods alongside the River Rothay we chanced upon a couple of Herons. One of them flew off almost immediately but this one, hunched up, stayed on its perch long enough for me to get this quick snap.
In Penny Wood we notice that Grasmere is offering some crisp reflections of Silver How, which clamber down to get shots of.
All in all a 10/10 morning.