Scout Scar, Lake District, Winter
On Saturday just gone, my Dad celebrated his 68th birthday!
Do you know what else happened on that day? Storm Arwen arrived. And it brought with it sustained winds of over 60mph with gusts approaching 100mph. Ultimately it caused power cuts for tens of thousands of homes across the UK as trees were torn from their roots and slammed into power lines.
In Kendal, we were one of the lucky ones. So rather than try to get to Dad’s house for his birthday, which involves driving over the A6 or M6 at altitudes several hundreds of metres above sea level, we postponed the get-together for Sunday.
This was fortuitous because as Saturday blended into Sunday, Storm Arwen left and snow arrived. By the time Dad arrived in Kendal, a fresh coating of powdery snow had packaged Cumbria in wintery goodness. What to do? Go on a walk, of course!
So we hiked up an old favourite, Scout Scar, to get some crackin’ winter views across to the Lakeland fells. And surely we did.
A smashing day all round.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Fujinon 23mm f/2.0 prime lens. Images were developed with RNI’s Fortia SP film profile, then finished off in Affinity Photo.
The goal initially was to drive up to, and park at, the main Scout Scar car park. We had to abandon this, though, as the entrance to it was slick with slushy ice and compacted snow. Instead, we navigated up Brigsteer Road and began the hike at the lay-bys behind Scout Scar. Already, the light was looking delicious.
My lovely Lisabet and my Dad, taking in the scenery in their own ways. Far, far in the distance are the comely shapes of the Howgills, covered in fresh snow.
It wasn’t long until we came across our first sledging family, excitedly pulling their sledge back up the fell side for another ride.
As we gain height, the views looking back across Kendal to the Howgills open up. Our excitement builds. The day is crystal clear.
And there they are, the Lakeland fells, covered in the first of 2021’s snow.
Storm Arwen made damn sure there were no autumnal leaves left on the trees. A landscape of auburn and yellow has quickly been replaced with fresh white snow.
My lovely Lisabet, glowing as she does.
The Kentmere and Longsleddale fells, in particular, were looking absolutely stunning. Mountains really do look taller with snow on them, don’t they?
I’ve been up Scout Scar so many times. I never get sick of the views from its precipice.
Something else I never get sick off: Lisabet’s hair.
Windswept trees, stripped bare of their leaves as the sun begins to set.
As we began our way back down the fell, there were still plenty of people making their way up.
Clouds laden with snow quickly started to form over Kendal.
The setting sun managed to creep underneath the gathering clouds, shooting beams of golden light across the tree tops.
A crackin’ end to a lovely day.