Early Summertime Lakeland Scenery

Jordan Fadden • 6 June 2023

Another Walk On The Wildside

This is a visual diary in photographs from a few days of hiking and mountain climbing in the English Lake District last weekend. I covered quite a lot of ground from the high mountain of Helvellyn in the East across to the more Westerly mountain of Haystacks before descending in to the Buttermere Valley. It was very lively down by the shores of Lake Buttermere as an annual paragliding event was taking place, with people dropping from aeroplanes and flying off most of the surrounding high peaks before trying to land as close to the target in one of the fields. Some of the participants descended in somersaults leaving colourful trails of smoke behind them.

Lakeland Photos

It was a clear full moon on my hike across Helvellyn, which makes it possible to walk even at midnight. The hardy Lakeland sheep were grazing close to the summit - their thick wool coats catching some of the late evening sunshine.

Someone etched their name in one of the steps leading down from Grisedale Tarn below Seat Sandal fell. I also made a quick visit to the church of St. Oswald's in the village of Grasmere - the place where Wordsworth's grave is situated.

The route from the Sky High Cafe at the Honister Slate Mine situated at the summit of the Honister Pass across to the mountain of Haystacks is one of the most intriguing I've ever walked. I encountered an old mining hut called Dubs hut which lies on a massive mound of broken slate overlooking some of the high peaks. It is now used as a bothy and sleeps probably as many people as can fit on to the wooden platforms elevated from the floor. It is equipped with a stove and basic utensils for cooking as well as a kettle and candle holders with metal cups positioned at various points on the walls and window cills. Through the windows you can see the mountains of Pillar and High Stile. Shovels are also left inside the hut as there is no toilet facility. Gas cartridges for cooking may be left by those who manage these types of free accommodation or by the visitors who are responsible for taking their litter away with them when they depart.

The route leading to the summit of Haystacks is really fascinating with so many views across to the valleys and distant mountains as well as small tarns hidden behind rocky areas. Taking a quick dip in one of the larger of these tarns I suddenly had some cute little ducklings swimming around my legs as they followed the mother duck. In one of the views above you can see Scafell Pike in the far distance between Great Gable and Kirk Fell.

Pillar mountain with wild Ennerdale below, and some photos of the foxgloves in the beautiful village of Buttermere.

My photos were shot using Nikon D700 and a Nikkor 50mm lens

Early Summertime Lakeland Scenery

  • by Jordan Fadden
  • •
  • 06 Jun, 2023
  • •

Another Walk On The Wildside

Late evening sunlight on striding edge leading up to Helvellyn
This is a visual diary in photographs from a few days of hiking and mountain climbing in the English Lake District last weekend. I covered quite a lot of ground from the high mountain of Helvellyn in the East across to the more Westerly mountain of Haystacks before descending in to the Buttermere Valley. It was very lively down by the shores of Lake Buttermere as an annual paragliding event was taking place, with people dropping from aeroplanes and flying off most of the surrounding high peaks before trying to land as close to the target in one of the fields. Some of the participants descended in somersaults leaving colourful trails of smoke behind them. 

Lakeland Photos

It was a clear full moon on my hike across Helvellyn, which makes it possible to walk even at midnight. The hardy Lakeland sheep were grazing close to the summit - their thick wool coats catching some of the late evening sunshine.
Someone etched their name in one of the steps leading down from Grisedale Tarn below Seat Sandal fell. I also made a quick visit to the church of St. Oswald's in the village of Grasmere - the place where Wordsworth's grave is situated.
The route from the Sky High Cafe at the Honister Slate Mine situated at the summit of the Honister Pass across to the mountain of Haystacks is one of the most intriguing I've ever walked. I encountered an old mining hut called Dubs hut which lies on a massive mound of broken slate overlooking some of the high peaks. It is now used as a bothy and sleeps probably as many people as can fit on to the wooden platforms elevated from the floor. It is equipped with a stove and basic utensils for cooking as well as a kettle and candle holders with metal cups positioned at various points on the walls and window cills. Through the windows you can see the mountains of Pillar and High Stile. Shovels are also left inside the hut as there is no toilet facility. Gas cartridges for cooking may be left by those who manage these types of free accommodation or by the visitors who are responsible for taking their litter away with them when they depart.
The route leading to the summit of Haystacks is really fascinating with so many views across to the valleys and distant mountains as well as small tarns hidden behind rocky areas. Taking a quick dip in one of the larger of these tarns I suddenly had some cute little ducklings swimming around my legs as they followed the mother duck. In one of the views above you can see Scafell Pike in the far distance between Great Gable and Kirk Fell.
Pillar mountain with wild Ennerdale below, and some photos of the foxgloves in the beautiful village of Buttermere.
My photos were shot using Nikon D700 and a Nikkor 50mm lens

Ibiza – July 2025

by Jordan Fadden • 27 July 2025
This is mainly a picture-sharing post from a week spent on the gorgeous island of Ibiza in the Balearics, Spain. Although I spent some time in the awesome megaclubs, soaking up the sounds and the incredible atmosphere, I also traveled around the small island and spent more of my time exploring the beaches, towns and landscapes. My favourite day was a ferry trip to Formentera, which is great for cycling and has some of the world's best beaches—many of which are lined with great beach bars.

Paradise Island

by Jordan Fadden • 2 March 2025
This blog post contains a selection of photographs which I made in the middle of February 2025 on a visit to Madeira – a Portuguese island in the Atlantic just north of the Canaries. It's known for having a warm and pleasant climate all year round, even in Winter, and also for having some of the best hiking trails in the world. It's also known by many people as the vertical island due to its incredibly steep mountains which rise from the ocean. Madeira is a green and lush island with some very impressive coastal cliffs.

Photos From Morocco

by Jordan Fadden • 16 January 2025
This is a selection of photographs from a visit to the African country of Morocco in late December 2024 and January 2025. Notes on images will be found at the end of this page. Places visited include the cities of Agadir, Marrakech, Ouarzazate and Essaouira, as well as a trip through the High Atlas Mountains to Ait Benhaddou, Fint Oasis and the Atlantic coastal region in Southern Morocco.

Mountain Photos

by Jordan Fadden • 7 June 2024
https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Jordan+Fadden

Selection of Photographs From Around Clapham And Austwick

by Jordan Fadden • 19 March 2024
As we move from Winter into Spring time, one place I ventured into for the first time last week was the dramatic moorland region around the North Yorkshire villages of Clapham and Austwick. As you make your ascent on the steep tracks, incredible panoramic views open up across the Forest of Bowland to the south. And as you ascend farther into the Dales you encounter all kinds of interesting boulders, crags, and screes. The distinctive dry stone walls and many field barns confirm that you are well inside the National Park, with streams gushing from the hills and limestone pavement dominating the views of the famous Yorkshire three-peaks once you arrive on high ground.

Smartphone Digital Finger Paintings

by Jordan Fadden • 29 January 2024
The smartphone offers an alternative way of drawing and seeing. Even when you're not one for spending very much time looking at little screens, and swiping and tapping and scrolling, the smartphone can still be a useful device if you happen to be without your usual materials. And of course a tablet would be the next step if you was really inclined to using a digital means of sketching, especially if your focus is going to be on landscapes. As small as the touchscreen is, it responds to subtle movements made by the finger or thumb. No app was used here, just the basic photo editor which allows you to make marks over the top. The phone I used was a Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge. Very small compared to most.

Photos From Venice

by Jordan Fadden • 11 January 2024
Thank you for the memories to those whom I met on my journey to the famous lagoon, - in particular Florentina and Theodora who invited me to Padua to show me the sights of this nearby town at night. Tina was a most knowledgeable guide, whilst Dora kept us amused with her hilarious accent. Also, best wishes to Kalina and Milena. I very much look forward to revisiting Venezia in the future. Even though the days are only short, and the weather still quite cold and unpredictable, the light in January is still dazzling as you can see.

North Pennines Photographs

by Jordan Fadden • 1 December 2023
It felt more like the depths of Winter, rather than the start, during my five-day's of hiking across high land at the end of November. The North Pennines is a vast area, featuring the highest paved roads in the country. And the weather can be more changeable than anywhere else; atop Great Dun Fell there's a radar and weather station specifically for studying the clouds, because here you get the highest amount of precipitation.

The Island Of Crete In 60 Pictures

by Jordan Fadden • 23 October 2023
The following selection of images represents some of my recent travel photography on a visit to the southernmost Greek island of Crete in late September to mid-October 2023. When viewing these pictures, imagine if you can the sound of bells jingling as mountain goats pass across the mountainsides and roads, the loud noise of crickets, the smell of salt air from the Mediterranean and Libyan sea, and of the chatter of the Cretan folk with their warm hospitality as they prepare their wonderful cuisine rich in olive oil and complemented by their drink offerings of raki and retsina.

Walk On The Wildside

by Jordan Fadden • 6 April 2023
It is possible to cycle all the way around the Lake District National Park in a day without stopping, and yet despite the modest scale and altitude of these mountains compared to the world's greatest mountain ranges it can still feel extraordinarily remote and wild when you're hiking in the district, with mountain terrain which is just as challenging and impressive as any other. The quality of light and how dramatically the light and shadows shift across the fells here is second to none. This is because it's like a miniature version of any other rugged mountain region. And late last week I hiked across some of the highest peaks including Bow Fell, Scafell Pike, Kirk Fell and Pillar, following a route from Great Langdale to Wasdale and finally on to Borrowdale via Green Gable and Gillercomb.
More posts