Dash Falls, Lake District, Spring
Here's another place I've been meaning to explore for ages.
The Northern Fells of the Lake District are dominated by two champions: Skiddaw and Blencathra, the 6th and 18th highest mountains in England respectively. These fells make up a wall of peaks at the southern end of the Northern Fells, looming directly over Keswick and Threlkeld.
There are, however, numerous fells and valleys behind Skiddaw and Blencathra, and by comparison these fells see little footfall. On the western side of the Northern Fells, nestled in between the Uldale fells and the Back o' Skidda is the Dash Valley. At the head of this valley drops a rather spectacular waterfall, Dash Falls, also sometimes called Whitewater Dash waterfall. Rather than being one single drop, these falls take the form of a series of steep cascades from the head of Dash valley to the valley floor.
Though the day was relatively overcast, the scenes were no less epic. Happily, there were also plenty of Herdwicks about!
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Images developed using RNI Films' Kodachrome film profile.
The first part of the walk involves navigating through livestock pasture to reach Peter Houses Farm and joining the Cumbria Way. Already, scenes were looking incredible.
Herdwicks! With their lambs, perhaps only a couple of weeks old.
A true Lake District scene: Herdwicks and the fells.
Our first sight of Dash Falls. From this point on the Cumbria Way is properly paved and easy to follow all the way to the falls.
Looking back at the way we came. On the right is Binsey, an isolated little hill that nevertheless enjoys fantastic views.
A marker stone indicates the bridleway ahead towards Dash Falls. Beyond the falls you can carry on over via the Cumbria Way towards Skiddaw House, a hostel in the middle of Skiddaw Forest.
The path gets steeper and the falls get closer.
Near the top of the path you can enjoy the view straight down the falls. It might be possible to clamber down and get right alongside them, but I wouldn't dare.
With my ultra-wide lens on, I was able to capture this expansive scene of the Dash valley from the top of Dash Falls.
On the way back down, after a spot of lunch and rest, I kept the 9mm lens on to snap some expansive views of the valley from the top.
Looking straight down Dash Valley. There's loads of heather about, so this will be a great place to return to in late summer.
A 6-shot vertorama with my 55mm lens of Dead Crags, which looms above the southern side of Dash Valley.
One last look back, a zoomed in composition of Dash Falls as it cascades down the sheer face of Dash Valley's head.
A quizzical cow scopes us out as we near the start of our walk at Bassenthwaite village.