Lawson Park, Coniston, Lake District, Autumn
We had opportunity this weekend to visit somewhere a little different.
We had opportunity this weekend to visit somewhere a little different.
As we move from Summer to Autumn—with the increase in stormy downpours apparent—the quality of light improves drastically. But before the legendary Lake District autumnal colours arrive, we’re in peak fruit and berry harvesting season. What better way to observe and learn about growing fruit and vegetables than a tour of Lawson Park above Coniston Water?
A small dwelling has been sited on Lawson Park since the 14th century, when the Cistercian order of monks at Furness Abbey emparked the land here and leased out their building to charcoal burners for use in iron smelting.
The ownership of the building and land has changed hands multiple times over the centuries. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, a succession of tenant farmers lived in the farmhouse, kept livestock and worked the hard uneven land around Lawson Park. The last tenant farmer here vacated the property in the 1950s. England’s Forestry Commission bought the property and house in 1947. Liverpool Community College leased the house from the 1970s for use as outdoor and agricultural educational visits.
By 2000, Grizedale Arts director Adam Sutherland leased the farmhouse with his partner Karen Guthrie. At that time the place was little more than a spartan stone house filled with bunk beds including no central heating. They began the process of renovating the farmhouse and creating the gardens that now lushly surround the area, including the help of Japanese rice farmers in 2007.
It’s a fascinating story and I felt very honoured to have the opportunity to photograph it.
Photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–3.8 zoom and Laowa 9mm f2.8 prime lens. RAWs converted with Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, and finished in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Lawson Park, Coniston, Lake District, Autumn by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Lawson Park has no large-scale parking so we had to park at Brantwood ½ mile away and walk along the narrow East of Lake Road before taking the track up towards Lawson Park. That meant we got to enjoy lovely views of Coniston Water and the Coniston Fells in gorgeous light.
Upon locating the forestry track we climbed higher and higher towards Lawson Park. The views over Coniston Water towards the Coniston Fells, and the Old Man of Coniston (802 m / 2,632 ft) in particular, get better and better.
The light and especially the atmospheric clarity were astonishing. I almost felt I could reach across the lake and touch the fells.
Active coppicing around Lawson Park is still very much evident.
The ferns are beginning to turn colour into their autumnal rust.
Inside Lawson Park house. They’ve done a magnificent job bringing up the building to spec.
Not a bad place to spend a dark evening in.
Above the living room is a study room with books galore. Visitors were free to peruse through what they liked.
Of course, the house enjoys magnificent views towards the Coniston fells.
The flowers around the farmhouse were teeming with pollinators.
Karen Guthrie, Residential Warden of Lawson Park. It’s her learnings and vision that have shaped the gardens and land around Lawson Park into the thriving, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly place it is now.
Her guided tour around the land of Lawson Park and her work managing it was fascinating. This included these boardwalks laid to navigate through some of the bogs, made with local larch.
Karen and the other Grizedale Arts folk were keen to onboard and involve young and precocious artistic talent for various projects around Lawson Park, such as this hut built by art students.
A conifer, Picea alcoquiana, native to Japan and very reminiscent of Japanese bonsai trees.
These hydrangea were humming with insect pollinator activity. Even Karen was surprised.
Lawson Park’s vantage point is sensational, here picturing Yew Pike above Coniston village. To the right, an arts sculpture known as The Err, reminiscent of the Bowderstone above Borrowdale.
A simple larch archway in the farmhouse gardens, which will eventually be covered in creeping vines.
Two young lads make drawings of the view before them.
The Kitchen Gardens complete with polytunnels. Fruit and veg grown here feeds the residents and visitors of Lawson Park and supplies ingredients to nearby Farmer’s Arms in Lowick.
The public footpath back through the woods towards Brantwood, the former home of John Ruskin.
The Yewdale fells catch some of the reappearing late afternoon light as we head back to Brantwood.
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Pandemic Peregrinations: Helsfell Nab, Kendal, Cumbria, Winter
The Pandemic Peregrinations are back.
The Pandemic Peregrinations are back.
On the 4th of January 2021 the UK entered its 3rd National Lockdown due to rising COVID-19 cases and a new—more infectious—variant ravaging its way through the nation.
The British public are being urged to stay home at all times, save for one lot of exercise a day and essential shopping. I’m back working remotely from home again, and we’re only heading out to get some manner of exercise in, plus occasionally shopping for food.
Winter has well and truly arrived.
We decided to combine both an essential food shop with our day’s exercise today, so we hiked up Kendal Fell via Helsfell Nab, aiming towards the wonderful Plumgarths Farm Shop.
Despite the lockdown plenty of people were enjoying sledging in the somewhat slushy and frozen snow slopes of Kendal Fell. We carefully dodged the kids and adults alike whizzing passed us in their sleds, and continued on an occasionally perilously slippy walk to Plumgarths and back.
Lots of sheep about, too.
In other news—as of Saturday 9th January 2021—3,017,409 people in the UK tested positive with the virus, with 82,624 recorded deaths.
Stay safe and warm, everyone.
All photos shot with a Fujifilm X-T2 using my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. Developed using RNI’s Kodachrome film profile.
Fresh snow everywhere.
Winter has well and truly arrived.
We made friends with this gorgeous girl, who was exploring the winter landscape.
We really had to watch our footing on most of the walk. Most of the snow had either frozen over or was heavily compacted, making it all rather slippery.
A wintery Kendal town.
There were plenty of sheep around the lower slopes of Kendal Fell. Not sure of the breeds, probably a lot of North England Mules.
You’re never far from the countryside in Kendal.
I love the quizzical expressions sheep give you.
Managed to snap this young lass as she sped down the slopes of Kendal Fell.
Our way forward.
It was nice to see families out enjoying the “snow”.
My lovely Lisabet keeping up, despite slippery conditions.
Navigating through the woodland below Helsfell Nab.
As we gain height the views open up and the cloud shelf lowers.
We skirt around the lower slopes of Cunswick Fell to head towards Plumgarths Farm Shop. A beautiful Cumbrian winter scene.
The lonely track towards High Helsfell Farm.
Our destination for the day: Plumgarths Farm Shop. It’s a small place, so Lisabet went in to get supplies and I stayed out.