We spent two weeks in England (and Scotland) in July and witnessed a broad overview of what the countries have to offer. We enjoyed the cities of London and Edinburgh, the villages of The Cotswolds, the Scottish towns of St Andrews and Stirling, and many more. But the highlight for me was the time we spent in the Lake District of Northern England. I loved everything about it… the changeable weather, the beautiful landscape, the high barren fells, the dry rock walls and sheep, and the villages of Ambleside and Grasmere. This was an introduction for sure… I plan to go back!

The Quiet Beauty Of Rydal Water

The home of the poet William Wordsworth is a beautiful place. Seeing it on a cloudy, misty, summer day is extra special. And taking three hours to slowly wander through this landscape… around the lake, up the hill, and through the gates is a joy to remember. I hope these images do it justice. It was a special morning.

The Moody English Landscape

When I first saw the forecast, I was a bit disappointed. Of course I knew that we’d see some clouds and showers but why did it have to happen on one of the days we were going to be in the Lake District? I had been looking forward to seeing this place for so long and all I wanted was some perfect weather. Well, it turns out I did have perfect weather. This part of England just absolutely comes alive in the clouds and mist and sprinkles. I didn’t really know what I wanted… and I was fortunate to get more than I deserved!

There Is Color and Sun in England!

Notwithstanding the statements above, the sunny landscape has a charm all its own in England. Because of the latitude, the sun angle is fairly low, even in mid summer. So the light on a sunny day is very intriguing and beautiful to see. Of course there are no completely cloudless days, and so the sun comes and goes… spotlighting the landscape… and warming your face and skin… while the air retains just the right amount of coolness. This too was perfect weather. We were fortunate to get both of these conditions during our stay in the Lake District!

Just Can’t Get Enough

I just can’t get enough of this scene on the dunes of St. Andrews, Scotland. At my back is the world famous Old Course of St Andrews. But what really captured my attention was the amazing afternoon light on these dune grasses and fences. It changed every minute and I was breathless as I ran around trying to capture good compositions. The version shown earlier on this page was published in the October 2024 issue of Elements Magazine and I sold this as a large 16x22 print to a friend. While I almost never show additional compositions of the same subject, I couldn't resist an artistic version here.

Cities, Towns, and Villages

The manmade landscape was just as interesting as we spent time in the big cities of London and Edinburgh, the towns of Ambleside, Grasmere, and St Andrews, and the beautiful Cotswold villages of Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water. Flower boxes adorned almost every window sill and the color popped out from the stone buildings behind them. It was just as much of a treat to wander around these towns and villages as it was the natural landscape.