To get the perfect shot, it takes an hour and a half of preparation. It includes brushing teeth, making coffee, sandwiches, grabbing the camera and drone. Not to mention driving to the location, and a short 10-minute hike. This allowed us to reach Cave Dale at just the right moment when the sun was peeking through the clouds. The plan sounded perfect, especially after last week’s cloudy sunrise attempt. But this time, there were very few clouds that only added to the mood and gave us wonderful colours. Additionally, we were fortunate enough to get some low hanging mist. It added to the mysteriousness of Castleton and tricked our eyes into believing we were on top of the world.

Despite the early wake-ups, tiredness, and cranky boys, as long as I can capture shots like the one below, I am willing to take on all the challenges. Nothing compares to the joy of witnessing a perfect sunrise like this. All worries disappear, and I can safely say it’s a form of mindfulness. It forces me to be present at that moment, and nothing else matters.

A perfect Cave Dale sunrise ? Checked off my list! Stay tuned for next week’s adventure. I wonder where it will lead us…

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We weren’t lucky enough to get a spectacular inversion, like we did on the last day of 2020 ( you can view the photos here ). But we did get to photograph the gates along the ridge. I’ve been eyeing them and meaning to photograph them for a long time. And I’ve finally had my chance. So now I get to cross this off my list. Just like I crossed off the list a perfect Winnats Pass sunrise, last week (you can view the photos here) . It’s such a great feeling of accomplishment to get the shots you’ve been hunting.
 

Next up? Well a hike of course, on Sunday. And as for photos? I don’t know! There’s so many spots in Peak District. Maybe next week we’ll stray a little further from the popular spots. For now I’m very happy to cross off the list a perfect Mam Tor Ridge Sunrise. Stay tuned!

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We woke up at 4.45 on Sunday. With no idea what to expect. All we knew was that the weather app said it would be partly sunny. What a surprise it was when we got there that our Winnats Pass sunrise photography suddenly turned into Winnats Pass winter photography! Never had we thought we’d be so lucky! I absolutely love winter in Peak District. So a winter sunrise here is a fantastic bonus!

We climbed the hill as fast as we could. Everything turned out to be amazing. The sky was fantastic, with a few wisps of clouds here and there. Perfect enough to offer a variety of colours. Even before the sun had shone its first rays above the hills, the sky was amazing. We captured a few landscapes and portraits, but soon enough, the light became too harsh so we packed up our things and left. Our next destination was Mam Tor, more specifically the bridleway towards Lord’s Seat. More of that in this article here

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We reached the car park at around 8:10 am, and began climbing to the little summit, as the sun began to rise. I could tell it was rising by how pink the atmosphere became. There were no other tells, because we couldn’t see the sun or anything around us. The whole hill was covered in mist. It seemed like a fast moving cotton candy cloud that diffused the light of the rising sun. We could tell something special was brewing.

As we hit the summit, we saw many people enjoying what seemed to be the most wonderful sunrise of 2020. Many of them were taking photos, some were just standing around, taking everything in. It was pretty wonderful. The mist was moving fast above us and around us, and off the face of the cliff toward the sun. I hope I managed to capture the magic of it. As usual, using my family as the centre of focus.

We’ve been on that exact spot many times, in the spring and in the summer, but I think this Mam Tor Winter Sunrise was the most spectacular. After we were happy with the shots we got, we went a bit further toward the Mam Tor Bridleway to try to capture it, and Lose Hill. They looked amazing as well, as the mist was sweeping across them. We didn’t spend a lot of time here as we didn’t have any food with us, and couldn’t do a proper hike. So we decided to go back to our car.

Easier said than done, as the weather was cold, but so wonderful that I didn’t even want to leave. Instead of going towards the car park, we climbed down Mam Tor and climbed up towards Lord’s Seat. We’d caught of glimpse of Edale and Kinder Scout from the top of Mam Tor and it looked wonderful, all shrouded in clouds and mist. So we wanted to get a little closer. Lord’s Seat was the easiest way. The sight became otherworldly, as you can see in the pictures below.

Such a great sunrise. On the last day of 2020. I hope 2021 will be at least as wonderful as this morning was! Happy New year dear reader. We’ll see you next year!

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I’m actually very glad how things played out. I think we got some amazing shots. Things didn’t look very positive right before the sun rose and I was a bit disappointed. I guess I was still hung up on the Mam Tor idea. As the minutes passed though, the sky became more and more alight. The hills started to come alive. The best part was the mist that was all around and the lack of clouds. The sky was clear and the sun was shining on the mist and trees, making the landscape look very milky and surreal. Some perfect conditions that we’ve never captured before.

All in all, I’m extremely happy we didn’t get to go to Mam Tor. We managed to capture some amazing shots with the mist and trees that we had no chance to capture there. The Surprise View sunrise photography session was a fantastic success! Alex was an amazing model as usual and managed to keep up with me as I ran through the hills to try and hit as many spots as I could. I’ll let you see the photos now and I’ll see you in the next post!

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We left home at 4 am, and parked our car at around 5am in the Binn Green Car Park. It was pitch black so we were definitely happy to have our head lamps with us. We’ve never had the chance to do a night hike before and I’d like to say we were happy to do it, but honestly… None of us were very keen, haha. It’s could be quite creepy and all of your senses are so heightened it almost hurts. Now that I look back, I think we should have done a night hike on a trail we were familiar with. This was an unfamiliar trail, so it was definitely more difficult than I thought.

Thankfully we didn’t have to wander through the darkness for too long. The sky started to lighten after around 20 minutes, just as we reached the path alongside Yeoman Reservoir.  Removing our head lamps we started our climb towards Saddleworth Moor along the concrete waterfall in Dove Stone Clough. The sun started to rise just as we reached the top.

I knew we had to walk some more before we got to The Trinnacle, and it seemed like we were against the clock, as the sun was rising fast. The light was mellow and the sky was awash with lovely shades of pink and purple. The few clouds on the sky were lines with gold and everything looked wonderful. But as the sun was rising the light was becaming stronger and whiter. I definitely wanted to reach The Trinnacle and capture it in mellow golden light so the hike turned into a run.

We didn’t end up reaching the Trinnacle. The path became narrow and was right on the edge of Moor. It had rained recently so it was a bit muddy too. I loved it but Stefan said it was too risky to continue. He’s not keen on heights sadly. Everytime he saw Alex get too close to edge he’d have a small panic attack. I decided to spare him and we turned back. I can’t help but feel like I failed though. My one goal for that day was to reach the Trinnacle and I didn’t. Maybe sometime later… When it’s dry. We’d definitely take a different path, one that crossed the Saddleworth Moor and isn’t right on the edge.

It was a great hike though. Even if we didn’t reach the end. We took some pretty amazing pictures, and we all felt tired but fulfilled. The climb is not easy, so that made the challenge all the more sweet. On our way back we took loads of other photos, even with the strong sun. And we met so many people out and about. When we started our hike there was no one around. Now there were people everywhere.

I can wait to go back there. I’m sure Dovestones Reservoir, Yeoman Reservoir and all the surrounding Moors and Edges look amazing in the autumn!  Until then, here we go: our first Northern Peak District photos. I hope you like them as much as I do! Also, remember to follow us on Instagram, we post all of our adventures there. Including the amazing sunrise we captured at Winnats Pass.

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Last weekend, we finally captured the Winnats Pass photos we had wanted since discovering the spot online four years ago. It’s silly, but I genuinely never thought about the possibility of climbing on the other side. Once I saw the other people climbing there, I couldn’t wait to wake up my family at 5 am for a photo session.

We woke up at 4:30 am and climbed the left side of the pass starting from the top. It took less than 10 minutes. We were delighted to find several people there already, confirming that it was a popular spot. We could also see many people waiting on Mam Tor for the first rays of sun. When it finally appeared, it was glorious. For just five minutes before a huge grey cloud covered it. Gone was the warm golden light that makes this spot so special.

Despite the grey cloud, we held out hope for another chance. After a while the clouds cleared, and we got some beautiful shots. Although the light became strong quickly, we were happy with our photos. I was thrilled to have finally captured the Winnats Pass photos that I had been dreaming of. Our next goal is to capture a cloud inversion, which would be pretty exciting!

I made a twitter account here the other day. Instagram is pretty slow to grow, and I bet the famous “algorithm” has a part to play in that. Drop a follow and I’ll follow back!

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We left our house early at 7:30 AM for the start of a grand adventure: the Scotland camping trip. Our destination? The stunning Isle of Skye. After an epic 11-hour drive, we finally reached our camping site at 6 PM. Sure, the journey was long, but we made the most of it by capturing amazing photos along the way.

My personal mission on this trip? To capture a specific photo that I had been dreaming about for ages. I could visualise it perfectly in my mind, and I was determined to make it a reality. All we needed was some good weather, a breathtaking sunrise, and maybe a night of wild camping atop the Old Man of Storr. It wouldn’t be easy, but I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Day 2
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On day two of our Scotland camping trip, we endured rain, but it was still wonderful. Our tent was perched on the stunning Isle of Skye, near the picturesque town of Portree. We had been here last year around the same time. But we faced days of bleak weather, no sunshine and no starry nights. Hence, we were elated to learn that the forecast predicted three days of sunshine for us this year!

My main goal for these three days of sunshine was simple – capture a stunning photo of Old Man of Storr, on any of these days. Enything else beyond this was a bonus! To prepare for this shot, we chose to camp in the charming town of Portree, located six miles from Old Man of Storr. First we’d have to do a hike to find the perfect vantage point for that epic picture. That’s how we spent our second day in Scotland – scouting for that perfect spot.

The hike was more challenging than we thought. It wasn’t long though, lasting only about an hour. The scenic views made it worthwhile. Although the weather wasn’t the best, we still enjoyed every moment of it. And we knew where to go once the weather cleared. All in the name of that perfect picture.

Day 3
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On the third day of our Scotland camping trip, we had the best experience yet. We woke up at 4:30 am to a chilly morning, ready to hike up Old Man of Storr again to capture the perfect shot I had been dreaming of. Luckily, the hiking trail was only 10 minutes away from our campsite.

As we approached the location, we noticed flickering lights going up the mountain, like fireflies. We quickly realised we were not alone in our quest to capture the perfect shot. About 20 others were hiking alongside us. This made us feel less isolated.

The hike was more challenging than the previous day’s because of the five hours of sleep. Yet nothing else mattered as we reached the top just before the sun rose. For five minutes, we were able to witness the pastel pink light before the dawn. It was the most magical view I have ever seen.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a cup of coffee while taking in the view. It was a very enjoyable hike, not too difficult nor too long, and we were thrilled with our experience. The fact that it was a dry morning made it all the better.

Day 4
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On the morning of our 4th camping day, we were awoken by the warmth of the sun. The perfect weather helped us decide to visit another famous photography location. For over an hour, we chilled near Sligachan village, where a stunning old bridge stretched over a glistening river. This breathtaking view was complemented by the Cuillin mountains in the background.

After a while we headed north, for our next camping site. We camped that night at Clachtoll beach, reached through a long and winding one-track road. However, the payoff was worth it, as we enjoyed the pristine and beautiful beach right next to our campsite.

Day 5
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On the fifth day of our trip, we woke up to a rainy morning that persisted throughout the day. But that didn’t stop us from going on hikes and taking pictures, even though the rain left the landscapes looking lifeless. Our next destination was Durness, so we left our campsite early. We stopped by the villages of Culkein and Stoer though, to find another famous photo location, Id read about online.

Armed with walking sticks, we began our little hike on a lonely and flooded dirt road. The occasional puddles were too big to walk through, but we kept going, even as the road became a trail, and then vanished completely. We climbed two hills without a trail, to get to the Old Man of Stoer, our photo destination for the day. A sea-stack standing tall amidst the waves and the rain.

Despite being surrounded by midges we still managed to take a few photos and enjoyed the gorgeous view. The way back to the car was more fun. We had given up on keeping our feet dry and just walked through all the puddles, without any other worries. It certainly made the journey faster.

Day 6
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Our final day of camping was truly wonderful. We woke up early near a stunning beach that is definitely among the best I’ve seen. We spent the morning on the Sango Sands beach, watching Alex draw in the sand. As the rain began to fall, we decided to grab some breakfast at a burger truck we discovered the night before. The enticing aroma led us to the food truck near a bay, making it the best kind of advertising.

We started our journey back towards Isle of Skye with full bellies. To avoid a long drive home the following day, we decided to camp there overnight. And how fortunate we were, as we witnessed an unforgettable sunset in the most remarkable spot. The perfect way to end our trip.

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