Yew Tree Tarn lies by the side of the A593 road from Coniston to Ambleside and that fact could make it the most photographed tarn in the Lake District although the nearby, and ever popular, Tarn Hows would run it close for the happy snapper. One can always tell, without even getting out of the car as you motor past how much of
a breeze there is from the ripples or stillness of the water, but not always, for this is the Lake District where weather can change in an instant.
So this is how it looked when we parked up (the road can be glimpsed to the right) and the stillness of the first photo only appeared as we were about to leave. The time of year is March so only the fir trees at the end have any green. Although the tarn may look natural surrounded by woods it is actually man made being dammed in the 1930s and stocked with trout for fishing.
Here is the water running through the sluice. The trout in Yew Tree Tarn are native brown and rainbow but in July 2010 due to a local drought volunteers from the South Lakes River Trust removed most of the fish to avoid kill off from the low oxygen and water levels. The fish were stunned with electrical signals and then fished out and moved to a nearby beck. One minute gently swimming along then, zap, they wake up in in a completely different place. A mass thought of , Yikes, where are we? Ultimately it was a good outcome for the fish as not only is the dam rather porous Yew Tree Tarn is on a fault line and water naturally leaks away through cracks in the ground. I think there are still fish in the tarn and with the Lake District propensity for rain a repeat of 2010 may not occur. A couple of years before the fish were removed water levels were low but a 24 hour wet spell soon raised the level.
The first photo was from the car park so you can see the tarn can be enjoyed without even getting out of your vehicle but it is also a
pleasant amble around on the well marked path
shown on the information board. (Yew Tree Tarn is marked with the yellow arrow)
14 comments:
How gorgeous is that! I was in the Lake District briefly ages ago but it was pouring down rain! I'd love to return some day and will remember this place.
Leslie
abcw team
Am back, because I can't get your pic out of my mind - the color combination is just too good to pass up,
so I'm asking your permission to use the 2 angles you posted of this place - (probably) for a pastel painting. Thanks for getting back to me about this:)
Absolutely gorgeous. I would be taking photos like crazy too.
Now that's an amazing choice for Y. Thanks for sharing this part of the Lake District!
Feel free to use Jeanette, if you do post on your blog let me know as I would love to see your interpretation. The late winter sun gets the credit for the colours. If you ever visited in reality on the last photograph of the path I'm standing beside a plank seat which would be an ideal position to set up your easel;-)
I'm a sucker for a good reflection shot!
ROG, ABCW
Mind blowing!
http://amitaag.blogspot.in/2014/07/yachts.html
Beautiful reflections Joy, although I've had many holidays in The Lake District and have visited Tarn Hows several times, which is a beautiful spot, I have not heard of Yew Tree Tarn.
Therefore, a visit is in order complete with my nippy little Panasonic Lumix!
I remember going on a fishing trip with my elder cousin Sid and I caught a medium sized trout, When got home he gutted it and cooked it for me but I couldn't eat it, I felt so guilty!
Good post and most interesting , regards, Di.x
The reflections in the tarn are truly magnificent - reminds me in some way of a lake in NZ called Mirror Lake for obvious reasons.
One of my clients is visiting the Lake District right now - I'm quite a bit more jealous now that I see your photos! Fascinating that the fish could be relocated from one lake to another. I hope to visit the Lake District soon.
Cheers.
Susan
Beautiful images and fascinating to read about the transfer of fishes!!
Interesting with terrific photography. Thanks for droppiny by my blog!
Susan - Your client has had some good weather, hope you have the same. Which part are you thinking of visiting?
Gorgeous , wonderfull the reflections in the Tarn
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