Tuesday 2 February 2010

ABC Wednesday - Coniston Water


Coniston Water one of the Lake District lakes. If you click to enlarge then a red sailed yacht is gently cruising between the shore and Peel Island on a calm warm May day when nature is fresh and green.

The year turns and we drift
into Autumn and look from the cairn on the top of High Light Haw over the Water to Coniston Old Man. This is a great place to have lunch on the flat rocks below and feel complete contentment.

The shape chugging its way along Coniston Water is the steam yacht Gondola

originally built in 1859 and beautifully renovated. The photo is from here where you can also see the wonderfully plush and comfortable 1st class saloon, gleaming engine and golden prow. It plies its trade up, down and across the lake, calling in at

jetties on both sides. But not on a Monday in mid Winter. One of its calling points is Brantwood,
once the home of the Victorian artist, critic and author John Ruskin. The gardens are lovely in spring and summer, bare here in winter, but lots of logs ready for the fire or perhaps a boat boiler.
There are bays and inlets on the east side

popular in the summer for picnics, swimming and canoeing. Some people cannot resist
leaving their mark.

This might be called my 'local' lake and when I'm passing to the north I always look at the
seats at the end as I drive past. Now these might be called concrete brutal, but I'm looking for the water. The more it rains the more the water rises and this is like a measure. At the extremes of weather the water can rise over the slabs and just below the seat. When it reaches that point it is probably flooding elesewhere. There is the reason the Lake District is so green.

But the water has receded now so you can sit on the seat and contemplate the view although
the sun was not quite able to break through the clouds yesterday, but it is indeed a lake for all seasons.

To join the rest of the ABC Wednesday crowd go here and you will see lots of words beginning with C.

15 comments:

Sylvia K said...

What a marvelous collection of C words! And what a gorgeous place! I love your photos! The first two are really stunning. Very interesting post for the day! Thanks for sharing!!

Sylvia

Roger Owen Green said...

I'm a sucker for sea/river/lake scenes. Yes that craft looked quite comfortable indeed.

On behalf of the ABC Wednesday team, thank you!

photowannabe said...

So very beautiful. I would love to be on that boat watching the world go by.

Tumblewords: said...

I'd love to cruise on that gondola. The water looks so calm and the cairn rocks are spectacular!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. :)

Mara said...

Do the lakes ever freeze over in winter? Enough to walk or skate on?

jabblog said...

What a stunning place - beautiful views every way you turn.

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

I haven't been to the Lake District in years - sadly - but you have given me a real taste for it!

Joy said...

Thank you for your kind words Sylvia, its amazing how sunshine improves a photograph, LOL.

Yes Roger there is something about water that facinates and always lovely to look at.

Photowannabe - it would be very restful indeed especially lounging on the velvety seats

Tumblewords - calm water is always preferable on a larger boat. Glad you liked the cairn I never think a top is complete without one.

Angelcel - yes beautiful place especially on a still day

Mara - Its a very long time indeed since they have frozen but this year was an exception and the lakes in the north such as Dewentwater were solid. The tarns would probably be the only place to skate. Guess your Dutch genes saw that straight stretch of water as perfect for speed.

Jabblog - yes I love its character and each view gives a different perspective

Sheila - I'm lucky to be so near but glad to remind you of it, and of course there are lots of lovely postcards here as well.

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

Ah beautiful. I'm not sure if I've ever been to Coniston Water - I know I've visited Windermere and Ullswater. I imagine it must be pretty cold up there right now so roll on summer.

Jay said...

Oh my .. it does look gorgeous! So serene and inviting.

I thought the graffiti was in mud at first, till I enlarged it! Great shot!

Unknown said...

How absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful collection of pictures. I adore them!

Leslie: said...

I SO enjoyed this cruise around the lake! The only time I was in the Lake District was a day when it was pouring with rain! But it was so beautiful even then that I just KNEW I'd go back one day - and I will!!!

Tania said...

Lovely place and pictures:-) Great C`s!
Have a nice day!

Joy said...

Gerald - Luckily I live on the coast so its always a couple of degrees warmer than inland, a bright crisp winter day in the Lakes is wonderful, as long as you are wearing plenty of layers, but yes 100%, roll on summer.

Jay - Yes mud does tend to be more prevelant up here but happily its a shingly bay with granite rocks, nice place to idle away a sunny day. I liked the composition of this little memento, although a nice stone age drawing of elks would have been better.

Life with Kaishon - Thank you, can't take too much credit, the scenery does everything for you

Leslie - Ah, you never know whether it is going to be sun or rain (even in the same day), so wish you better luck if you return. There was a Japanes artist living here for some time who prefered it when it rained, because that the atmosphere she liked to paint.

Spiderdama - It is, and some nice climbing north of the lake.