Buttermere.... But a mere drop of rain!

The forecast for Monday looked good, so the plan was to drive over to Buttermere to exploere the botanical delights of yet another of our beautiful Lakeland valleys. It's about an hour and a quarter from where we live, so we try to reserve it for days when the weather is guaranteed. Unfortunately, on this occassion it didn't quite work out like that. The weather wasn't kind and as we drove northwards it appeared to be gradually deteriorating. We parked at Buttermere and decided to walk around the lake anyway and see what photographic opportunities came up. We had planned to walk a bit further, but conditions were not inspiring, damp, grey, windy, not good. The light was too flat for decent landscape photographs, but flat light can be good for flower photographs. The one thing you don't need for flower photographs is wind and we had that too. Oh and for good measure, there was the odd shower thrown in too. Anyway, we did the walk and we tried to get the best photographs we could in the given conditions. Here they are....

Buttermere is yet another area managed by The National Trust.

A classic view of Fleetwith Pike across Buttermere, but it was not the best day to capture what can be a stunning view. Still, it was enjoyable to be there.

This is one of my favourite place to photograph Buttermere, at the point where the river leaves the lake. The view over the moss covered rocks, to the lake and onto Fleetwith Pike, with the river flowing by, can make a fabulous image. The river only flows a short distance into Crummock water, so they haven't wasted a good river name on it, instead it has the inauspicious title of Buttermere Dubbs!

Two more views as our walk progressed along the western shore... "And living on your western shore, saw summer sunsets, asked for more..."

The much photographed boathouse of Buttermere. I often wonder if it really is a boathouse. It doesn't look like one.

The sun was trying and I was trying to find a new and interesting composition. I'm not sure either of us was wholly successful.

But when I turned around, there seemed to be better light behind us, maybecoming our way?

We got a brief glimpse of the sunshine, a few seconds at a time, but as the clouds piled up against the mountains, the gaps between them disappeared.

And so it seems the sun had passed away this dark, damp day on Buttermere. But sure to say, it will be here again soon. If it could kindly coincide it's visit here with mine...... we could be friends once more and conspire to make some better images, next time.