Lake District – Page 3 – Sun in Gemini

July 4, 2023 + #Silenti, Consciousness, Lake District, Mindfulness, mystical travel, Photographic techniques, Photography, Travel, Travel and Photography

Wet Summer Light

by Steve Tanham

Ulverston on a June day. Immediately after a dowsing in one of the rainstorms that have ended two solid months of sunshine and blue skies here in the extreme north-west of England. It’s actually a pleasant change, though I have no desire to ‘hex’ the lovely summer we’re having. We’re in Ulverston – a lovely market town that used to be in north Lancashire, … Read More Wet Summer Light

June 29, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photography, Silent Eye School, Spirituality

Water-Circle+Cross (5-End) Gummer’s How

by Steve Tanham

There is always a poignancy about meeting up on the final day of one of the Silent Eye weekends. So much has been shared that it seems impossible that the beginning was only two days before. Everyone arrives ready to depart at the end of the morning, or – if they have the luxury of another hour or two – at the end of … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (5-End) Gummer’s How

June 25, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, Lake District, landscapes, Photographic techniques, Photography

Where Seagulls Dare

by Steve Tanham

Didn’t know they were there until I was reviewing the photos later – the seagulls. A whole flock of them whirling overhead, back right of shot; unseen but brightly present… Fell Foot Park on the south-eastern tip of Windermere. It’s a National Trust estate with a delightful walk in a figure of eight that takes you away from the final basin of the lake … Read More Where Seagulls Dare

June 22, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photography, Silent Eye School, Spirituality

Water-Circle+Cross (5) The Wray home?

by Steve Tanham

Wray Castle is an imposing neo-gothic building on the north-western shores of Lake Windermere. It’s not a real castle, but looks very much like one, and was crafted according to authentic historical plans. It was built in 1840 for a retired surgeon from Liverpool, James Dawson, who also commissioned Wray Church on the same estate. He used his wealthy wife’s fortune to create it, … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (5) The Wray home?

June 20, 2023 + #Silenti, Lake District, landscapes, Photographic techniques, Photography

Long and winding road

by Steve Tanham

The small village of Skelsmergh lies at the end of one of the long, twisty lanes that follow the valley of the River Mint and eventually merge onto the A6 trunk road: formerly the main highway across the Shap Summit to Penrith, then on to Carlisle and Scotland. The M6 motorway reduced the A6’s critical role … but left it much less frantic for … Read More Long and winding road

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June 15, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photography, Silent Eye School

Water-Circle+Cross (4) in the realm of the sky-god

by Steve Tanham

There is a feeling – as Lake Windermere falls away below – that you are leaving behind one realm and entering another – one dominated by a sky-god. Within minutes we were climbing strongly, part way up the road that snakes over the hill and down to Hawkshead. Fed by the traffic from the chain-link ferry, it climbs steeply, twisting and turning its way … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (4) in the realm of the sky-god

June 13, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photography, Silent Eye School

Water-Circle+Cross (3) Roof of the World

by Steve Tanham

**** Author’s note ***** For some obscure technical reason, this post failed to publish last week here on Sun in Gemini… and I’ve only just noticed. It did publish on the Silent Eye. For completeness, and ahead of the publication of the next part here on Thursday, I’m sending it to the printers, now! The Saturday morning of the Silent Eye’s 2023 ‘walking workshop’ … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (3) Roof of the World

June 1, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photography, Silent Eye School

Water-Circle+Cross (2) “… a spell that changed my life.”

by Steve Tanham

In 1930, a 23 year old accountant from Blackburn arrived by train in the small town of Windermere, high above the lake that shares its name. He asked the way to the ancient path that climbed from the edge of the main road (what is now the busy A591) and, fastening his battered tweed jacket against the stiff breeze, strode up to the peak. … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (2) “… a spell that changed my life.”

May 25, 2023 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, guided mystical walks, Lake District, Photography

Water-Circle+Cross (1) Coffee under the old woman’s claife

by Steve Tanham

What’s a claife? Actually a Claife… we’ll get to that. The Silent Eye’s spring workshop (SE23) began in glorious May sunshine, as those attending – our companions – began to arrive and assemble around a triangular picnic table on the quayside at Ferry Nab, a short distance south of Bowness-on-Windermere. Once complete, our happy band of explorers were led down to the ferry point … Read More Water-Circle+Cross (1) Coffee under the old woman’s claife

May 14, 2023 + #Silenti, Consciousness, Lake District, landscapes, Photographic techniques, Photography

Light in the Midnight Garden

by Steve Tanham

Why would I be out in the garden at midnight? Good question. It’s the collie, you see. A good night’s sleep is greatly assisted by a dog who’s gone wee wees just before we all retire. It often falls to me, as I’m a bit of a night-owl. So out we go. And I have to walk around with Tess, because she’s clever enough … Read More Light in the Midnight Garden

May 2, 2023 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, landscapes, nature

The hidden Birdhouse Meadows

by Steve Tanham

It’s largely unvisited by people passing this way en-route to busy Ambleside – just a mile up the road. I’ve been coming to the Lake District most of my life, and we now live on its southern edge, yet, until two weeks ago, I had never heard of the small triangle of land between the ancient Roman Fort and the Rivers Brathay and Rothay, … Read More The hidden Birdhouse Meadows

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April 25, 2023 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose, Seasons of the year

A Rite of Spring Green

by Steve Tanham

As dwellers on the southern edge of the English Lake District, we are very conscious of the seasons. The dawning of what I call ‘the real Spring’ is a feeling rather than an exact date. It is triggered by the sight of a certain shade of green in the local forest’s foliage. I couldn’t define that green; simply state that it has a ‘voice’ … Read More A Rite of Spring Green