Whin Rigg Complete

  There is something special about completing this fell. Not only has it one of the three "double page spreads" and all the seven Pictorial Guides but it also has the sketch of the "April Fool" Fish sign. (See the Whin Rigg page of the Wainwrights in Colour for the full story)

Wastwater Screes

 I recall that it was after a good walk over Whin Rigg and Illgill Head with a return via the notorious Wastwater Screes path that we returned to the car just as the last light of the sun was striking the face of the Screes. It was a glow which I will remember for ages as the sun was only on the scree as low cloud was shading the fell tops. I stood until the glow had gone, almost mesmerised by the sight. A great end to a great day. The small image above hardly does the scene justice.

Standing on the edge.

  Of all the sketches for the Wainwrights in Colour project there are one or two which stand out for some special reason. So it was for this painting from the Whin Rigg chapter, page 8.

The viewpoints.

 It was 13th April 2008 when I was on the Illgill Head, Whin Rigg ridge obtaining the references required for work on thses two fells. There was hardly anyone else about, I seem to recall it was maybe a Tuesday. Unusually enough AW even marked on a map the exact location for these viewpoints so all I had to do was find the exact spot where he stood for his reference photograph. Not quite straightforward as AW's shoreline of Wastwater is incorrectly drawn, possibly due to a poor contrasting reference photograph.)but once found all I had to do was to take the shot. In his drawing he includes a figure on the top and a couple of the lower viewpoint (possibly added in later to give a sense of drama as the y are slightly our of scale.) Just as I was lining up the camera a couple (who I later found out were German tourists) came and stoood in exactly the right place in the scene. How spooky is that?