More piles of stones

   Almost daily I complete some elements of the Wainwright sketches. In suppose one of the biggest challenges involved with this work is making each and every painting interesting. By including apsects of the weather and light I am able to enhance some of these scenes. What has proved to be a real test though is the depiction of hundreds of piles of stones either in the form of cairns, old sheepfolds, walls and tumuli. Trying to give the impression of detail without actually drawing every single stone is a problem which I am hopefully meeting.

Seatallan summit cairn. possibly an old tumulus made up of hundreds of similar rocks. Depicting AW's views means that I have no flexibility in composition or angle of view. All part of the project which has kept me so busy.

A Mardale Round

The forecast for yesterday was brilliant so an early start (leaving the house before 6) meant that I should have got a good day in on the hills. I planned to visit the Far Eastern Fells where I needed to tick off some references for sketches for the Wainwrights Project. A star filled sky as I left home soon turned to fog in the Eden valley so I guessed there was a good possiblity of a cloud inversion once I gained height. It didnt happen though as by the time I reached Mardale Head the fog had gone.
By 7 I was heading up the north ridge of Branstree at the start of what was to be a brillient and productive day. I have put the photos online which should tell the story of the day.
It was a late finish but well worth the effort only slightly frustrating in the fact that the snow levels obscured some of the detail I need for one or two drawings. Never mind, there's always next time!

Harter Fell from Mardale Ill Bell.

To see the rest of the photos click here: A Mardale Round