🧙♂️ WANDERING WANNABE Wainwright walker submits flurry of photos to local rag, achieves instant prodigal son status!
Yes, I’m a published, err… photo contributor, folks! The Keswick Reminder printed a set of my recent pictures along with a nice little story which was basically what I sent them in my tentative enquiry about whether they’d be interested in some stuff.
They were, and I’m excited to share the short piece here. Click any image below to blow them up, in the nicest possible way, you understand.
I might imagine the editor was desperate for content, or I could allow myself to think that my work is actually worth something, and the truth probably lies somewhere in between, but it was a pleasant surprise to open up the paper that day, I can tell you.
I had to smile when I saw the first sentence of the article, which reads:
“A KESWICK ex-pat has returned home to create a chronicle of Lakeland life”
That’s not quite it. Although I’d probably like to have called the Lake District my home as a kid, I actually discovered and fell for the fells in my late teens as an errant undergrad.
So, even if I have to hang up my boots tomorrow, with a grand total of 9 Wainwrights under my bulging belt, I have the satisfaction of knowing a limited version of my Lakeland vision has passed into posterity in some small way.
The possibilities for fun, frightening and freaky images in this region is infinite, in my mind, and that’s kind of my thing. I walk around and see inspiration and intrigue everywhere.
Until now, only Paris has caught my imagination in this way, and to be honest, that’s a lot to live up to. But in the Lakes, I have found the perfect counterpoint to the impressive cityscapes, historical curiosities and also omnipresent poverty that confronts you in the French capital every day.
Here, there is none of that, and my spirit seems to be breathing a sigh of relief, and my artistic soul is soaring.
In and around Keswick, which is my main base when I’m here, natural beauty and grandeur is the order of the day. That’s what I needed: another powerful creative project to balance out the sometimes-draining obsession I have for Paris.
I’m not saying there isn’t fascinating history or interesting architecture here – thankfully there is, and tons of it too, but it’s also so… different.
Although the photos the editor used were rather randomly put together, they do give an idea of what I ‘see’ when I stroll. The bird flying was taken from my favourite Keswick bench, just across from the Devil’s Den, otherwise known as the Co-op, which temps me terribly with Mint Aeros and Crunchie Bars cruelly. The wishing well it’s alighting from is fascinating too.
The bottom shot is a pleasing lakeside study in dusky tones and manmade monoliths framing not-so-distant mountains. Above that is another typical aspect of this place; the omnipresent beasties which add so much to otherwise often boring pictures of endless green bumps (see my edgy “I Hate Hill Pics” article for more on that).
The gorgeous Celtic cross is from the Crosthwaite Parish Church, of which we’ll be hearing much more in due course. Finally, the National Trust centenary sculpture on the edge of Derwentwater, which I’ve now seen completely beached – this summer – and half-drowned as you can see here. All I need now is a shot of it completely submerged, err… yeah, and I’ll have the full set. Watch this water!
Happy paddling!
The Laggard of Lakeland 
(Lakeland Chronicles No.31)
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Wainwright Log: 9 of 214 Fells Felled / 0 Books Bashed / Visit Lo
