When I started out with my blogging efforts, I pointed out that they were likely to be very occasional. So, with it being six months since the last one, I’ve stayed true to my word. I’m not actually proud of that, as I would have like to have written more and sooner (I do have a couple in the pipeline about Greenland and the Faroes, but these will have to wait). However, circumstances have prevented me. If you can excuse the big gaps, I hope you enjoy what I’ve got to say about this autumn.

Just a few days ago we saw the first snow of the season here in the southern Lake District. The arrival of the first snow always brings excitement, but this year it has also marked the end of what has been a long and lovely autumn period. The season of falling leaves seems to have lasted for a long time this year – to my mind, this is a good thing photographically. I got my first glimpse of autumn this year during an early evening trip to Tarn Hows. The famous spot is a 45 minute walk from my front door, as so it a fairly regular haunt. On this particular evening, the light was nothing to shout about but it was incredibly still on the tarn with some lovely reflections. There was also the first hints of autumn appearing on some of the trees, with a few splashes of orange and brown starting to show on the trees.

Reflections and the beginning of autumn at Tarn Hows.

Despite the appearance of those tell-tale colours, the trees were still full of leaves and so it was apparent that the season really was in its early stages. As time passed and the autumn colours developed, many trees around me still managed to hold onto a good proportion of their leaves for a surprisingly long time – mainly because of a lack of too many significant storms or periods of high winds (although of course Storm Amy did upset things for a few days in October).

Autumn in full-flow in my local woodland.

I’ve no doubt that more stormy weather will come our way before too long, but for the time-being at least, as I write this in late November, we’ve thankfully been spared too many periods of high winds (it has been very wet though, but that’s another story). Despite this of course, eventually the trees did shed most/all of their leaves, and by the end of the season they were dislodged by the gentlest of breezes.

A lone silver birch just about hanging on to its last few leaves.

As well as what seems to me like an enjoyably long autumn, we’ve also been very fortunate to have had quite a few misty days accompanying those autumn colours. This has, however, been very localised, and I’ve discovered a quiet and not well-frequented valley that is often colder and mistier than elsewhere. This autumn, the valley was regularly filled with mist and so I got into the habit of paying this spot an early morning visit by bike, equipped with camera and tripod.

This idea of bike-facilitated photography is a great way to access locations where there are no real car parking spots and where access by foot alone would take a while. Being able to get photo-locations by bike is fantastic and in recent years, it is an approach I’ve started to use more. Photography in these bike-accessed places does feel rather special, and I am grateful for the opportunity.

A beautiful and fast-flowing autumnal river scene, accessed by bike.

Another favourite approach of mine is using a long lens to pick out compositions in a forest or woodland from a distance. Don’t get me wrong – I like nothing better than walking around a woodland and getting up-close with my camera. However, there’s also real joy to be had, perching on a hilltop or on the side of a road or path, and picking out scenes. I’ve enjoyed this approach a lot this autumn, as it enables the creation of some really interesting images.

An isolated splash of yellow captured with a long lens.

As well as the autumn colours and mist, we’ve also had a couple of days of really special light – those days which are a combination of dark, brooding, rain-filled clouds as well as bursts of sunlight. Days which bring with them a high chance of rainbows.

Even without the rainbows, we’ve had some morning light which has accentuated the autumn colours. On some mornings the whole landscape has seemed to scream AUTUMN at me.

Now, as we turn the corner into December and as the snow starts to appear, I say a fond farewell to autumn this year, but also look forward to what the winter will bring.