Sunday, 11 July 2010

A View of the Lake




After my tour of the Theatre by the Lake on Wednesday, I had a look round Keswick to fasten in my mind some of the settings that play a part in my current Lake District Mystery work-in-progress. These included the River Greta, which flows beside Fitz Park in a part of the town that I haven’t explored properly in the past.

After that, it was back to Windermere, and a walk up a fairly gentle slope to Orrest Head. This is the viewpoint from which Alfred Wainwright, famed for his walking guides to the Lakes, first fell in love with the area. And it’s easy to understand why that grumpy old man (as he seemed to many) was stirred to such emotion. It is a truly beautiful part of the world. After glimpsing Windermere through the trees on the way up, you have a terrific panorama.

I’m not – at present – planning a scene set at Orrest Head, but the magic of the setting certainly fires the imagination, and provides a dramatic reminder of why the Lakes exert such a magnetic appeal on so many people from around the world. In the Lake District Mysteries, I strive to avoid anything approaching a travelogue, but I am keen to try to capture something of the atmosphere of a beautiful part of the country. And the climb up Orrest Head provided me with fresh writing inspiration.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous11 July 2010 at 02:51

    Martin - I can certainly see why that setting inspires you; it's truly lovely! Thanks for sharing those terrific 'photos. It's so nice to have pictures to go with your stories...

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  2. Unknown11 July 2010 at 05:58

    I love the rock formations in the second photograph. They really are wonderful locations for mysteries but you're right, I love your mysteries for the plot and the characters, I wouldn't want to be bogged down with endless description of setting. That's why I look at them on your blog. :)

    CD

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  3. Elizabeth Spann Craig11 July 2010 at 13:24

    Beautiful pictures, Martin! Looks like a place to put on my to-visit list. :)

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  4. Alistair Macfarlane11 July 2010 at 15:45

    I was blessed to live in Kendal for 10 years.
    The second picture looks like carboniferous limestone that was featured so beautifully in the BBC Countryfile Calendar. Scroll down for the Lone Tree picture.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/countryfile/competition2009.shtml

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  5. Martin Edwards11 July 2010 at 21:41

    Thanks for these comments - and Alistair, I can believe Kendal was, and is, a terrific place to live, as Keswick surely is.

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