This shot was taken on the shoreline of Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District National Park at sunset. The sun was almost gone for the day, leaving the incredible colours in the sky which were reflected in the water. Using a long exposure time helped to smooth that water and to bring out the colours even more. A beautiful, calm moment reflected in this photograph. Ladybower Reservoir is a the lowest of 3 reservoirs in the Upper Derwent Valley. The waters of the River Derwent flow through Howden Reservoir, then Derwent, and eventually into Ladybower. Built between 1935 and 1943 to bolster the water supply to the East Midlands, the reservoir took two years to fill. Beneath the waters of Ladybower is the site of the village of Ashopton. The buildings, with the exception of the church, were demolished during the construction phase of the reservoir. The clock tower of the church was visible above the water line until it was eventually demolished due to safety fears. The area is an amazing place to visit, with walking, cycling and fishing chief amongst the visitor activities. If you do visit the reservoirs I would recommend getting into the area early and taking advantage of the many free parking locations. There is also a very good visitors centre at Fairholmes with toilet facilities and a café (open all year round except Christmas day!).
This is the image that I wanted to capture of Chrome Hill. A valley full of rolling fog, predawn light, and mystery a-plenty. This ridgeline is call the Dragons Backbone for fairly obvious reasons. I wanted a shot that encapsulated all of the aspects of a dragon, the ridge, the fire (in the sky) and the smoke (fog). Chrome Hill in the Peak District National Park is rapidly becoming a popular location for photographers as it is fairly accessible and just happens to be one of the 2016 Landscape Photographer Of the Year winning locations! On this particular morning shortly after I captured this shot the valley filled with dense fog, leaving me with only one option, to head uphill to try and get above it. The view from the top was stunning, and many of those shots can be seen in my gallery. The whole area, as far as the eye could see, was covered in thick fog caused by a temperature inversion. This is where warm air traps cold air underneath it, not allowing the moisture to rise, causing dense fog. An incredible view, a moment to remember, and it all started with this simple shot, of the Dragons Backbone.
