Blea Tarn - Cumbria by ejn
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Description
Blea Tarn
Well for info this was close to being the last image I ever took.
Between Great Langdale and Little Langdale there is a single track road that passes the beautiful little lake called Blea Tarn.
Beyond the lake in the image the big brown hill to the right is Side Pike and those in the distance are Pavey Ark - Harrison Stickle and Pike o' Stickle.
To get to Blea Tarn we went thru a village called Little Langdale as I knew if the roads were bad this would be the one and I would give up.As it was apart from snow and ice it was passable.Got to the tarn..had lunch and took some shots.
Left there and headed north up a single track road that got a bit difficult.But we had to go over a hill,thru a cattle grid and down the other side.O M G.
As soon as we got over the hill I knew we were in deep trouble.What I thought was tarmac was in fact black ice.The road zig zags and drops about 600 feet in about half a mile..its about a 1 in 3 gradient.I have done this route in the other direction several times and believe me the car wont go up it in anything higher than second gear.
The car started to slide and skid and I thought we had had it with long drops on one side and rocks on the other.
How we ever got down it I don't know but some how I managed to go a few inches at a time with the car sliding on the ice and snow.I don't ever remember being so scared and got furious with myself for putting my wife Gilly in such a situation.
At one time as the car slid I managed to swerve it towards a huge boulder and there was a sickening crunch but in the end it was the sound of the packed ice and snow now stopping us skidding further.When we got to the valley bottom I was shaking.The only thing that was damaged was my pride and my nerves.
But we went onto do the images in my last few submissions..onwards and upwards they say.
Comments (20)
durleybeachbum
WHAT a tale! Horrific experience! You tell the story so well I was gripping the edge of my seat. Another marvellous pic, to remember the events by in the future!
Mondwin
Really a marvelous place...bravissima!V:DDD.Hugsxx
Prematos
Brilliant shot.
Mousson
extraordinary !
MrsRatbag
Wow, I'm glad you survived physically intact, and at least you got some fabulous shots. This one is perfect; the clarity of the still water, the snow on the peaks....so very lovely!
mairekas
Fantastic reflection and view! Superb!!!
auntietk
Gorgeous view! What a hair-raising story! Had I been in Gilly's position, I would have just sat there with my eyes closed, hoping for the best. My nerves wouldn't have lasted if I'd been looking. Yikes!!!
MrsLubner
I was transfixed by the story. I have had a similar experience but believe it or not, it was not on ice... it was on gravel. A single-lane, mountain road with a 300-600 foot drop on one side and sheer rock face on the other. It was a utility and logging road and the companies had just dumped 6-8 inches of loose gravel on it to even it out for the trucks barrelling through (at all of 25 miles per hour which was dangerous to do in any condition). We decided to camp at the bottom of the gorge and used the road to get there... twisting and turning back on itself, our relatively light-weight car skidding and sliding on the steep grade, creeping at 5-10 miles per hour and praying the gravel wouldn't shift under us in a bad spot for recovery. It took nearly an hour and a half to make it down. We had to hug a slippery road shoulder twice when we found a fully loaded logger coming straight at us! When we left the gorge 5 days later, I gave the car over to a friend and I went up on foot, refusing to be dashed on the tops of redwood trees or mashed on giant boulders. Believe it or not, my car made it to the top only 15 minutes before I did! Sorry to get off subject - this is a stellar shot! :-)
Gionni
Wonderful, peaceful shot!
kaward
Exciting story and image, I know this place well, stunning in the snow! I have had a few slides on lakeland passes myself, nearly hit a snow plough coming the other way!!
Meisiekind
Stellar image and a terrifying story! Glad you both were unhurt! :)
Octaganoid
Beautiful depth and clarity !
Littlejock
Gorgeous landscape and vibrant colours
sintoock
Excellent!
amota99517
What a story and adventure you had. Glad to know that you made it back home. This is beautiful shot!
ralph49
Wow, this is an exceptional capture & composition. What a beautiful place
johnabutler2
A stunning image. I've not actually made it to Blea Tarn myself despite having climbed nearby Lingmoor last summer - your shot has inspired me to seek it out.
kobaltkween
incredible image, but terrifying story. it doesn't seem like something as simple as an icy road could end someone, but it happens frequently. i wish you the best of luck and safest of journeys as you continue to travel the countryside and capture it in photos.
PhrankPower
A beautiful location and photograph. But don't kill yourself out there!
newleaf
O M G So glad you are both safe!