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by Val Corbett
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3056-9.
Published by Frances
Lincoln £20.00 (£16.00 to Members).
This is a book filled with well over 100
beautiful photographs taken during the
winter months in the Lake District. These
cover a range of subjects – stunning scenes
of fells mirrored in still lakes, Christmas
scenes in local communities, children
ice-skating and skiing, and a spider’s web
defined by hoar frost.
Society members will be familiar with Val’s work as
she has kindly provided many of the front cover
photographs for Footsteps and she is well known
for her photographs in various books and publications
including Country Life and Cumbria Life.
The book progresses from late autumn through
the changing faces of winter and ends with some
delightful spring photographs that give the readers
hope for the months to come. Each photograph
has a brief description of the location or subject
matter, and is often accompanied by a personal
note or snippet of information. For example,
the caption to a photograph of a small boat on
Derwent Water informs us that the channel the
boat is using through the frozen surface was cut
by members of the Keswick Mountain Rescue
Team to enable residents on an island to reach the
‘mainland’ to do their shopping.
Winter may not be everyone’s favourite season, but
many consider the fells to be at their best in wintry
conditions in fine weather. As Val puts it: ‘Winter in the
Lake District can drag on, with a seemingly endless
diet of dreary wet and windy weather. And then a
day of such staggering beauty comes along that all is
forgiven.’ This book captures many such days.
This beautiful book is one that lovers of Lakeland,
not least those living away from it and unable to
visit during the winter months, will certainly enjoy.
Janet Johnson -
Member No. 481
