LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP – LAKE DISTRICT
Book your place on Tom Mackie’s four-day Lake District landscape photography workshop in late October 2025. It’s a fantastic time to photograph this glorious national park, with the trees in their full autumn cloak of russet and gold leaves, and sunrises and sunsets at far more agreeable times of the day than in the height of summer. Based in Keswick, you’ll be surrounded by a plethora of photo opportunities, including Derwentwater, Cat Bells, Latrigg Fell, the Langdales, Blea Tarn, Cathedral Cave and the enigmatic Castlerigg stone circle. PS Tom is running this trip back-to-back with his popular Scottish Highlands workshop. Book both and enjoy a £100 discount!
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP AT A GLANCE
Shoot atmospheric autumn landscapes in the heart of the English Lake District on this four-day landscape photography workshop in October 2025.
« Key locations include Derwentwater, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Great Langdale, Blea Tarn, Latrigg Fell, Cathedral Cave and a short hike up Cat Bells to shoot the Newlands Valley, weather permitting. You’ll also have plenty of opportunities for details like tumbling streams and boats on the water.
« All transport during the workshop is included – giving you time to enjoy the glorious landscapes in the heart of the Lakes and get to know your fellow photographers. With a maximum of just three people on the workshop, it’s a relaxed, friendly experience, with plenty of time for individual tuition from Tom.
« Your photography will come on leaps and bounds with Tom’s expert and friendly guidance, honed by four decades of experience as a professional landscape photographer and tutor. Whether you want to develop your photographic eye for professional composition or learn the secrets of working with the available light at all times of the day and in a variety of weather conditions, you’re guaranteed to return home with enhanced imaging skills and terrific landscape images.
« Your accommodation includes a well-appointed private room and a hearty breakfast to set you up for a busy day shooting.
« You’ll need a good pair of walking boots, as some of the locations can involve traversing uneven ground. The weather can be variable and rain is always possible in the Lakes, so waterproofs are a must.
LAKE DISTRICT AUTUMN WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS
From our base in the beautiful market town of Keswick at the heart of Lakeland, we’ll be ideally placed for a wide range of photogenic locations. Known as the gateway to the Lakes, Keswick nestles on the shores of Derwentwater, with the Borrowdale Valley to the south and the Skiddaw Massif standing sentinel to the north. It’s actually a terrific location in its own right, with a picturesque market square and the famous Moot Hall, with its one-handed clock, at its centre.
One of the highlights of our workshop will be a short and not too demanding hike up Cat Bells to shoot Newlands Valley (as with everything in the Lakes, this will be “weather permitting”). Cat Bells is famous as the home of Beatrix Potter’s Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, a houseproud hedgehog who lived behind a little wooden door halfway up the fell. For photographers, however, it’s revered as the best place to capture images of the Newlands Valley, one of the most picturesque valleys in the Lake District. It also affords terrific views over Derwentwater.
Just a couple of minutes’ drive to the east of Keswick is Latrigg Fell, which is a must-visit location for dawn images – and this being an October workshop, that doesn’t mean too early a start… The road will take us to within a ten-minute stroll to the summit, and it’s an excellent vantage point for sunrises, with views to the north of Skiddaw and to the south of the three-mile (4.6km) length of Derwentwater and into Borrowdale.
Nearby Castlerigg Stone Circle is another dramatic location for stunning landscapes. A Neolithic monument over 4000 years old, it comprises 38 standing stones on a small plateau offering breathtaking 360° views of the surrounding fells – including Blencathra, Helvellyn and High Seat. It’s ideal for panoramic stitches to capture the sweeping vistas and big skies, with the stones as foreground interest.
Slightly further afield, Blea Tarn affords incredible views over the Langdale Pikes in the wild heart of the Lakes. It’s around an hour’s drive from Keswick – a breathtaking journey down the eastern shore of Thirlmere underneath Helvellyn, through Grasmere and into Little Langdale. The tarn’s tranquil waters are ideal for reflections of the surrounding fells and the mighty Langdales.
As a change from the great outdoors, we’ll also head over to nearby Cathedral Quarry, a network of abandoned slate mines managed by the National Trust. The highlight is Cathedral Cave – where you can guarantee shooting in dry conditions even if it’s raining cats and dogs! Entering through a short tunnel, you find yourself in a spectacular chamber some 40 feet (12m) high, with a massive supporting pillar of slate and a clear still pool. It’s naturally lit by a huge “window” blasted out of the far wall by the miners who originally created the cave.
And no photography workshop in this area would be complete without a shot of one of Derwentwater’s wooden jetties. They’re ideal for playing around with long exposures that gently blur any movement in the water and the clouds to imbue your images with an ethereal smoothness.
What's included?
- One-to-one and group tuition with Tom
- Four nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation
- Private rooms (no single supplement)
- Breakfast
- Post-processing techniques
- Transport during workshop
What's not included?
- Travel to Keswick
- Travel insurance
- Any meals or drinks not mentioned above
« Whether you’re a beginner or a semi-pro, you’ll find plenty to learn and enjoy on this workshop.
« You’ll require either a digital camera with at least a 16GB memory card (minimum 32GB if it’s high resolution) or a film camera (SLR, medium, large or wide format) – Tom has many years of experience working with both.
« Additional kit – a tripod, shutter release and polarising filter will help you maximise your shooting opportunities, although they aren’t essential.
« October in the Lake District is changeable, with highs of around 10-13°C / 50-55°F (although it can get as high as 16°C / 61°F) and lows averaging 6-8°C / 43-46°F, so pack clothes you can layer. Given the geography, it’s often wet, so waterproofs are essential. You’ll also need good walking boots as some hiking over uneven ground will be required.
« To ensure you get plenty of one-to-one tuition from Tom, this workshop is restricted to just five participants, so book early to avoid disappointment.
If you have any questions about Tom's photography workshops, please check the frequently asked questions page. Alternatively, get in touch with Tom directly and he'll be happy to help you.
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