10 Reasons to love Cumbrian Clouds

Just because it's cloudy, doesn't mean it's dull.  Some of the most spectacular views of Cumbria involve clouds and here's why...

1. Because they give the sun something to peek out from

I took this pic from the top of Helm Crag - Steve was busy climbing to the top of the Howitzer but nature shone the spotlight elsewhere

Looking towards Blea Rigg

And just to prove he made it to the top...

2. Because they make Morecambe Bay look awesome

The artist Turner was inspired by the vast skies over Morecambe Bay and who can blame him?

Morecambe Bay

3.  Because of Icebows

Yes they're a real thing - and they look fabulous.  Steve captured this one at the top of Kirkstone Pass

Kirkstone Pass

4.  Because of Broken Spectres

We'd had such a long and soggy walk when this photo was taken.  We were up on the top of High Stile when the clouds shifted, the sun peeked out and this happened.  

High Stile

5. Because of inversions

C'mon - I couldn't write about clouds without mentioning these now could I?  Spring and autumn are especially good for inversions and Gummer's How and Red Screes are particularly good places to head for to spot them.

From Red Screes

From Red Screes

7.  Because sometimes a fluffy little cloud is all you need to finish off a photo

These tiny clouds just look perfect in this shot of the lighthouse on Walney Island

Walney Island

8.  Because no clouds = no drama

Neither of these views would have been quite as dramatic without the cloud.  The top one is Piel Castle, snapped as the sun caught it briefly on an otherwise cloudy and moody day.  The lower one is Place Fell from Ullswater on a monochromatic afternoon.

Piel Island

Ullswater and Place Fell

9.  Because they go great with the snow

These couple of shots were from a snowy hike around Great Gable a couple of years ago, but wouldn't have been quite the same without snowy white clouds complementing the snowy white snow.

Great Gable

Styhead Tarn

10. Because a sunset just isn't the same without a cloud

We've all got dozens of sunset photos, but the very best ones usually have clouds in them - lovely whisps of pink catching the last rays of the sun or dramatic clouds framing the sun as it sinks beneath the horizon.

Sunset from Wansfell

Morecambe Bay