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Andy Beck- The Wainwrights in colour.

The sketches shown here are the images that I have so far produced for this "Wainwright". The views are taken from the exact spot where A.W. stood to illustrate his seven pictorial guides. The comparative views are mainly different due to the time of day, weather conditions and seasonal differences. The originals of my sketches are approximately twice as wide and twice as high as A.W's pen and ink drawings. I have added notes to give more information to each sketch.

All images are the copyright of the artist.

To obtain these references has required 6 days of walking: 17/2/08, 28/2/09, 10/2/10, 21/6/10,  18/3/11, 22/3/11(click on the dates to see the photos)

Haystacks                                                     1900'

Haystacks from Gamlin End

From Gamlin End. 10/2/10

From the descent off High Crag the scene is of Haystacks. Behind the fells summit is the skyline made up of Brandreth. AW omitted this fell possibly as it would have distracted or confused the main subject fell.

Haystacks summit tarn

The summit tarn. 10/2/10

Low winter light across the frozen summit tarn. Behind stands the rounded form of Kirk fell, omitted in AW's drawing.

Haystacks, Big Stack

Big Stack. 17/2/08

The very top of the crag catches the last of the evening sun.

Haystacks 3b

The north crags. 10/2/10

From the slopes of Green Crag, the outlet of Blackbeck Tarn is just out of view in the bottom left of the scene.

Haystacks, Scarth Gap

Scarth Gap 17/2/08

Evening light bleaches out the detail of the distant fells of Great Gable and Kirk Fell over the now larger cairn on Scarth Gap.

Black Sail Hostel

Black Sail Hostel. 21/6/10

Its remote location at the head of Ennerdale makes this a fine place to stay. A few slight changes including a stand of trees since AW drew the scene.

Haystacks Summit

The summit. 10/2/10

The suns glow on the summit rocks of the fell, the iron post still protrudes above the growing cairn.

Haystacks, perched boulder

Perched Boulder 17/2/08

Lighting conditions need to be right to give the boulder the shadow which inspired AW to write " some women have faces like that."

Haystacks summit tors

Typical summit tors. 22/3/11

To date this has been the most elusive all of the reference locations for me to find. AW's drawing gives no sense of scale or even if there is a distant feature or fell to orientate too. Only the heavy shadow gave some indication as to the rock's aspect. On the sixth attempt and with help from a fellow Wainwright Society member was I able to obtain the required photograph for the painting.

Haystacks, High Crag from Scarth Gap

High Crag from Scarth Gap 17/2/08

Evening light highlighting Gamlin End.

 

Fell Complete.

 

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