My Top 10 - No.2 'Riding the Storm'

'Riding the Storm'

View from Great Calva,

Lonscale Pike,

The Lake District

Acrylic on canvas board

20" x 16"

2023

Why I chose this scene/subject:

I have a strange affinity to Great Calva, a boggy heap that nobody else seems to like. I absolutely adore it as you rarely see anybody there. There's a 'lovely' climb up from the River Caldew with 178 posts before the trod to cut across to the summit, I count them every time in the hope I'll reach the top quicker!

At the summit, a few mangled and rusting metal fence posts stick out of the cairn, like Excalibur waiting to be drawn. In good weather, the view is beautiful, all across the surrounding rolling fells and far out to sea.

This painting was inspired, in particular, after a day when I was doing a leg 1/5 recce of the Bob Graham. I was on my way up Skiddaw when I felt a weird crackling in the air and knew thunder and lightning were coming my way. I bolted down the valley and the storm passed. I needed to make up more elevation for the run, so I ran back up to the summit of Great Calva. Literally running away from the thunder storm which might possibly have frazzled me with my poles sticking up into the air. Looking back, I could then see the dark clouds over Lonscale Fell and the view up the valley between Lonscale and Blencathra, looking onto Bleaberry Fell. As always I had to take a photo along the fence line that leads the eye to this vista.

I have amazing memories of Great Calva from one of my best recces with a group of friends in 2017, whilst training for the BG. They'd agreed to follow me up Great Calva as long as I led the way. Not many posts counted, I couldn't take the effort any longer and happily followed in Jack's footsteps. We were in knee deep snow as we trudged up the side, using the fence to haul ourselves up. Every now and again sinking up to our middles. At the top there were foot-long icicles hanging off the fence. Otherworldly and incredibly beautiful.

Why I chose this title:

This one's a bit more obvious/literal than a lot of my paintings and doesn't really need much explaining. I was running away from the storm. Tommy says 'don't get dead' and I didn't want to get dead that day, 'Not today, not today'.

Why it's in my top 10:

I get to the top of Great Calva and, every time, I look along the fence line and it draws my eye down the valley between Blencathra and Lonscale. It presents itself naturally to be painted. My paintings all have their stories and memories but these are particularly treasured times with good friends.

Your ongoing interest in my work is really appreciated and I hope you enjoy the rest of this Top 10 series.

Next week, please check out No.3 'None Dare Resist', Tryfan.