Winter Sunset at Sandscale Haws
It has been a lovely day in the Lake District today with sunshine and blue skies in abundance. I just about had time to have a look at the sunset from Roanhead (properly called Sandscale Haws) which has fabulous views along the Duddon Estuary to the south western fells.

Reflected sunset on Askam in Furness. It is hard to imagine the industrial past of this tranquil looking idyll, but where the houses are now is the site of the former steelworks and the coastline of the whole Duddon Estuary was peppered with iron ore mines (spoil heaps are visible to the right) and industry in the early 1900's. My grandfather worked underground in these mines not so long ago.

The Coniston fells across Duddon Sands. The central dark slab is Askam Pier - nothing more than a band of slag from the old steelworks, jutting out into the estuary.

A panoramic view of the fells: Kirk Fell, Scafells, Esk Pike, Bowfell, the Coniston fells and the Fairfield fells.

They call the west Cumbrian coast 'The Energy Coast' and here is a view of the latest development out to sea, the Ormonde wind farm beneath a dramatic setting sun.

Looking south to the industrial part of Barrow in Furness in the fading light - plumes of steam from the paper mills (these are the ones you can often see from the Coniston fells and Scafells), the spire of St James Church and the giant Devonshire Dock Hall to the right where Britain's nuclear submarines are built.