Kasia and Jon eloped to the Lake District to the UK and after a private ceremony at Kendal registry office they met me for a guided walk and photoshoot at Blea Tarn. Neither of them had visited the National Park before so it was really important to them to have a guide, not just a photographer, to enable them to get to the locations they envisaged. I’ll let their wonderful guide and photographer Gill from Unfurl Photography tell you more…
An Elopement Hike at Blea Tarn in the Lake District
Jon and Kasia travelled from London to the Lake District, UK to elope this summer. It was their first trip to the Lake District and they wanted to have a guided walk as part of their elopement. Their ceremony took place quietly at Kendal Registry office, and they suggested that I should meet them after that. So directions were given up the winding passes to Blea Tarn, a small and perfectly formed lake, nestled high up in the Langdales. Kasia wanted some drama and a cinematic quality to their wedding photos so I knew this was an easy way to get up into the mountains and be afforded some spectacular views of the landscape.
First stop the tarn. An easy walk from the National Trust parking bay at the top of The Blea Tarn Pass. The drive up there is not for nervous drivers! Its narrow and steep. And there is always the chance you will meet someone coming the other way. The drive links the two Langdale valleys, and the two villages of Little Langdale and Great Langdale. But if you can hack it, once up at the tarn the gritted path makes for an easy walk around the lake.
The destination I had in mind was the view of the valley from the end of the footpath, down Redacre Gill to Langdale Pike and the Black Crags. The weather was constantly changing, with mist coming in, followed by spots of rain. All fairly typical for the Lakes. We arrived at the end of the path and the view was just amazing. Jon and Kasia too a while to enjoy the moment, to take in the breathtaking valley, and to actually say to each other….”We just got married!”
After their stay in Grasmere, Jon and Kasia travelled to Poland to celebrate their marriage with Kasia’s family, armed with the images from the day to surprise everyone with their wedding adventure in the Lake District.
A few words from the couple
It needed to be far enough from anyone we knew, and picturesque. The Lake District fitted the bill perfectly.
We’d never met our witnesses before, but they turned out to be the loveliest couple imaginable. They even brought a cake and presents! They ensured that the ceremony itself was the highlight of the day, rather than a nerve-wracking experience.
Any Advice For Other Couples?
Start prepping families early to try yo give them time to understand if needed. We were fortunate to have friends elope a year before, so we’re able to discuss with our family how great that was, then they couldn’t argue when we did the same!
