Rudyard Lake - near Leek, Staffordshire

We're keen to hear from all you budding photographers out there... please send us your photos of Rudyard Lake and the surrounding area for publication in our new photo gallery. We'd like to see pictures of all the different parts of the lake and its surroundings, flora and fauna, after all there are over 5 miles of shoreline.

Photographs are all about light, and being there at the right time!

Happy snapping!

The picture, taken by Andy Seadon, shows the spillway at Rudyard running for the first time in over 50 years just as it was built to do when designed in 1797 by consultant engineer John Rennie. Thanks to the restoration work undertaken by many volunteers including a team from Cooperative Financial Services and assistance from British Waterways, the "Rudyard Waterfall" is running again... along with the help of the wettest Summer on record!

The picture below was taken by Graham Worth, who says "I've driven past the lake many, many times but have never seen anything quite like this! I've also searched extensively on the internet and could find no example or explanation for this phenomena."

Having investigated the effect, it's a very rare site, probably once in a lifetime that happened during January of this year. We are advised by the British Antarctic Survey Team that it is caused by dry snow falling on ice and then freezing.

The winner of our photo competition in 2007 was Cliff Beardmore with his superb picture of runners along the old railway track. Cliff has captured a great atmosphere in his “Runner's” picture; the light catching the rail track draws your eye in to the picture and as it's taken early morning the mist adds to the drama. Take the figures out of this picture and it would become ordinary.

The runner up was Trevor Lewis with his lovely picture of sunrise from the Jetty. Trevor has got up early to take the “Sunrise over the dam” shot. This picture is enhanced by the frost on the jetty the lovely line of cloud reflecting the sunlight, and the position and detail of the boats.

Other selected photos