osedale Beck takes rainwater from the high fells. It is fed by run-offs from some of the most famous peaks in the Lake District: Pillar, Steeple and Red Pike. At this point in its journey down to Wastwater, at Ritson’s Force, the beck takes a steep plunge over the basalt rocks. These dark rocks, which line the stream, have been formed from solidified lava and are worn into rounded shapes by the constant passage of water through time. The course of the beck sometimes runs calmly, and then quickly becomes turbulent as it drops and moves along the rapids. This image provides some excellent practice in tackling fast-moving water. Work as much as you can on a variety of brushstrokes; the building up of tonal layers, the
