IN his spare time Stuart Holmes likes to paraglide hundreds of feet above the ground taking spectacular aerial photos of the Lake District.

But the Lake District snapper's feet were firmly planted on the ground when he launched the first in a series of guides to taking pictures of Britain’s most stunning landscapes.

Mr Holmes started a business called fotoVUE with fellow photographer and rock climber Michael Ryan about two years ago. They have now published Photographing the Lake District, the first of 10 books the business plans to release giving a guide to shooting locations from the Peak District to London.

The book features more than 360 photographs taken at 70 locations in The Lakes alongside detailed directions and access information, including wheelchair access. There is also a geological and historical overview for all the locations featured.

Keswick-based Mr Holmes, 48, who has been photographing the area since he was 12, said the year was just entering one of his favourite seasons for photography.

“You can get great photos any time of the year, but autumn is wonderful for the mist on the lakes in the mornings and the colours in the trees, you tend to get clear days and mornings,” he said.

The best time to take to the skies to capture aerial shots of the area was in the spring and early summer, he said.

“That’s when the thermals get big and get high and the flying is quite simple,” said Mr Holmes.

“It takes me to places people don’t usually see. It is a truly amazing way of experiencing it. A lot of people take a camera with them when they go flying, but not everybody takes a high quality camera and can take the time to get into position to take a decent picture.”

To find out more about Photographing the Lake District go to www.fotovue.com