# Can anyone identify this location from an album cover? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516 "2012-09-22T18:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/1 "2012-09-22T18:11:55Z")
It’s a real long shot, but [here’s the pic](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKD7WiDMrVM/S8D9CTScrgI/AAAAAAAAA-M/wNPoienIhUM/s1600/kiss.jpg). The Field Mice were a 1980s/1990s English indie pop band, but I suspect the photo isn’t of England. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/2 "2012-09-22T18:22:53Z")
Looks like NorCal to me, but I’m biased. If you could get a shot of the back side, I bet it credits the location. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/3 "2012-09-22T19:47:16Z")
I don’t see anything in the picture that couldn’t be Britain - those look like English Oaks (and I think I see an Elm there). The sheep fence is of a style not unfamiliar to me. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/4 "2012-09-22T19:50:37Z")
Could be Sca Fell ridge or Helvellyn ridge in the background ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/5 "2012-09-22T19:53:54Z")
I don’t know, other than to state the obvious observation: That’s a _very_ distinctive looking skyline on the mountains in the background. Certainly, anyone who knows that area will be able to recognize it immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/6 "2012-09-22T20:03:28Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I don’t see anything in the picture that couldn’t be Britain - those look like English Oaks (and I think I see an Elm there). The sheep fence is of a style not unfamiliar to me. Hm, I was was looking at the trees and thinking some looked like eucalypts- and those background hills don’t look like anywhere I’ve seen in Britain. Don’t know where it is though. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/7 "2012-09-22T20:28:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I don’t see anything in the picture that couldn’t be Britain - those look like English Oaks (and I think I see an Elm there). The sheep fence is of a style not unfamiliar to me. I agree that it could be Britain - my first thought was somewhere in Scotland, as we don’t have many jagged mountain ridges like that in England. But something about it looks more foreign. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/8 "2012-09-22T20:45:56Z")
I’ve found an email address for the record company (although their [website](http://home.btconnect.com/smoke/shinkansen.htm) doesn’t inspire too much confidence that they’re still very active), so I’ve asked them. In the meantime, further speculation welcome… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/9 "2012-09-22T21:37:49Z")
Looks like just outside of Lorien, looking into Fangorn. Isengard should be around those distant mountains somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/10 "2012-09-23T01:40:09Z")
I did an image search and found one which was wider than the album cover and had no words on it. I uploaded and searched that image and found it on a lot of wallpaper sites. Here’s the [results](https://www.google.com/search?tbs=sbi:AMhZZiseSTRK3UWFpqFgsmF0A432zXIYcDHbMmdZUShTKw7dW-4SniCE0GHY2wsuJbfmNkDANUvJLDWqnYath6vF6A8ZUcNgehGFV1rSJUW6_1Qzd8U5ZDyUKl-SO-n4XZs5pli7NW3UL0U6WW9Rbt51INFHpWCMwlzIJYYJijC0ff1G5LZLKX-0CtxpWr6pwOLx5JQS9W44wY-rHfuGHJ37j6pdJOi3eAzKd2M6edezJxSOI8IDXsj0Gi2qRyEaen955k5j4GKB-HfDOFVKHRxcaVYD4g-JOgy2kVRRDzubTMO1PtEcKj9K-8Egip3SizvXW6ZTaoWWS58IABj_1xACQs_1LjZsQRPud7FkVQbSApBIGdBdB7Tjz6TjpM03KIgzNYtjC4CGZMu-rVV3ZX0-TebfdpXH7Uy9-6e8NXiwO0SQzZvDw37vhBE18nNsTl-0Q7ZdcuTUJNQAEmW4UhwG7LlpToPCFATJVojM2GtQ43OkFT5PU8ghOU2vXBF6NHELsPRlpJZXJ0hkjK0JFXLi2KlxVjG9RwbAA5cJ_1dOyRfWfWbymQvV0UgNSaCaj5JYfRo2kn1yK62OQZkmbv7_1Nnj0RnrzG9sXS5EDrkG1L_1_1KoaDrZKAGFV-xz7NQfYmo4sM_1HRBY0Xh4nARLlOWm64HMOhRfClkrgX9320wPeOCDIRSJNDOLCzOoS_17asBn33o_1DYylV6COvIh5CtuUEfCTbNt7y2oV7ooHHR_1lEAWk_1uQgDt7dqEEn20WNgHsewluymaEcdvRFVjHhocMoFFuAKLF0rBc5x_1vOLQGgvIV8TvWA_1ovGpOtCKDjdFg0i6piCmi-0dYbTkxt49yK-ZuO9kAqdANkWHaYyVC0lsBXuR3GtEXd_1ba4N3cp9xS-M0ozZWUfwoMM_1AuOho45P004jd46cx8v9-ghDNs-OQ-ucBvIAKc-2ih0PxEBGoM0w4fsytoZ48Vu7_1MZKC2MUxy3oS8eLY6HWX33tZkpDGxg5b9c8B_1eN68drp-BVs0DThnhKn2uE3aVYbdpdnboR5WP5mNbiXDzOoWF6pf7YJAJjz8GL1tQYzVS8eH7TgpsO_1_1wd4U4gzB7BmeLcPLm5iqYuaDkblZViC7mTjSXvY7fEJwwvgRc2SH_17BKAeMTX2maR4PkXogTyG2oYK25K2zA17B8fUJ-VO-6Tx_1e7JLn0lIzTD3BGtpqmkofJw7WGfLXVREd1nloPkizSwYR_1StxukXsWX_16Z62wi4MgdiP5TykHG5OgHhKshklU34z69-b28Muio-AXzvxcz4eHS7lBSzPnTEfywBlmkjt7Q26kk0ttec3xhQBxtQBcfNnbl-4UH06JqateChA2EqdACCIQ2aWBYIIm8k1vtfXH8Couf_197zjJNr9F1ZqkC6vcA3ITyhUxmQ8eFrflcEz97n8dpGdCtoU3CK3pYjPqwXulweOwGV8k8vxAD6w&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&bih=707&biw=1215). It’s apparently widely used as a backdrop for multilingual bible versus, thus the “isaias 41 10” in the top results. I don’t know what to make of that. Maybe they used a stock image for the album, or maybe the guy who took the photo for the album sold it as a stock image 20 years later or it got into the wild somehow. I’m contributing nothing really, but [here](http://www.nature-free-pictures.com/images/wallpaper/nature-225.jpg) is a fairly large version of the same photo. Also, is that Nessie in the lower middle? It doesn’t look like Loch Ness… ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/11 "2012-09-23T03:48:28Z")
Just to add an observation – those mountains must run east to west given the sun position. Seems to maybe eliminate California. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/12 "2012-09-23T05:11:20Z")
The terrain, especially the form of the hills, the vegetation, fence design, and apparent evidence of grazing, very much suggest to me the Grampian Ranges in Victoria, Australia. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/13 "2012-09-23T05:58:38Z")
I’ve never been to the UK, but judging from the shape of the mountains, their orientation, and the vegetation, this looks like this might be shot in the area of the Lake District National Park. Check out pictures of the Langdale Pikes. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/14 "2012-09-23T06:29:26Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > I don’t know what to make of that. Maybe they used a stock image for the album, or maybe the guy who took the photo for the album sold it as a stock image 20 years later or it got into the wild somehow. I’m contributing nothing really, but [here](http://www.nature-free-pictures.com/images/wallpaper/nature-225.jpg) is a fairly large version of the same photo. > > Also, is that Nessie in the lower middle? It doesn’t look like Loch Ness… That’s interesting. I reckon it must be a stock photo, which ought to make identifying it easier if I can track down which agency it came from. Unfortunately I’m pretty sure I no longer have my copy of the album, as it would probably have a credit for the stock agency. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/15 "2012-09-23T06:33:33Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > I’ve never been to the UK, but judging from the shape of the mountains, their orientation, and the vegetation, this looks like this might be shot in the area of the Lake District National Park. Check out pictures of the Langdale Pikes. Very good spot! Looking at this pic the shape looks very similar if you imagine the photographer was shooting from the opposite direction. [http://image.shutterstock.com/display\_pic\_with\_logo/486172/486172,1255691446,1/stock-photo-blea-tarn-and-the-langdale-pikes-38995180.jpg](http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/486172/486172,1255691446,1/stock-photo-blea-tarn-and-the-langdale-pikes-38995180.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/16 "2012-09-23T07:20:54Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Looks like just outside of Lorien, looking into Fangorn. Isengard should be around those distant mountains somewhere. So New Zealand then? > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Just to add an observation – those mountains must run east to west given the sun position. Seems to maybe eliminate California. So not New Zealand then. (Although, hills that size wouldn’t necessarily run north south in New Zealand.) I didn’t think England had hills like that, but on closer inspection, although they have a nice craggy look, they aren’t very high. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/17 "2012-09-23T07:31:37Z")
I don’t think it’s the Lake District due to the shape. The Lake District peaks tend to be more rounded/less steep as you reach the top whereas the peaks in the pictures tend to point more sharply up as you move towards the top. (formed by a different process?) ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/18 "2012-09-23T11:06:18Z")
I grew up in the Lakes, and I really can’t think where in Cumbria it could possible be- the ridge doesn’t look like anywhere I know of, and that style of fence is not common at all up there except as short, mostly temporary stretches- that’s dry stone wall country. Also, all the hills I can think of are either virtually bare or completely forested, with a stone wall marking the boundary of wood and field, rather than thicker trees gradually spacing out. Something about the colour, and for some reason the shape of the ridge, says Australia to me. And I still think the shape and trunk colour of some of the trees looks like some species of eucalypt. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/19 "2012-09-23T11:18:10Z")
Last WAG for the UK: Snowdon Horseshoe in Wales. If you look for pictures, you’ll find that the general outline on the right side is similar. However, I’m not sure about the. vegetation and general feel. Of course, since this is a stock photo, it could be anywhere. I’m not sure I would trust the colours too much, as they’ve probably been significantly adjusted to emphasise the light. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516/20 "2012-09-23T19:14:05Z")
Matt Haynes, who used to run _The Field Mice_’s record label _Sarah_, and ran the label that issued the compilation in your OP, currently has this blog as his online home: > **[WHO?](https://bewareofthetrees.wordpress.com/who/)** > > Things like this always seem a bit egotistical, but I thought it might avoid awkward questions later. Links to the various websites mentioned, and other to other pies in which I have a finger, can … Might be worth dropping him a line? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-identify-this-location-from-an-album-cover/635516.md?page=2)