A Sunrise from a Seat in the Snow

I got up about an hour before dawn to head off to the moor. My body said "No!", my head said "What the heck are you doing man?", my heart said "It's clear, it's pristine snow, it might take you a while to get through that deep snow, but you *know* that if you go back to bed you will kick yourself later..."

And I said in yesterday's blip that I was going to do it so I'd look like a right wimp if I missed this opportunity.

Driving wasn't an option - if you saw yesterday's photo, the snow had probably doubled by the morning. So I got my winter kit on and headed out. It took a long time. Trudging in snow uses different muscles to normal walking and my calves were screaming at me to turn back.

When I got to the moor I had it to myself again. I almost felt guilty to be the first to break up the virgin snow apart from the tracks of the true residents who must use real foraging skills to feed. There were drifts and dips that went up to my knees, and soon my boots were full of packed snow like Plaster of Paris.

To my delight I spotted the Highland Cattle across the field. I trudged over to the gate willing them to come closer. To be in front of the sunrise with their quizzical faces smudged in snow, heavy misty breath in the amber light. But not today. They looked over but were too far away and too disinterested in me. Another day.

I didn't go as far as the top of the moor, and as it got the time for the sun to rise, it didn't. I checked the time again and then spotted an almost invisible cloud bank that had blended in perfectly with the sky, obscuring the sun. I didn't mind as it was still a beautiful unique morning and the snow had started to sparkle. I looked around and drank in the moments and then spotted the hint of the sun rising above the cloud.

This was my favourite of the *many* photo's I took this morning :o)