Figsbury Ring: Long Christmas Morning Walk

I hadn't been to Figsbury Ring since 2011, as it is difficult to get to, without  a car.

Figsbury Ring, on Wikipedia

As I'm always on my own on Christmas Day, due to no buses, it is always one to endure, through slightly gritted teeth. As everybody else will be enjoying themselves, it is easy to revel in self pity but with superbly bright winter sunshine, I went out and tackled the five plus miles each way to this large hillfort, north east of Salisbury.

There were a couple of dog walkers out up there, so I included one here, to give scale. There are also superb views from the top bank, but boy, was the wind bitingly chilly up there! I just loved these trees and their shadows - they are the only two trees on the ring and from under in the dip next to them, they really had a lovely shape against the deep azure blue sky.

Now, to reheated spag bol, as I always have to go for as cheap calories as possible. We don't do presents in our family it seems and I didn't bother with all that crazy food that everyone else goes mental about. Packs of folk with too much money buying crap that they cannot possibly fully appreciate. (Though I might see what's half price in the sales, one day later, tomorrow!)

Ba, humbug? Possibly. But folk on their own at Christmas is more common than you might think. Especially when they do not fit into the family unit. And won't be bullied into doing so, as long as the family politics are adhered to. In my experience it is better to not be part of it at all, and treat it as just another ordinary day. If you half-heartedly force yourself into it, you just get ever so slightly bitter and that is not good. And at least, I had my good long walk. The best present I had this Christmas.

Lens is Nikkor 10-24mm, with polariser