Meringue

Seeing a barn owl was one fine way to start the day this morning as I drove back to The Dales.  I couldn’t help it!

Pen-y-ghent was left and it just had to be done.  

I started out fairly early and there were only a few people around on the way up.  It’s an interesting ascent once you reach the steeper part but the problem is that it’s all over too quickly.  Especially when there’s snow on the ground.  

I felt a little disappointed which is hard to explain on such a grand day but I simply wasn’t keen to end the day there.  I had just begun heading down when the sun came back out after disappearing behind light cloud for a while.  

Well, that was it!   

Luckily, my map was to hand which isn’t a usual occurrence on these peaks but it had been in there since Ingleborough last weekend, which can be a little confusing in the mist.  With a refolding of the map, I headed off towards Plover Hill for a solitary and most amazing walk along the plateau.  

There was just one body following behind me - amazing for such a busy main top.  It’s years since I’ve been over there and I think Rich and I had probably chosen a snowy, icy day the last time to prevent a bog trot.  

Around the back, I eventually met a couple of lone walkers with dogs coming the other way, but apart from that, it was a wonderfully wild walk all the way back to the Pen-y-ghent junction.  

I found this beautiful snow sculpture at the summit of Plover Hill.