Cock Pheasant in the garden, with cool tail feathers - it was minus 5.3 by the house overnight, so probably nearer minus eight in the open. Cleared a few patches on the grass for the birds to find some food put out, rather than it vanishing into the snow.

Had brunch at Skiach with Susan and the girls, then we walked around and up the back route to the monument at Fyrish... with Finn and sledges. Loads of snow up there, and it was beautiful. Came back down via the main path, upon the sledges for the majority of it. Biggest and heaviest (moi) went first on a little red plastic sledge (not an adult size one... especially not a 6'2" adult!) that was left at the house by former occupants. Just as well there was no-one else mad enough to be up there, or struggling up the path as we came down it. Have never been so fast on a sledge. There are some really steep bits, and it was almost like a toboggan run at times. And it went on, and on, and on. I left a kind of channel track for the others to follow in. Eventually had to stop short of a risky bit with a sharp bend and steps to a narrow footbridge, rather than risking hurtling down a near vertical drop into the burn. Took several minutes for the rest of them to appear. Was half tempted to go back and do it again! A definite act your shoe size kind of day. Excellent. Best ever sledge run.