Bleak

Our guide for the Northern Lights expedition was Dutch - married to a Finn, they are bringing their children up tri-lingual - but I digress - his English was extraordinarily good, but when he asked me to describe the countryside around where I live I used the word 'bleak' and he was unfamiliar with the word.

He immediately felt it had negative connotations, so I explained that it usually does, but for me the bleakness of the high moors around us is stunningly beautiful. I promised to send him some photos (I have about a gazillion of Saddleworth and Marsden Moors) so to clear the cobwebs this morning I drove up to Buckstones Edge. The fog was stubbornly sticking to the valley and there was a marked contrast in temperature to my last visit - not sure if it captures 'bleak' but it was certainly atmospheric.

Back home to catch up on work......