Thaw on the Moor

Yesterday's snow has not lasted. What had survived the night's rain began to be eaten by a strong morning sun, so that as noon approached there were just pockets lying among the tussocks on the moor.

One advantage of a low winter sun, is that it draws out the features of the millstone grit boulders that dot the moor. While Baildon Moor is famous for its concentration of Megalithic rock art (mostly found on Low Plain, over the brow of the hill in the picture), this boulder carries the natural pits and grooves of weathering.

The dominant colour of the moor at this time of year (when not covered by snow) is brown, and here you can see the lighter brown of the grasses and sedges give way to the rust brown of bracken on the higher slopes. There are some lush green flushes of Sphagnum Moss in the wetter areas though.

an ancient boulder ~ weathered with grooves and hollows ~ points me to the hills