Good morning Ambleside

Believe it or not, I turned the lights out at 6.30pm last night.  I dozed until I dropped off at about 10pm.  It felt quite warm until about 4am when it turned decidedly chilly.  I kept leaning over to re-wrap Little Dog in her blanket which she seemed to appreciate.

Once I’d finished two cups of peppermint tea and breakfast by 7, the light was just seeping through the trees.  

And it was pink.  And I was excited!

All concerns about the weight of my winter rucksack were out of the window as Little Dog and I headed up the start of the Fairfield horseshoe.  

That planet feeling I get, that happens on very special occasions in the hills, was in full force today.  I grinned and grinned and had the odd tear or two in my eye as I kept stopping and taking in the full force of the rising sun over planet Earth.  Turning round and seeing the moon taking in the light as it was on its way down just finished me off.

I had the hills to myself all the way to the top.  I didn’t rush and taking photos was a lovely opportunity to slow me down and just keep breathing it all in.  The mist rolled gradually further and further in but stayed right down in the valley for the whole circuit.  There was very little breeze and what there was was welcome.

I started seeing more and more people on their way up on the other side of the horseshoe after dropping off Hart Crag.  The ground was rock hard but all the ice was avoidable and it was, on the whole, easy walking.

Unbelievably, as I approached Low Pike, dashing across the snow in front of me and silhouetted against the sun was a gorgeously bushy tailed fox that leapt over the wall with ease and was gone.  In all the years I have been in the hills, I have never seen one.  Well that just completed my day nicely.


I’m now back home with chicken pie for one and roast potatoes for two.  All for me.  Little Dog has had an extra dinner and it’s now time to chill out on the memories of a very special day.