Coledale Hause

On waking up this morning it was obvious that I had come down with some kind of lurgy. At least it gave me an excuse for the travails of yesterday: forgetting my camera, confusing platforms and missing connections, spilling and breaking a number of things. I was a disaster to be around! My friend and I go back 43 years. It was only mildly reassuring to be told that I haven't changed a bit in all that time!

A slow walk around the Coledale Horseshoe was decided upon, one of my very favourite runs of fitter times. It was a glorious winter's day: snow on the tops and crystal clear skies, pleasant in the shelter of the wind but bitterly cold when exposed on the ridges. It wasn't an easy day to take photographs, with any kind of camera. It was more a day for just soaking up the magnificence of the scenery and being in the moment.

A little late coming down off the fells, we hit the valley bottom when it was almost dark. The black ice was hard enough to spot in daylight, but in the faint light of dusk, it was near nigh impossible. I came a purler on a couple of occasions, taking some very hard landings, but without suffering any damage other than being shaken up a bit. It was a relief to finish the day in one piece. If I'd been at home I would probably have spent most of it in bed!