Kall Hill

The forecast promised a better day today, and it has been, although it still seemed to be raining most of the time I was out on the bike. I think I picked the wrong time to go and probably got the worst of the weather, but it was possibly the best time for photography, with wonderfully broody dark clouds and the sun occasionally breaking through to flood the valley with the most intense light. It was nothing if not dramatic. I had planned an excursion to Kettlewell but my hands got very cold due to too many picture stops and my feet were soaked from the still flooded roads, so I cut it short and turned for home at Burnsall, just a mile north of where this shot was taken from.

Much like last year I decided to spend New Year's Eve with my virtual friends here rather than brave the heaving bars of Ilkley. I did get a nice surprise when Roam called in en route from one group of friends to another to spend the ten minutes before and after midnight with me. This is going to be a big year of change for him too so it was good to raise a glass to each other at midnight. I felt very proud of him last night. We watched the firework display from London and that was spectacular even on television. It did make me think that this would be something to do one year, see the New Year in from one of the world's great cities. London would do for me. Roam fancies Rio. I guess I could handle that too!