Lovely day for a wander!

A nice start to the day when I saw one of my photos in the “One square metre” challenge video.  Another dry and warm day with lovely blue skies - didn’t even need a coat!  Called at friend C’s to wish her a Happy Birthday, then carried on up the hill to go for a walk. Up Dolphin Lane water was running off a field so it was like walking up a stream.  Lots of sheep, but only one lamb which had its back to me whilst it snoozed in the sunshine, and horses in the next field were fighting over food.  A few people walking along to the moor, so I turned back towards the village, pausing to look at progress on 2 barn conversions (extra) one of which has already sold.  Reaching a point where  Ryecroft was above me I decided to climb the hill to come out on the road by the hamlet.  Swathes of lovely daffodils lined the roadside here, and I paused to look at the old Methodist burial ground.  Instead of walking down the road back to the village I took a path I haven’t used in years.and had views across to the top of the village.  Big mistake!  Halfway down the path turned into a bog. I had to cross a stream and washed off my boots, only for it to get worse on the other side!  The mud was above my boots, but I ploughed on.  I then had to walk up a field to the next stile and as I climbed it 3 horses came thundering over.  I could see that they had churned up the mud, and sticking to the path would be impossible, so surrounded by the horses (luckily very friendly!) I squelched around the edge of the field holding onto the fence until I reached the next stile,  much to the amusement of a house owner at the edge of the field.  Got chatting to a man with a beautiful rescue GSD who had come up the path from the village - he was amused by the state of my boots and trousers and knew exactly what route I had taken.  In 5 minutes I was back in the village and walked up to home.  Those boots will need a good scrub - teach me to go “off piste” again!