I was surprised when I finally surfaced this morning that it wasn’t raining. Last night had been a late one following our annual dinner so there no rush to get up. After breakfast I put on appropriate clothing for a winter walk and headed out.

When people asked me where I was going and I told them they all said “oh straight into the teeth of the wind then” and I replied that at least it would be behind me coming back; I set off and while there were some really brutal gusts for the most part it wasn’t too bad. Apart from the times when it showered icy rain and you are in a panic as to whether to put on more waterproofs. But overall I had a good blast of some very fresh air and stretched my legs which was what I really needed and for the most part it was dry. And I kept toasty warm.

On the way up the valley I met these ladies enjoying a late breakfast and despite it being a cold, damp, windy February day the smell of their hay transported me right back to a hot, sunny summer afternoon.

2 February 2014