The Moors

I went out dog walking this morning. Usually I forget to take my camera with me but today I didn't. Living five minutes outside the Peak District National Park I'm never short of choices when it comes to walking.
I love getting out into the countryside, it gives me time to think and to be inspired by my surroundings.

Most days when I dog walk I start off at Redmires, a collection of reservoirs that feed Sheffield with water. The road up to Rerdmires is a gunmetal grey patchwork of tarmac, it winds around woodland, that becomes bleaker as you make the ascent.
Today I was greeted by the three reservoirs bursting full of water, a pleasant change from earlier this year.

Making a change from usual, I took a new walk up to a place called Stanedge Pole, which was once used as a navigational point for pack horses. For those of you that are familiar with the Pride and Prejudice remake will remember the scene where Keira Knightley famously stands on top of Stanedge Edge, consumed by thought.

As I broke through the shelter of the last of the trees I wasn't prepared for the bitterness of the landscape.  The ground was soft underfoot and the wind, not only cold, was howling .

The Moors can be a very eerie place, a desolate world of black and white, which burst into life in a glow of amber as the sun breaks through the cloud.

This is a walk that I will be doing again as soon as I can, and urge you to get out and explore somewhere new where you are.

Ally

xxx