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Sunday 18 January 2015

Exploring the Mere

When we lived in the Midlands we would regularly get kitted up, drive up into the Peak District and go for a hike. Ironically, since moving to Yorkshire, with its abundance of walks on our doorstep, we haven't done much walking at all.

Despite the freezing temperatures today we decided to layer up and go to the nearby mere for a thorough exploration as a way of getting us back into the hiking habit.
The Mere
When we got there, it was largely frozen over and particularly atmospheric looking. We'd walked the short walk around it before, admiring the swans, geese and moorhens and unmoving reflections of the surrounding trees


Such beautiful surroundings

This time though we took the longer walk around, and discovered another path leading away from the lake. In the spirit of exploration, we took it, and it lead us over some dirt tracks and into stark wintery woods. To one side lay train tracks, steep hills to the other.
Scrambling up muddy woodland hills

We opted to scramble the muddy hillside, regretting not having brought our sticks for stability.

More than once I was grateful of having found fallen branches that I could use to lever me further up the muddy incline. 
Still smiling

We reached the top, our lungs full of the cold January air, our cheeks rosy and hearts pounding and marvelled at the view across fields. I was thankful at having packed a can of cherry coke for a spot of refreshment before walking along a track around fields until we found a more trodden path to return down the hill.
It's all worth it for the view at the top 

Back at the lake the dogs were pleased to sip from the sides of the bank as we made our way home. It was so refreshing to get out and exert ourselves, to explore where we live and to enjoy the surroundings that nature has to offer. It's what the weekends are made for.
Having fun


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