A beautiful frosty morning fell run in the Peak District
It was the kind of morning I love. As the daylight increased it revealed a pale, cloud free sky as far as the horizon. I wanted to make the most of the day before the sun rose too high and by 7.30 I was in the Peak District under a stunning azure blue sky.
The sun was still low and I cast a long shadow over the frosty ground as I set off along White Edge. The air was cold and still and ice had formed on the puddles but the early sun and gentle pace were enough to warm me.
The views across the Peak District were stunning, the cold, dry air giving excellent visibility to the distant hills, crisply defined on the far horizon. A high half-moon added to the spectacle.
Such were the conditions that I spent lots of time stopping to admire the views around me: bracken fringed with frost; a gritstone boulder, its lichen enhanced by tiny ice crystals; the changing colour of the sky – pale bluish white on the horizon darkening to cobalt overhead.
There would be plenty of time for hard training runs, days when the wet and the wind require extra exertion in order to stay warm and the horizon is close, damp and drab. But today was a jewel to savour, to remind me how lucky I am to be able to run in such beautiful surroundings.
On to the triangulation pillar, one face bright white catching the sun square on, tapering up towards the suspended moon.
Moving on I left the moor and took the path through birch woodland, sun and shade dappling the ground, damp earth and fallen leaves and the unmistakeable scent of autumn.
Across the road and down to the lovely little stream, hopping over the stones to keep my feet dry then up towards the Grouse Inn. It was warmer now, the sun is higher and I was running uphill on the route that takes me past White Edge Lodge so hat and gloves came off.
As I approached the car I noticed how traffic had built up, it was not long after 9am but I knew I had seen the best part of the day, tranquil, peaceful, glorious.
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