New Year on Purdown

The weather on New Year's Day was utterly bleak, but dogs must be walked, so out Cwtch and I went for a quick - ie non-tussocky - walk along the paths of Purdown. A rousing rendition of 'Good Night, Irene' could be heard drifting over the mean streets of Horfield from the Memorial Ground, where Rovers would later lose 3 - 2 to Leyton Orient, but otherwise any residual festive feeling seemed to have been washed away by the rain. 

Love, though - there's always at least some love ...

... as well as some fungi putting up a decent challenge in the colour stakes.

But the next morning was forecast to be clear, so, having dropped a convalescent Northerner at the station to catch his early train, Cwtch and I returned to Purdown to watch the first sunrise in what felt like ages.

Cossham Hospital - the highest point in Bristol - on the skyline

We walked swiftly along to the battery, and the sun, when it appeared, rose over Solsbury Hill. (Yes, that one. And no, it was probably a wood pigeon.) 

I worked out it has another eight miles to travel up to Tormarton interchange before its rising becomes visible from our bedroom window, and about seven weeks to do it in. (Highly unscientific, and probably geographically suspect too, but I'm so looking forward to the return of the light.)

Then back through Hermitage and Long Wood.

And then ... oh great good fortune ... a repeat performance the following morning. 

A view of Freezing Hill from a freezing hill

Even Cwtch stopped snuffling and running about to watch the sun ...

... and Bristol was beautiful, drowsing in frost and mist.

And then the grazing goats came out of their pen to enjoy the spectacle, a judicious slipping of Cwtch back onto her lead being deemed necessary at this point. (She is a collie, after all.)

The morning sun when it's in your face really ... is a wonderful feeling 

small teasels

Holy Trinity, Stapleton

Looking along the ridge to the replacement Duchess Ponds and the Dower House

Cwtch in frost

a wintry buzzard