Magical land

The direction of the incoming freeze is clearly visible on the trees and shrubs of Wilverly Plain and Enclosure (1809); their eastern faces dusted with a crispy white icing sugar like glaze, whilst the western sides retain their natural hues. With crystal clad heather, lustrous bracken fronds and solid patterned puddles, the plain has taken on the aspect of a wild and magical land. Walking across Holm Hill is a mix of crunches, as you break the thin ice which covers even the most ephemeral of water and slides, as you slip on the greased glass like ground surfaces where the saturated earth has frozen solid.

Descending into the Ober valley the forest reverts to the traditional hues of winter, where browns rule, although most standing water remains frozen, even if the ground below and around yields. The Ober looks cold and uninviting as it snakes its way along Clumber Enclosure (1843), racing to join Highland Water.

As if passing between separate world, as you ascend Markway Hill towards Spy Holms the scene returns to the winter wonderland of white clad flora and crisp ice. The sun is going down and the sky comes alive with a final burst of cloud and colour. Nice.