Yesterday I was out to Peak District NP. There is a lot of snow here now (for being England), so I wanted to take the opportunity before it disappears in a few days.
The day did not start well at all, I dropped my most expensive lens in the snow and because I had removed the cap it was full of it and not the easiest to get it off.
Luckily there where no major damage that I know of yet.
I wandered off to the place where the mountain hare is and it was not the most fun to plod (is this the correct english word for it??.. )in the snow, it sucked the life out me. Finally 3 hours later I came to where I wanted. Initially, I saw no hares, but soon saw some tracks that I followed. First I saw one and then suddenly a bunch of them. It was still hard to get close, and when looking at the pictures in the camera afterwards it looked as I chought them in the fog, but I realized it was water or condensation in the lens (from when I dropped it in the snow). It was impossible remove it so I have now permanent fog effect ;))
The landscape was nice as the wind had glued the snow on poles, stones, twigs and etc.
Yesterday we went out on a 14 km hike, one of our well known routes. This one is quite nice as it's a rather easy walk but has great views over the Ladybower area.
This particular morning was really warm with +10C. So far the new year has been so warm :)
The sun showed itself now and then, but up on the tops it a bit windy as usual and then of course it felt little colder.
What makes it more fun to hike around here is that there are a lot of Red grouse and it's a challenge to try to approach them for some pictures. As they at the moment forming pair the males are getting a but tougher and easier to approach. Maybe they thought I was a threat and wanted to show off. I got as only few meters from them!
I came really close to another animal too, a mountain hare. They are pretty with their white fur.
And despite their white fur it's not easy to see them, even if there is no snow right now, sometimes only a head held down in the heather is visible.
I managed to sneak up 3m to one hare through wet heather and bog. It is amazingly exciting to be able to get close to wild animals like this.
