The cold spell forecast to last one more day so it had to be even colder than before with the temperature at minus 6 at 8 am. Hoar frost and rime had left the whole moor looking whiter than ever and even a strengthening wind failed to dislodge more than a fraction of the ice from the ghostly trees.
By lunchtime there were many people enjoying the last of the wintry views, more than I can remember seeing even on a Saturday. Cameras were much in evidence, as were children and dogs, with a surprising number of cyclists. Stags were in a secluded area of the woods out of the bitter wind their coats now starting to get a somewhat fluffier insulation layer.
The track through the woods from Devil's Elbow down to Shorts Lane is free from the ice seen higher up but the serious erosion from mountain bike use is now even worse. As we walked down a dozen or so bikers rode up the hill their faces contorted. These were not youngsters, some seemed almost as old as me. Blacka Blogger, however, cannot compete with these for single minded intensity.
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