The cold weather mentioned in my last walk in November has remained and today I woke up to freezing fog, so as in that walk I decided to go high and try to get above it. Myself and a friend had probably one of the best days walking we've ever had in this area. Having got to the top of Well Lane the sun made its first tentative appearance and as we took the track to Great Hill it burnt away the last remnants of the fog. We were in glorious sunshine and all the coldness associated with the fog disappeared leaving us warm and over dressed. However, below us to the west the fog covered everything. The cloud inversions were spectacular. Some of the following photo's are probably the best I've captured - I do hope you enjoy them. What a great walk to end the year.
There was a heavy frost at the top of Well Lane
The fog is beginning to lift, revealing the Pine woods
Over towards Winter Hill the fog is still wiping out Rivington Pike
A frozen tarn alongside the Great Hill track
As we gained height the cloud inversion started to appear over White Coppice
Frozen ground and misty gullies across on Black Coppice
Troy in silhouette with mist in the valley of Dean Black Brook
Approaching the point where the path from White Coppice meets the path from Brinscall. Light mist is evident above Dean Black Brook
The meeting of the paths
Looking across to Anglezarke Moor and the fog is slowly returning
Ahead of us it's lovely and Great Hill awaits us if Gummy the old dog can make it.
Great Hill from the ruins of Drinkwater's. A lone walker gives some perspective of scale
Looking back towards Drinkwater's - and the fog is enveloping the valley below
Another view looking back at the old ruins
Drinkwater's is now slowly being hidden
Taken from the stile on the approaches to Great Hill Summit
Gummy approaches the summit with ease.
..and the fog is slowly approaching us
Zooming in on Drinkwater's
Over to the south east - fog covers the valley of the Rivington - Belmont road below Winter Hill
And further round the Pike appears above the fog
Winter Hill above the fog
Pendle Hill (centre) and Darwen Tower
The fog is encroaching, in this view to Rivington Pike.
Zooming in on the Pike
Every valley is being covered
The signpost on the summit of Great Hill. To the left of it Pendle Hill pokes out of the fog, and to the right is Darwen Tower
Gummy at the summit - pretty good for a 17 year old
And as we leave the summit Great Hill is being enveloped.
A truly wonderful day
