New Year's Day dog walk

As promised here are some photos from today's dog walk.  It was beautifully sunny, for the most part, but the recent heavy rain has certainly taken its toll on the footpaths.

This is the field at the other side of the kissing gate at the bottom of Quincewood Gardens; just past where it meets Greenfrith Drive.  It's almost solid clay here at the best of times so this water will take ages to drain away unless we get a serious dry spell.

This bit of the walk is further down the way.  Following the footpath to the right of the field and through the gap you emerge onto what is currently a stream leading up to The Yews and then on to Coldharbour Lane.

This rather stunning stand of trees is close to one of the ponds at the top of the bridleway which joins Coldharbour Lane adjacent to the Fairlawne grain silos opposite the Trench Farm cottages.  The sun is still so low at this time of year that any picture taken in silhouette can be really effective.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and the late afternoon clouds really took my breath away.  It's great to get a proper wintry day with such a startlingly blue sky as a backdrop.

One of the trees in The Bonfire Field for those of you who know it.  It's only in recent months that the right of way round this field has been re-established so I try to walk it as often as possible.  Now they've put a proper access gate at either end the footpath has become more walkable as it's no longer being churned up by inconsiderate horse riders.

I love this one.  The light at this time of year in the late afternoon is almost orange.

And so back almost to the starting point in the field behind Quincewood Farm.  I was only out about an hour and a half but the sun was dipping well towards the horizon in that short time.  A lovely walk and four very tired (and exceptionally wet!) dogs.