Keep to the Track: Beware of the Moors

It was a chilly, foggy morning when I set out for a walk. A thick mist hung over the moors, keeping everything quiet and still.

I headed down a muddy path toward the woods. The ground was slippy underfoot, but the damp air and quiet atmosphere made it feel like a proper spooky walk.

Along the way, a wooden post caught my eye, with a polite little sign that read, "Please keep to track". With the thick, eerie mist rolling over the moors, it reminded me of that classic line from the 1981 film 'An American Werewolf in London' about staying away from the moors and sticking to the roads. Thankfully, there are no werewolves in the vicinity.

After following the track a short distance, I passed through a wooden gate with a colourful bobble hat left sitting on the post. Hopefully, its owner will come back and claim it. They definitely need it at the moment.

Once through the gate, I entered the woods. Tall pine trees stretched up into the mist, and the ground was covered in rusty coloured bracken.

As I walked among the trees, tucked into the damp grass, there was a bright red fly agaric mushroom. There have been a lot of these about this year. They look even more fairy like in the mist.

A bit further on, I crossed a small brook running through the trees. The water was very clear and the banks were covered in green moss and dead ferns. It's always a little tricky to stride over, especially in the winter, but I made it.

On the drive back, I spotted a pheasant perched right on top of a drystone wall by the roadside. I pulled the car over to try and take a photo. It didn't turn out great since I took it quickly on my mobile phone through the windscreen, but it was still a nice little moment to round off a cold, misty walk.

The sun was just breaking through as I carried on my journey home.