Benson Knott from the door

Solstice was a complete clag out, but dawn on the day afterwards was frosty and still, with archetypal long shadows and bright sunlight. Yet another run up the local hill I thought, just over 300m high, but with a fine view over Morecambe Bay, the Howgills, Whinfell and the whole of the Lake District fells. Not only was it bright, but also very still, so no windproof was
required, just a long sleeved top and t-shirt and shorts, looking somewhat like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. 

Throughout this year, I’ve been up this hill well over a hundred times, in all weathers, and always from the door. If I’m feeling energetic, it takes about 35 minutes from door to trig point, which feels a real privilege. Setting off before sunrise, I was wearing gloves, I established that there was no way the Thirlmere aqueduct would have aligned with the solstice sunrise, and there was a satisfying crunch in the frosted grass.  I met no one all the way up, and only a farmer collecting silage on the way back.  It wasn’t very far, it wasn’t very high, but it is always lovely, and all the better for being on the ‘wrong’ side of Kendal.