On a cool, bright day

It’s been grey and drizzly over the last few weeks but on Saturday the sun finally came out and stuck around all day! It was the perfect way to start a long weekend. Adam and I are currently in Gibraltar (more on that later this week!), but is there anything better than a bright, cool winter’s day? The clouds, haze and woodsmoke from cosy fireplaces gets swept away to reveal a landscape in muted but rich colour.

Adam and I took the opportunity recently to use one of those stunning days to go for a wander on the hills. There was still a bit of frost hanging around and large chunks of ice where puddles of water had frozen over, but with the sun shining we quickly forgot the chill on our faces, taking in the sparkly landscape all around us.

There were dozens and dozens of other people out too and although solitude is nice on a walk, everyone greeting each other with ‘Good morning’ made the company welcome. Maybe it was all the years I spent working as a journalist, but I also find hearing snippets of people’s passing conservations oddly interesting. Am I the only one?! I heard chatterings about politics in Norway, about a holiday Marjory and David had planned in March and the chatising of small white dog called Pepper for leading a couple of lively spaniels down a rather steep embankment.

We also managed to sneak a look at Pink Cottage which is snuggled into the eastern side of the hills, not far from Castlemorton Common. The private home’s colour was a little hard to see due to the brightness of the day and the surrounding winter vegetation, but I can imagine its softness standing out so vividly come spring when the hills are bathed in wildflowers and new grass.

Ruddy in the faces from our jaunt, Adam and I made our way home for a delicious lunch of leftover homemade chicken and leek pie, washed down with a mug of steaming hot tea.

The Malvern Hills are quickly becoming one of my favourite places to go for a wander – what are yours?  I would love some recommendations for good walks both here in the U.K. and further abroad :).