Walking through the woods was beautiful, if hard going on the up hill stretch. Coming down to the stream on the other side wasn't too much of a challenge. There were some very handy logs where the kids could pose for photos.
Then we had to go through fields where no humans had trod since the snow fell. The snow was up to the top of our wellies. It was a very long way up. Even the dog slowed down - eventually!
Finally we made it to the pole - the wooden one with the yellow top (Caitlin is leaning against it.) But our disappointment was almost as great as Scott's moments later. Not that anyone had been there before us, but that there was another one, on the top of the next rise. And then yet more walking, through virgin snow that was even deeper than the top of our wellies. It took us an hour to go 3/4 of a mile. Me and Ellie fell into snow deeper than my knees, Carl lost his boot in boggy ground hidden beneath snow. The dog went head first into a snow drift. But none of us have laughed so hard in ages.
Best Christmas Eve walk ever!