faffing around

slither and slosh to and through woods. kfc box - of course, go sledging, got to take food. onto golf course. no one around. crunch of snow the only sound. down old sledging slope? i know, do clockwise lap of whole course and then go up it. crunch crunch crunch. snow not quite as deep as it was but still high-stepping like chojecka. call it hoyesking. hard work. stiffness barometers bit of a bugger. my favourite corner of the course. perfect snow sweeping out in all directions. circle red flag, spot own tracks, then sweep out too. could enter a trance hoyesking through the virgin snow. don’t though, try to do monday’s meandering lap in reverse keeping half an eye out for own tracks. hmm, more interesting tracks. deer? follow them instead. something else, shallow but clear claw marks, badger? ooh, very small flippers. quick look at castle ruins. sign warns of many dangers including collapsing cellars underfoot. more tracks, clearly deer, going same way as me. always wanted to run with them. cross to other side of course. lots more deer tracks, don’t follow into impossible thicket. start faffing around, running up and down and using own tracks to compare stride lengths at different speeds. follow unknown stream to see where it goes, goes nowhere, it’s just a drainage ditch. arrive at old sledging slope. looks the same apart from new, dark green surface under ice. make it up without slipping. sign at top says dangerously steep ramp, buggies stop here. decide to go back through woods. slight mistake, most of main path resembles mashed up christmas cake soaked in brandy. thoroughfare of slush, like the brandy butter lane. slosh and slither home. can’t believe that took an hour. well, maybe.