Simon and I trekked up to Penshaw on a crisp, snowy morning. There was a slight thaw but still plenty of crunch in the 3 inches of snow underfoot. As we climbed up through the wood on the far side of the Wear, the sun came out from behind the clouds. The intense light reflecting off the snow gave a magical quality to the landscape. We stumbled on a lichen covered tree that seemed almost bioluminescent.
