Stupid choice of walk

I stoked up the fire for hubby who was settling down to sleep on the sofa and off I went out for a walk as I knew I had a good hour and a half before I would need to stoke again.
Out of the door and head right, along the road until it ends at the farm (top pic).

The road turns into a track (above)

which goes down, down, down and joins the main valley which is a gorge. I thought to myself before setting out 'The woods are sheltered. There'll be no snow lying in there.' How wrong I was, but rather than turn back I pressed on, teetering on the tiny little path which hugs the top of the valley, just there under the fence line. This is great for bilberries in the summer. Fall there and it's a helicopter rescue job, that is if they know you are there. The path takes a more steep, direct downwards route later on, which I could only do in a crouching position. Then it's right and along a wider, level bit with the river raging below. In the summer, you can look down on the backs of the swallows and swifts whizzing up and down the gorge.

After a while, you meet the start of the road in the bottom of the valley and then take a path up to the right, climbing up and up and up.

Then you come to the little 'secret' plum tree. I have put up spring and summer photos of this tree, by its little ruin. Here it is in winter.

Then up and up and up again and it gets steeper. Stupid, stupid Foody. What a choice in the snow. I was sliding and slithering. Lucky I had my trusty stick, which did help. This wood too is great for bilberries.

It got even steeper and the last 50 yards I did on elbows and knees because I was sinking in above my knees in drifts.

Finally, over the stile, across two fields and back to civilisation. There are Quasar and Skylark in their field, those little black dots. All I could think about was 'Is the fire still in?'

It was. Time to re-stoke and then a Christmas pudding flavour hot chocolate, the fire, my book and slippers. I was WHACKED. I put some brandy in my hot drink because I was all trembly with the exertion. It's hard enough in that gorge in the best of weather. Nothing on that 28 mile walk in June knackered me like that onslaught today. Never, ever again the woods in snow.