There's misty cloud and fine drizzle over the Dark Peak, so I
head for the National Park centre at Edale to draw
in the dry, warm shelter of their displays. Unfortunately, this
winter, it is closed for re-building, so I drive off towards Mam
Tor along the back road.
Most of the places that you can pull off the road are field entrances
so when I see a lay-by that doesn't seem to double as a passing
place or turning circle, I pull up.
After my delay starting, I decide to take my subjects from whatever
I can see around me. That's the advantage of the Peak District;
wherever you stop there will be half a dozen subjects that you could
draw.
The farm and the lichen were drawn with my Parker fountain pen
but for the view of Edale and the thorn trees below I tried a dip
pen and calligraphy ink. The problem with this was that in the cool,
damp conditions it took ages for the ink to dry and there is a tendency
even now for the pages to stick together on the thorn tree drawing.
The other problem was that after four hours on the hillside I was
chilled to the bone - even the flask of Earl Grey tea I'd brought
didn't warm me up very much. Next time I will allow myself more
time out there and I'll intersperse drawing with periods of brisk
walking.
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