Well, here I am at the start of what promises to be a new life after spending too many years stuck in a dingy office staring at a computer screen day in day out surrounded by some of the most irritating people I have ever known. Some may say it's a brave move, some may say it's stupid, but it doesn't matter as I have made the decision and there's no turning back. What decision is that? To quit my job, sell my house and hit the road, so to speak, for the next year or two, maybe longer, to hone my own skills, build my portfolio and forge a living doing what I love best - being in the outdoors photographing the wonderfull wildlife and landscape of our own British Isles, with maybe a few overseas trips thrown in. My accomodation will mostly be in my new caravan as it allows me the flexibility of going anywhere and everywhere, and if I don't like where I am staying, I just de-camp and move on.

And what a start. I picked up my new caravan a couple of weeks ago and after spending several days at a site local to the dealer to make sure everything was working as it should, I headed here to the Peak District staying at Castleton. The first few days were a little drab, weather wise, but this morning I woke to see about 8 inches of snow had fallen overnight and it kept on falling all day. Good job I've got a good heating system in the caravan. Unable to get the car out (trust me to pick a nice secluded pitch in the corner) I only had one choice. So, on with the boots, gloves and walking poles, camera rucksack slung on my back and off I went.

This is the first visit I have ever made to the Peak District and I wonder why I've never been here before. I suppose it's all too easy to head for the better known places like the Lake District or the Westcountry with Dartmoor and Exmoor. The Peak District being positioned so close to Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds may make it easy to think it hasn't got the remote, wild feel that the pther places have. This is so far from the truth, the Peak District has as much a feel of remote countryside as anywhere in Britain and can provide as much photographic potential as any other 'wild' place in the country.

It never fails to amaze me how a place looks more beautiful with a covering of snow and the Peak District is no exception. What was fairly ordinary looking countryside suddenly came alive with much more photographic potential. Cold? yes, beautiful? absolutely, enjoyable? indubitably. Yes, definitely the right decision.