I love this area of rough woodland, just off the Baslow to Sheffield road. There is always something to photograph whatever time of year.  Last month it was the siskins and redpolls on the alder trees-

The trees and scrub offer some degree of protection for the wildlife up here and this time I was hoping to see tracks in the snow to give some idea as to who had been sheltering here. I was not disappointed.  I have regularly seen red deer down here in warmer times but never in the snow.  If proof were needed that they have been around then here it is –

The 3 pictures show deer tracks where they have jumped the 3 foot barbed wire fence.  These fences offer no obstacle whatsoever. They do though keep out the cattle which is no bad thing.  I do love the cattle and there were at least 50 of them passing through the central wood while I was there.  They are hardy souls and were heading out onto the moors for the night rather than sheltering, but they have really churned up the boggy area between the 2 fenced off woods.

Over on the Moor on the slopes above Swine Sty I could clearly see 2 groups of deer, each with about 20 members.  I also spotted 2 stragglers lower down towards Bar Brook. They all seemed content up in the snow and even though it was nearly dark they too were showing little intention of move to more sheltered ground for the night.