Sunrise from Anstey Common

A sharp frost was forecast, so I set out early to see if we would get a photogenic sunrise. It was better than I could ever have hoped.

First signs of light appearing on the horizon First glimmers of sunlight start to reflect in the clouds The glimmers change moment by moment Amazing contrasts appear between purple clouds and orange light It just keeps getting better and better. Some of the yellow and orange changes to pink The colours softened.. ...before flaming orange took over as the sun appears. Looking away from the sun, the colours were the softest pastels. The Froude Hancock stone, with the sun rising behind The light grows stronger. ...and the colour palette changes again completely. A wild Exmoor pony is built to cope with a -5C frost! This one is the herd's stallion. The light was still slightly unearthly.. ...colours going through soft greys and caramel It was a wintery scene. Two ponies eye each other up... before testing their strength. Partly playing, partly serious.. They joust for supremacy. The loser gallops off.. ... And another two start going through the same dance.