Country diary: Sometimes all we can do is savour the monumental timelessness of our landscape | Phil Gates

Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham: I can see signs of fiery volcanoes, scouring glaciers, and the earliest plant life. This is a place to consider the miracle of our surroundingsThe rocks along this popular scenic stretch of the Pennine Way, upstream from Wynch suspension footbridge, have been worn smooth by hiking boots. In summer, many visitors come to admire Teesdale's famous assemblage of rare wild flowers; in autumn and winter, after heavy rain, spectacular waterfalls beckon.Steady drizzle all the way today, weather that can dampen spirits but suits mosses and lichens so well, adding sparkle to the emerald green cushions on fence posts, reviving encrusting circles, in pastel shades of grey, on drystone walls. Tactile, vibrant details in the landscape, among the fading russets and yellows of decaying summer leaves. Continue reading...