28th January 2019 Through the bleak midwinter.

*

Monday 28th, 36F,  dark grey overcast and slightly misty with very light winds and wintry showers forecast. Walked up to the woods and back down again by another way. A solitary Whooper swan went over standing our starkly against the drab countryside. A wet and rather miserable day.

Tuesday 29th 27-33F, -3+1C, calm. Potential for early sunshine between the clouds. Overnight snow of less than an inch. Walked up to the woods again by yet another route and different again on the way home. I'm lucky to have so many possibilities.

Wednesday 30th 30F, cold, breezy and dark grey. Expected to remain dry but with increasing wind and hovering around freezing. There was a cool breeze as I walked to the lanes. The watery sunshine was obscured by thin cloud and provided no warmth.

The Canadian Arctic is so now warm that mosses and plants which grew 100,000 years ago in an interglacial period are being exposed. Scientists hope to be able to bring some of them back to life.

Thursday 31st 32F, dark grey with new, but light, overnight snow. Walked to the lanes. A few snow flurries during the day. Heavy shopping in the car.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

*

24th January 2019 Brrr!

 *

Thursday 24th, 24.8F, -4C, cold, dark grey and breezy. I was fairly comfortable on the first half of my walk. At the turn it put me face on into the light Easterly wind. I doubt it was more than 5mph but my own forward velocity made it feel even colder. The GripGrab Nordic mitts were fine on the outward leg but lacked enough natural warmth for the return journey. I wasn't making much warmth from walking to keep my extremities cosy.

I was walking with my hands behind my back with my hands folded over each other. Even in my fleece trousers over skiing long johns I could feel the cold pressing onto my legs. The jacket had also found its limits despite two jumpers over a T-shirt and then a fleece jacket for extra layers. Yesterday I was too warm and walking with my hat and gloves off. Another day when the temperatures will not rise above freezing. With possibly heavy snow forecast for the days ahead. It stayed at 24-25F, -4C all day as I worked outside on a woodworking project.

Friday 25th 25F, -4C, dark grey but calm start. Heavy snow expected later. It didn't feel as cold today. The wind had gone round to the SW. Just a 40 minute walk to the lanes. It's amazing how many people wave as they pass in their cars and vans. I suppose they see me every day on their commute and I seem familiar. Heavy shopping in the car.

Saturday 26th 32F, dark grey and breezy but falling calm. The inch of overnight snow is already melting with rain expected. It was slippery and drizzling on my walk. With the roads slushy in stripes. I retreated onto the verge with the arrival of each vehicle. Most of them got the right idea and continued in their lane. Those who pulled further out sprayed slush everywhere and risked their adhesion! The usual Saturday morning shooting broke out from different directions but all were out of sight. The sky is clearing, briefly, to weak sunshine now. Becoming very misty.

Sunday 27th 38F, dark grey, misty, all day rain forecast. Busied myself on woodworking projects despite the rain.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

*

23rd January 2019 The Expedition!

* 

Wednesday 23rd 29-30F, dark grey and breezy. Expected to stay under freezing point all day. Brr! Visitors to Davos are using between 1500 and 2000 private planes to reach a talk about climate. No wonder you can't lay your hands on an organic lettuce for love of [sic] money. Months have passed without finding our usual rabbit fodder on the shelves.

The BBC talks about online "influencers" being named and shamed. To make them declare their commercial interests in gifts and sponsorship of products they endorse. I wish! 😇

Today's walk was more of an expedition. I donned my alpine gaiters in readiness for the first direct ascent, in winter, of the vertiginous, east face, leading up to the woods. Fortunately somebody had left a fixed rope on the difficult pitch leading to a very exposed traverse. Pride has its place but it often comes before a fall. So I took a firm grip and overcame the otherwise, complete lack of hand holds.

A biting wind hampered my efforts to make further headway against tormenting brambles in the temperate zone. As I trudged onwards and upwards to finally reach the limited shelter of the summit forest. Made transparent by winter and where I surprised a [mountain?] deer. Tall trees, left exposed by clear felling swayed ominously. Patiently waiting for the next storm to topple them.

I walked a long loop on the snow covered, forest tracks. Wondering as to my safety with so many large dog footprints everywhere. Though I don't think wolves have reached the island of Fyn. At least not yet.

There are at least four tones to walking in a forest. The deepest is from tromping across freeze-dried and worm-tilled top soil. The next the sound of boots breaking though unseen ice over long-dry puddles. The metallic skitter and rattle of gravel climbs in frequency. Followed by the high pitched rustle and crackle of generations of dried beech leaves squashed underfoot.

View from the summit over the soaring foothills and glaciers below.

There is a fifth, as boots crunch through crisp snow but its depth constantly alters the tone. An hour and half later I braved the winds again on the last exposed slopes on the descent. With the constant risk of an avelance, of photographs, abjectly failing to capture the moment.

I should have worn crampons, if I had any, for the very last meter of polished ice at the tradesman's gate. Only the finely honed agility and balancing skills of a well-worn tricyclist saved the day!

The risk of an errand has the potential for a ride. First I must make an impassioned appeal to a higher court, in triplicate, to be allowed out. The Head Gardener is a strict disciplinarian when it comes to unnecessary gallivanting. Anyone would think I was trying to escape! And did. If only for a while. In bright, but weak, sunshine, no less. Seven miles. The GripGrab Nordic mitts were fine at 29F. I hit 114rpm, briefly, on one slight incline, but only because I missed a gear. Without enough asthma medication to kill a horse I couldn't keep it up for long. Silly old wotsit. 😊

Click on any image for an enlargement.

*