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 Snowman on Scout Scar by the Mushroom Shelter Time for High Arctic wellies. Snow has come as a warm front rolled in off the Atlantic on a South West wind and met colder air sitting over Cumbria. Overnight snow has capped the stone walls, piling in drifts against the broader base. Sunlight melts the snow on the top-stones and a layer of gleaming water defines a network of pastures. It’s an effect I’ve never seen here before and I’m always eager to see what snow and ice will do.
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 Field-walls highlighted Time for High Arctic wellies. Snow has come as a warm front rolled in off the Atlantic on a South West wind and met colder air sitting over Cumbria. Overnight snow has capped the stone walls, piling in drifts against the broader base. Sunlight melts the snow on the top-stones and a layer of gleaming water defines a network of pastures.
Virgin snow, and I stride out for Scout Scar with a sense of adventure. Raven and buzzard over the escarpment. Small mammal tracks in the snow, I wonder how wildlife will feed in this depth of snow.  Snow weighing down branches of birch Snowfall began on 13th January, with a sequence of bright days of snowmelt and subzero nights when melting snow froze into ice. So three days later the woods at Claife Heights were transformed by snow and ice. Birch fringes the conifers and a birch sapling was bowed to the ground under a weight of snow. Swags of snow hung from branches. Crystals of hoar frost grew on fronds of bracken.
 Snow on ash: 14 January 2013 January was remarkable for snow, ice and mist and their interaction.
There was fresh overnight snow and a blue sky. As I hurried to Scout Scar I could hear the drip, drip, drip of melting snow from the trees. The enchantment would not last. Long before I reached the escarpment a mist came flowing from the east and engulfed me, and the blue was gone. Too late, I thought and my heart sank. it’s all over. |
AuthorJan Wiltshire is a nature writer living in Cumbria. She also explores islands and coast and the wildlife experience. (See Home and My Books.) 
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