This is my fifth weather related post and it is difficult not to follow the winter theme given the prolonged period of frost we have enjoyed over Christmas.  I don’t want to end up being too cliched so hopefully this is going to be the last winter related set (until next year anyway).

This morning we woke to a further light covering of snow and decided to track out to Hillsborough forest to confirm recent reports that the lake had entirely frozen over.

The view was a considerable contrast to the photo I posted last August entitled No Fly Fishing. August is considered to be summer here, the difference being that in summer water falls as rain and as snow in winter . This winter has been considerably harsh and other than a small area at the front of the park the entire lake was completely frozen over. Dozens of swans and literally hundreds of ducks engage every visitor donning a bag of bread.

It is probably difficult to appreciate the significance of these photos if you haven’t visited Hillsborough park but it is a considerable area of water. You can view a map of the park here.

Initially I was particularly excited about the photographic opportunities such a change would offer but in reality it as difficult to capture an image that would show the large area of white wasn’t a frozen field but actually a lake.

What was unique though was the experience. The park was silent, we met only two other walkers at 8.30am on a frozen saturday morning and the light was so surreal that at times it felt like evening moving quickly to  the dead of night as it began to snow. A few more photos of the lake are in the flickr set.