8am. Which Way Are We Looking?
I took the above photo in Sussex at 8am. Which direction are we looking and why? There are some weak clues in the tree branches, slightly…
I took the above photo in Sussex at 8am. Which direction are we looking and why? There are some weak clues in the tree branches, slightly…
Gaps in the canopy can be a real blessing, especially when navigating under dense coniferous woodland. You might also enjoy: The Beginner’s Guide to Natural…
Study the photo above, taken in Finnish Lapland, and see if you can work out how these patterns in the snow formed. For the answer,…
A double frost forms when a layer of frost forms on top of an earlier frost. If the conditions are right for frost to form…
Rime Ice There is a common type of icing that is regularly called frost, but is not formed in the same way. Rime ice occurs…
If we look closely at ice we will often find patterns and patterns in nature always have meaning. In the photo above there is an…
In winter there are lots of new clues formed by the snow, including the strips of snow we find on the windward side of trees.…
I’ve just received another fascinating email from ‘Chris in Finland’: I took this photo a few days ago on Lake Näsijärvi, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland. This…
My thanks to Chris, who writes with some very interesting observations from the Kangasala region of Finland: “In the first picture (above), if you look…
There are many different kinds of snow, as the Inuit know only too well. You are probably familiar with how easy it is to track…
There was heavy snow in the early hours of Sunday morning. We didn’t need any more encouragement. The Gooley family set off for an explore…
Here is a selection of images from a recent dawn exploration of my local hills. I’ve explained how to read these patterns and signs in…
In some areas niche expertise is vital, literally. The signs that warn of avalanches can be life-saving. Nik Huggins spoke to Alan Halewood (pictured) for…
As is my habit at this time of year, I like to get out early after any overnight snow. The tracking opportunities are spoiling and…
My thanks to Jamie Abbott for this email: Dear Tristan,My name is Jamie Abbott, 28 from Suffolk. Having read your book ‘The Walker’s Guide to…
Normally, air gets cooler with altitude and this is what we expect to experience. We see snow at the tops of mountains, but none in…
There is a widely held and strong belief that gales are more frequent at the equinoxes, but the observations don’t really support this. According to…
It is that time of year when we get to enjoy snow and ice natural navigation clues. In the south of England there hasn’t been…
Last night I came across an interesting snippet in Andrew Robert’s excellent biography of Napoleon . Napoleon’s experiences in Russia stir images of bitter winter…
Fine walking conditions prevailed over much of the UK this weekend and so I disappeared into the hills for a few hours with the dog.…
There were a surprisingly low number of entries for the winter clues competition, but some fun and unusual ideas amongst them. Using seaweed to work…