Winter Signs in the Sunday Times
There was another 6 page feature in the Sunday Times (paywall) over the weekend, featuring winter clues and signs from The Hidden Seasons.
Tag: winter
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…
A Natural Map of Canopy Gaps
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…
What Caused These Patterns in the Snow?
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,…
What is a Double Frost?
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…
What is Rime Ice?
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…
The Meaning of Ice Patterns
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…
Natural Navigation using Snow on Trees
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.…
Ice Wall in Finland
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…
Snow Signs in Finland
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…
Snow Tells Tales About Trails
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…
“Gorse is out of bloom, when kissing’s out of fashion”
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…
Reading Ice Patterns and Compasses
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…
Avalanche Warning Signs
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…
How to Navigate Using Snow Strips
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…
The Wind and Lower Plants
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…
Sounds during a temperature inversion
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…
Equinoctial Gales
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…
Snow and Gorse
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…
Napoleon’s Drummers
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…
Winter Colour, Spindle and Yarrow
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.…