A local trip out to hunt for some hoar frost. (Hoar frost forms when water vapour in the air comes into contact with a surface that is already below freezing point. Ice crystals then form and these continue to grow as more vapour freezes.) There wasn't much frost but there were some spectacular patterns in the ice!
 |
| Early morning sunshine. |
 |
| Puddes.... |
 |
| More puddles .... |
 |
| Detail....puddle ice with frost. |
 |
| Snowly Criffel. |
 |
| All frozen... |
A cracking walk today, sunshine, snow, ice and microspikes...given the Covid news about tier 4 I think I should have stayed up there! We turned off towards Thorneythwaite farm at Strands Bridge to park in the layby (£3) at the foot of the Glaramara route - a parking spot to be remembered for future use! We followed the path, albeit probably the wrong one as we came down a much easier one, up to Tarn at Leaves. The path by the wall, that we took, was over iced up blocks interspersed with frozen turf and an eroded path....coming down we descended higher up the valley on snowy, iced turf - much easier! The views from the tarn were spectacular and the fell tops gleamed in their snowy coats. A quick scramble onto the summit of Bessyboot left Rocky with only 7 Wainwrights to do. We then donned our microspikes and went back down to the tarn before going onto Rosthwaite Fell and enjoyed a scramble onto the summit block. We then returned home - not quite via our ascent route, but almost. A superb day out!
 |
| It may be cold, but it's getting drier! |
 |
| Looking across Borrowdale. |
 |
| Tarn at Leaves (strange name!). |
 |
| Bessyboot summit. |
 |
| Great Gable comes into sight. |
 |
| Icicles. |
 |
| Looking back at Skiddaw. |
 |
| Frost. |
 |
| Across to the Langdales. |
 |
| Return to the tarn as the shadows began to creep. |
Having read that Hen Comb can be boggy we decided to knock off this Wainwright with frost and some snow/ice on the ground. Thanks to our friends too, that recommended going up from Ennerdale ...definitely a good plan! The day was cloudy as we set off, but cleared out as we left at lunchtime - there was barely any wind; a pleasant walk!
 |
| Hen Comb. |
 |
| Looking north ... |
 |
| Icy grass with Buttermere in the background. |
 |
| Frozen. |
 |
| Eight Wainwrights left now for Rocky. |
 |
| Looking up Buttermere to Fleetwith Pike. |
 |
| Looking back across to Newlands Hause, with Grasmoor and Robinson in the cloud. |
A great trip around the Anthorn peninsular on the way to my folks. Lots of banacle geese in the late afternoon light.
A refreshing walk in the hail up to the mines; our go-to walk in damp weather! Some nice wintry views and rock and lichen textures.
With typical gloomy weather for the festive period I decided to try to do a large gelli print based on Scandal Beck at Smardale where watercrowfoot grows and there native white-clawed crayfish occurs. As usual I had know idea of what I wanted to produce as an end piece or how to get there! To begin with I cut out crowfoot flowers, pebbles and a crayfish both in positive and negative stencil forms. Then working on six pieces I built up layers. Once I'd finished the printing I was able to add some water-colour washes and play around with the positioning of the collaged flowers.
Below are some photographs of the process/development and then the final pieces ..although I have yet to decide on which one I like best and haven't stuck down the white flowers. I'll then wait for a decent day to take a photograph - as in these photographs the water-colour backgrounds have been washed out.
 |
| Isle of Man. |
 |
| Towards Allonby with snow on the fells. |
 |
| Bar-tailed godwit. |
 |
| Textures. |
 |
| Looking back at Allonby. |
 |
| Looking inland to Skiddaw. |
