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28/12/2020

A winter's eve walk

Storm Bella wore herself out by late afternoon - the screaming winds calmed down to a whisper and the sleet, hail and rain softened to the lightest feathery flakes of snow. Bella - who'd been screeching like a banshee all day had quietened and mellowed and was suddenly contrite.
I took a photo from the attic window at the muted view and the strangely glowing grey sky. As I went back down stairs, I desperately wanted to get out of the house where we'd been holed up in all day and walk in the snow. Himself agreed as did Youngest and of course Moss would always be up for an adventure. So I finished preparing the evening meal which we soon scoffed, then wrapped ourselves up warmly.

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Fancy coming along with us? Good - grab yourself a brew, make sure you are warm and here we go!

As we stepped out of our house, a neighbour returned home filled with stories of how he'd struggled to get back to the village 'over the moss' - a high moorland road. We listened and sympathised and nodded as the snow flakes - some as big as saucers floated down and started to coat us. Moss - ever ready for a walk - was impatient and pulled on her lead. We gave our excuses and set off through the soft wet snow - ankle deep in some places and slippery in others. 
The roads were quiet bar one or two cars carefully returning home, gliding past slowly. We - Himself and I - had umbrellas and it was so quiet you could hear the flakes landing on the umbrella in a light little tick tick tick noise. Youngest - preferring a fleecy wool hat and heavy over coat was getting as white as Moss while they waited for me to take photos.
Our route took us past the community centre, resplendent in it's new festive lights - eerily glowing in the silvery gloom, the village tree which, not so long ago I derided at it's poorly lit decorations, now glowed magically through the snow covered branches.
The village pub - closed due to the restrictions - looked oddly cheerful despite being shut, the little trees at the front door twinkling in a warm gold light in stark contrast to the wintery silvers, greys and white hues the village had taken on.
My booted feet made the most deliciously sloppy slap slap scrunch noise through the wet snow - not the usual satisfying crunch of crisp snow - more your slushy mushy splosh sound. It amused me greatly.
Further along the main street through the village,  more golden lights glowing through snow covered branches. 
It seemed at first we might have been the only ones venturing out, but as we continued more villagers appeared, enjoying the relief of being able to get out. Children were attempting to shovel snow to make a snowman but it looked to be a lost cause, the snow although quite plentiful where they were playing, was too soft and too wet to hold any shape.


Festive lights, although twinkly and cheerful during the darker nightstook on a whole new atmospheric glow, filling the air with blurred radiance and smudged luminosity.
We turned off the main road on to a smaller road with less street lights, making the snow more enchanting.
The trees and branches were plastered in piles of white foamy flurries and the lane turned into a track with slush filled puddles. Moss was in her element. This dog finds pleasure and fun in what ever walk she does.
Our lane became darker and more secretive - more special, more magical. I could hear snow fall off the trees and slump on to the ground below. I could hear water creaking beneath our feet and the occasional bird chirp.
The village lights were glowed faintly through the silvery gloom, a distant dog barked and we could just make out the sounds of children's excited laughter.

At the end of the lane we re-emerged back into the top of the village, houses were once again lit up and glowing, street lights reflecting brightly off the snowy street.

We headed for home, down a simple path, one we used for years to and from the junior school - pausing at a bench coated in white fluffy snow. 
Then home. Moss was ruffled dry and sent to lie down by the fire, we shrugged off dripping coats and stepped out of wet boots. Time to put the kettle on and finish off the last mince pies and look at the photos.

We all felt a lot better for being out, our normal walks had been curtailed due to the weather and commitments and this evening walk certainly made a whole lot of difference :) and it was wonderful!

xxxxx

 

24 comments:

  1. What a magical walk that was - thank you for taking us along!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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  2. yep....and she (Bella) has moved on to here ....we don't get the snow but the cold icy wind is ferocious so weird when you see beautiful blue skies. IT never snows here it will do so up in the mountain villages. I have always thought that a first snowfall is magical! keep warm Amanda x

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    1. I agree, that first snow is very exciting but it when after a few days of thaw and re-freeze it turns into a brown slush - the edge definitely wears off!! haha

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  3. I do love your writing and thoroughly enjoyed tagging along on your snowy walk.
    Don't those pub lights look wonderfully inviting in the snow? xxx

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    1. Thanks Vix - high praise from you :D and yes, in all the silvery grey - the pub lights were an amazing spot of warm colour 😄

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  4. Your walk looks really magical ... we had just a few flakes here which didn’t even settle so a little disappointing for those who don’t mind a trudge in the snow. I always love the early morning silence it brings ... a good coating really seems to dampen out all sound ... maybe it will reach us later but I feel the moment has passed ... for now anyway 😃. See you on Friday for last scavenger hunt of 2020 😃

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    1. We went out again this afternoon and the snow that remained froze crisply over night making it a crunchy underfoot walk - it was lovely.

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  5. A good walk..and never too far from home!

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    1. We are lucky that we have a wealth of pathways around the village - there is a good enough network to have a decent length walk yet never be far away x

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  6. thank you for posting this truly lovely walk around with you. magical with the snowflakes. ( looked at it twice)

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  7. it looks so magical. I'm very envious, we seem to be one of the few areas which haven't had any snow yet. X

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    1. Just seen the weather report - looks like more snow is on it's way - so may be you will get some this time - I am sure Lily will love it (I can see snowfolk being made as soon as the first flake falls 😄)

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  8. There's something about festive lights in the dark and the snow and the atmosphere it creates. Arilx

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    1. I agree - it was quite magical. The village has been lit up for what feels a very long time, however the heavy sky and snow filled air completely changed the atmosphere and it was magical 🥰

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  9. Wonderful Kate & you'd understand my fascination for it living here in Oz, though we have lived in 2 areas that experienced the occasional falls in winter. I'm glad you took us on your walk & thoroughly enjoyed the photos & your amazing text. I just read Rosie's post on it too. Cool here this morning when I got up at 6.30am at 8 deg, but the sun has come up & it should warm up soon and with lawns to mow & blueberries to pick I'd better get going soon. Thanks again, take care, stay warm & safe. Hugs from us all here.

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    1. I don't mind the snow as a visual entity but the cold and the slush and the difficulty in getting out and about - that I thoroughly dislike. We've had more over night and as pretty as it is - had enough already!

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  10. I really enjoyed going on your walk with you. I loved your descriptions, along with the pictures, made me feel almost like I was watching you all through a window

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    1. Thanks Sam 🙂 glad you 'joined' us on our walk 🙂

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  11. OMG How amazing. How beautiful. I LOVE snow and we haven't even had sleet (yet). x

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    1. I shall be sending it ALL to you first class post as soon as I can!

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  12. Thanks for this great walk, along familiar paths and and tracks and roads; Beloved did say we ought to go out for a walk but I didn't want to stir; so glad you did the walk for me! There is something magical about snow at night.

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