In which I walk among frosty woods and fields

We chose a cold and frosty morning for the expedition, the kind of day we prefer above all others for walking. Frost…puts a spur in the air, drives the wild things into the open…

Joan Begbie, Walking in the New Forest, published 1934

I agree with Joan that there is nothing quite like walking on a frosty morning. Mist rising from the water, our breath on the air, ice crystals shimmering in the grass and leaves, the sky limestone-clear…cold, but beautiful.

I’ve been recovering from laryngitis so, though I’m very much on the mend now, I haven’t been able to get out for a long walk with Joan, Bill and Mr Bundy. However, suitably bundled up in several layers, I did manage a couple of much shorter walks to enjoy the frosty, sunny days. Below, I’m sharing a few of my favourite photographs from these brief forays as a way to celebrate the end of another wonderful year of walking with Joan and her two dogs. I think they would have enjoyed the frosty, sparkling New Forest with me. We’ll all be back in 2023!