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Jack Frost, Mischief Maker
The mischievous Jack Frost has been out creating his magic while we have slept. Covering trees and other objects with white feathery ice crystals, hoar frost, creating a surreal landscape.
The name is derived from the Old English, har, meaning white or grey with age as the frost looks like white hairs.
And now the science bit……
The feathery crystals are formed when water vapour in the air comes into contact with a surface that is below freezing. Immediately ice crystals are formed and continue to grow as more vapour freezes causing this beautiful phenomenon lighting up when the morning sun hits it.
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Snowdrops
The flowering of snowdrops is one of the first signs that winter is drawing to a close. There are more that 2,500 varieties and they are a symbol of spring, purity and hope for better times ahead.
Snowdrops got their name, not from drops of snow, but from tear drop shaped pearl earrings that were popular in the 16th and 17th centuries.
It was traditionally used to treat headaches but in modern medicine it is used to treat dementia.
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Valentines Day
Here at Drumlin Walks we like to think of Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love in all its forms, partners, friends, family or even pets.
Your love can also extend to the surrounding countryside and the pleasure that you get from being in the great outdoors.
So, to help you enjoy the great outdoors we’re reducing by 25%, yes 25% the cost of Border Station Walks. This is a limited offer and will end on 14th February 2023 and only available through our website www.drumlinwalks.co.uk so don’t dilly dally!
Take time to love and appreciate yourself doing things that make you happy.
Whatever you decide to do on the day make it memorable.
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Fogbow
The next time it is foggy go out and see if you can spot a fogbow, the rainbows ghostly cousin. They are also know as white or ghost rainbows as they only have a red outer and a bluish inner edge.
In a fogbow the size of the water droplets are very much smaller than they are in a rainbow. More light is scattered than refracted which essentially smears out the the rainbow colours. This creates the appearance of a fatter and less sharply defined bow of white light.
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Yellow Brain Fungus
With its bright yellow colour this fungus will brighten up your day when you spot it while you are out walking.
It is a jelly fungus and as the name suggests it looks a bit like a yellow brain. Unusually it doesn’t grow on dead wood itself but is parasitic and feeds on other fungi that break down decaying wood.
Yellow brain fungus is commonly known as ‘Witches Butter‘. Legend says that if this fungus grows on a gate or door of a house then it means that a witch has cast a spell on those living there.
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New Year, New Start
This time of the year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed and to look forward to the coming year.
Life is for new experiences and the making of memories so by getting out walking you create them. Each walk is unique regardless of how many times you have walked a route due to the ever changing weather and landscape.
Being in the great outdoors also has a positive impact on your physical and mental well being. Wrap up warm and get out and explore your local area and beyond as there are lots of things out there for you to discover.
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Holly, A Prickly Subject
Druids believed that Holly would protect you against evil spirits and bad luck.
Holly is associated with the Norse gods of thunder to protect from lightning strikes. This superstition is a scientific fact as the spines on the holly leaves act as miniture lightning conductors!
According to legend by bringing Holly inside during the winter you are providing shelter for the fairies from the cold.
For centuries a Holly wreath was worn as a crown by Celtic chiefs for good luck.
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Robins
Over the Christmas period robins are on the look out for a mate and are more vocal in their singing.
In the 19th century postmen wore bright red uniforms and got the nickname robin or redbreast. Robins then made an appearance on Christmas cards to represent the postmen delivering them.
The robins breast feathers are actually orange and not red. When they got their name there was no word in the language for orange. It wasn’t until the 1500’s that orange was used to describe a colour by which time the name redbreast was well established.
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Walking and the Winter Blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is sometimes known as ‘winter depression‘ because the symptoms are often worse during the winter months.
The two main symptoms of SAD are low mood and a lack of interest in life but these can vary from person to person.
It’s causes are unclear but most attribute the condition to the reduction in daylight during the winter months.
Walking in natural sunlight is one way to try and combat SAD as it increases the production of feel good chemicals in the brain and boosts self esteem.
Further information on SAD and other forms of depression can be found on the NHS website http://www.nhs.co.uk
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Mince Pies
Along with Christmas cake. mince pies are one of our favourite treats at this time of the year,
Early versions can be traced back to Middle Eastern cuisine in the 12th century where spices and fruit were used in savoury and sweet meat dishes.
The mince in the name comes from the Latin ‘minutus’ which means small and nothing to do with mince meat. During the late Victorian period meat was dropped and only fruit and spices were used.
It is said that you should always make a wish when eating the first mince pie of the season and never use a knife to cut it,
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The Shortest Day
We are fast approaching the winter solstice which is the shortest day or the longest night of the year depending on how you think of it.
So from Wednesday 21st December the days will start to get longer by approximately 2 minutes and 7 seconds every day! Astronomical winter begins on this day and continues until spring starts on Monday 20th March 2023.
The name solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium meaning ‘sun standing still’ before it starts to move higher in the sky,
And now the science bit……….
During the winter solstice the Earth’s poles are at their maximum tilt away from the Sun. This puts the Sun at its lowest point in the sky.
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