Spindly ash line the path, their sooty buds in stark contrast as they peer from beneath the coating of white. Yew branches are bent low toward the ground under the weight. For others the weight has been too much; a tree has fallen across the path, the snow having proved too much for the exposed shallow roots. I pick a low point to clamber over, trying unsuccessfully to avoid contact with the snow, which wets the inside of my thighs; not the most pleasant of my sensory experiences.
Stepping into a clearing opens up my view of the woodland. It is absolutely stunning to take in the total transformation that a heavy snowfall can achieve. The sun has given way to a wintery-grey sky, into which merges the pale tree tops.