Today’s early morning walk from Bait’s Bite Lock probably the coldest yet, -5o C or lower. Frost on the fields greying the landscape; leaves fringed in white; lightest touch of ice sliding slowly down the Cam. Fishermen and mufflered runners undeterred. Sunrise 07.55.
Trees along the river showed their infinite variety. Variety, as nature takes its course and induces a tree to send out a horizontal, snake-like limb. Variety, when humankind takes a pollarding hand and turns willows into stumpy loo brushes.
Some of the willows are ancient and show their age. Maybe they are classed as veteran trees. According to the Forestry Commission, ‘a tree may be regarded as a veteran due to great age, great age relative to others of the same species, existing in an ancient stage of life or due to its biological, aesthetic or cultural interest.’
Photos: Bait’s Bite Lock, Milton & Horningsea January 2017