S.N.O.W at campsite

Well what a winter wonderland surprise!

I cannot remember when we last had snow like this, it has to be at least ten years ago.

 Beautiful..

Many thanks to the schools for closing early and throwing the children out, because, oh boy did we have FUN!

Dom created a tractor-doughnut collage in the campsite 

...snow angels with the dog

and he tried snowboarding on a sledge with the lawnmower tractor dragging him.

The sheep all had extra rations when the snow set in

..the poor treeferns looked bemused, but brilliantly jolly in their orange and yellow and green netting for protection and I hope they will prove resilient  .. 

..the snow was so fine and dry after a cold snap that it lay everywhere, blanketing picnic tables,

it even sneaked into the compost loo....

Although the snow looks wonderful and provides a lot of fun, it does create all sorts of problems in a county that is not conditioned to it. For us, the cold reality soon set in.

Frozen water pipes, despite inventive lagging, no water and no grass, frustrating the four legged animals and confusing the chickens and geese ....

...fortunately a hay bale arrived just as the snow started,

so fodder for our animals was sorted by another means.

Water was a little more problematic, but all minor annoyances compared to other people's problems. I know farmers who had to throw gallons and gallons of milk away because the collection tankers could not collect, folk had bust water pipes and those living in caravans and poorly insulated homes were very, very cold. Cars were abandoned, public services and hospitals stretched and women were worried about delivering their babies unattended by appropriate medical practitioners and/or in the snow! The reality of the problems that come with snow and ice are endless.

But I am a firm believer that there must always be silver linings, you just have to look hard for them.

Lucky for me, my silver linings were close to hand and I had the opportunity to snap some gorgeous photos of the snow covered beaches in St Ives. So for any camper who had hardships, I hope these pictures bring a silver lining to any of your ordeals.