Hoar frost on vegetation near Coniston, Lake District

Frost on the fells

This wintry Lake District landscape is covered in hoar frost, which derives its name from the old English word for white hair, which the glittering ice crystals are thought to resemble. When water vapour in the air hits surfaces which are below freezing point, ice crystals form instantly, growing into feathery, hair-like structures as more water vapour freezes.

This remote scene, near the village of Coniston in the heart of the national park in Cumbria, north-west England, shows Low Arnside, an historic cottage on a working farm owned by the National Trust. The Lakes are beautiful to visit all year round and while there may be less swimming than in the summer, visitors still come for the snow-capped fells and lake shores as well as to enjoy a roaring log fire and cosy pubs after a frosty winter walk.