Category Archives: Winter

Say it with flowers

Posted on May 19, 2019 by BarryH

Sadly, I have been revisited by the misfiring which struck at Easter 2016 (see). It has now been sorted and I’m firing on all cylinders again. But it prevented my return to Greece for Easter this year ….. and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Spring, Wales, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged aquilegia, autumn leaves, collar dove, crocus, Flora, fruit, gooseberries, Pontypool, prickly pear cactus, snow, spring flowers, tulips, Wales, wild garlic | 1 Comment

Canadian Rockies: what to do when you’re not skiing

Posted on March 13, 2019 by BarryH

Spring is on its way and I’ll soon be heading for Greece again, but before I get there, a last look back to winter and the Canadian Rockies. One of the great things about Banff, apart from the skiing, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged Banff, Bow River, Canada, canadian rockies, frozen rivers, snow, snowshoeing, Spray River, trekking | Leave a comment

Canadian Rockies: snow, ice and steam

Posted on January 9, 2019 by BarryH

Again, first the festive stuff: A belated New Year to all. I’ve been doing more trekking than usual thanks to a bug which I picked up on the flight and which kept me hotel-bound for a while. However, unable to … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Winter | Tagged animal tracks, Bow River, Canada, canadian rockies, Forty Mile Creek, frozen lake, frozen river, ice, snow, squirrel, thermal springs, Vermillion Lakes | Leave a comment

Wales, Brecon Beacons National Park: spring into winter

Posted on April 6, 2018 by BarryH

I promised more images of winter before spring eventually arrives and I headed for Greece. My intention had been to post more photos of snow in the Canadian Rockies but once again plans were changed by events. The real effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons national park, climate change, global warming, Pontypool, snow, snowdrifts, spring, Wales, winter | 1 Comment

Pontypool, South Wales: ‘The Beast from the East’ meets Storm Emma

Posted on March 7, 2018 by BarryH

It doesn’t often happen but when it does it’s dramatic. And fun. In winter, cold weather comes to the UK from the continental land mass. It’s a cliché but nonetheless has an element of truth, that the Welsh Mountains are … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales, Weather, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons national park, Meteorology, Pontypool, Pontypool Folly Tower, snow, snowdrifts, Southeast Wales, Storm Emma, The Beast from the East, Wales | Leave a comment

Banff, Canada: walking on water

Posted on February 28, 2018 by BarryH

I’m back home now but still reminiscing about the trip to Banff. It was comparatively mild compared to previous winters when we have been there, afternoon temperatures getting up to a toasty -50C though much colder overnight and most days … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged 40 Mile Creek, Banff, Banff National Park, Bow River, Canada, canadian rockies, Cave and Basin, cougar, frozen river, hot springs, Lynx, river ice, snow, snow tracks | Leave a comment

Banff, Canada: Snow Art

Posted on February 4, 2018 by BarryH

Walking along the pavement (sidewalk) in Bear Street to do a bit of minor shopping, head down to watch out for undulations which would indicate patches of black ice under the trodden snow, I didn’t notice the barriers across the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Canada, Photography, Winter | Tagged art, Banff, Canada, Snow art, street art | 2 Comments

Banff, Canada: The Hoodoos Trail

Posted on January 21, 2018 by BarryH

Though skiing has been the main focus of my visits to the Canadian Rockies since I first came for Christmas 2010 they have always been about more than that. Especially so since I invested in a pair of ice cleats … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged Banff, Banff National Park, Bow Falls, Bow Falls-Hoodoos Trail, Bow River, Canada, cougar, Hoodoos, Mount Rundle, Winter trekking | 1 Comment

Banff, Canada: Sunshine Coast

Posted on January 14, 2018 by BarryH

Back in The Canadian Rockies. It’s great. Snow piled high along the sides and centre of Banff Avenue, the main street, scraped there early morning by snowploughs, a lot more moved out-of-town on huge trailers. Still leaves a layer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grey Britain, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Winter | Tagged Banff AB, Banff Avenue, Canada, canadian rockies, Goat's Eye Mountain, skiing, Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Village | 3 Comments

Banff, Canada: After The Fire

Posted on February 26, 2017 by BarryH

The fire on the night of 28/29 December dramatically changed the focus of the trip. With nothing but what I was wearing when I evacuated the hotel into -25oC, the priorities for the next few days were somewhat heavily circumscribed: … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Weather, Winter | Tagged Banff, Banff Avenue, Canada, canadian rockies, hotel fire, ice crytals, Mount Royal Fire, Mount Rundle, Sanson's Peak, shopping, sulphur mountain | Leave a comment