Silhouettes In The Snow.

It was about -2 degrees C here today. It had snowed overnight, but was a bright sunny day, perfect for a walk in the January sunshine. I joined a friend who was taking her dog for a walk around an area known locally as The Mead. Some parts of the ponds were frozen over, but in other areas there were plenty of swans and ducks busily foraging for food. Along the path I spotted a tiny wren hopping from branch to branch on a small tree. I tried to photograph him, but he kept moving too quickly. I had more luck with a robin who seemed curious about what we were doing on his land. It felt great to be outdoors communing with nature. 

Then we drove up to the White Horse. It was quite tricky driving up the frozen winding lane and avoiding other traffic coming down. It was worth the effort because there was lots to see. Sheep still grazed on parts of the hillside that were snow-free.  This is a very popular spot for Hang-gliding enthusiasts, and several of them floated quite spectacularly in the air above the White Horse. Also, a few months ago the army had installed several giant metal silhouette figures of soldiers to warn the public to stay away from the army firing range. There are also silhouettes of ordinary people engaged in ordinary activities. 

They have proved to be very popular with local people, quite iconic, like Westbury’s equivalent of famous statues like Anthony Gormley’s The Angel Of The North. They were meant to be a temporary installation, but Westbury Town Council has applied for planning permission to make them a permanent fixture. I had never seen them before, so went over to have a close-up look. I think they are amazing, so I hope they stay. After that I was getting a bit cold, so we made our way carefully back down the hill. I said cheerio to my friend and went home for a welcome hot cup of tea. I was pleased I had made the effort to get out and about.