Monday 3 January

Winter will be on the way out in Holland by the end of the week, with a forecast daytime max of 9C / 48F. That should neatly clear the snow and ice, but I'll be back in Scotland before then. For the moment, the nighttime lows remain below freezing, which means that the snow that had thawed into slush turns neatly back into ice. Another problem is that the hard snow cover makes it difficult for wild animals to feed; I found evidence on a forest walk today that wild boar had been at work, looking for food underneath the 2 inches of ice. As you will be aware, I am in a hilly area, and on trying to descend from one of the hills beside the village, I found this to be well-nigh impossible. I nearly had to divert into the garden of the old Schoolmaster's House to get off the hill.


Wild boars' handywork


Fungi on tree


Arnhemse Allee (the road from Arnhem)


Kapellenberg [hill]


Contrails, converging on distant London.