Friday 13 January

Friday the 13th dawned with as much as 13 cm / 5 inches of snow on the ground. This is by far the deepest snow in the country, and in the hills a few miles away people are engaging in cross-country skiing. At around 9.15 in the morning, I was having a walk round the village, fearing the snow would melt in the above-zero temperatures - but no fear. At 1.30 in the afternoon, the snow was very much still around, but looking prettier under the blue skies.