UNDERNEATH THE PYLON

I usually try to avoid having pylons crop up in the skyline of my photos, but on this occasion I thought I'd make one the star of the show. Here I was standing underneath the pylon, dead centre looking upwards.
It looks almost like a sci-fi cobweb if you imagine it as a flat image.
I suppose the location is pretty irrelevant, but for the record, this was taken around the Sud Meadow area.

GLOUCESTER SKI CENTRE

Of course, when all the snow disappears in the Cotswolds, you can still indulge in winter sports at the Gloucester Ski Centre.

FRAMPTON IN THE FROST

This chunky old thatched cottage in Frampton on Severn looked cosily inviting as I was shivering taking the picture!

MADAMS END FARM

Here's a nice quaint old farmstead that goes under the charming name of Madams End Farm, although I'm not sure I dare pry into how it got its tag!
The location is no problem though, it being quite near Longney.

ICED DOCKS

It was difficult to know whether to feel sorry for the gulls or to have a little chuckle, but anyway there was no fish for them on this day the Gloucester docks froze over.

WINTRY WATERWAY

Cold but tranquil.
This stretch of water isn't a river as such but a waterway leading to a dead-end in the distance as well as joining onto the Sharpness Canal, which would have been behind me when snapping this shot.
I think it may have been being used as a stopping off place for barges.
The image was taken near Saul.

HIGHNAM BOATHOUSE

Further along the pathway I displayed on yesterdays post, there is a boathouse tucked away on the other side of the lake.
Of course the boat wouldn't be any use this particular day, the ice made sure of that!
Pity I didn't bring a pair of skates though!

ICY HIGHNAM LAKE

To think that when I saw this weather I said "Great - time to go cycling and take some photos!"
This polar pathway ran along the length of Highnam Lake, which as you can see, has iced over.
That tree leaning precariously over the lake had always been like that on all the other visits I made, not just this winter weather trip.

THE MUTANT TREE

This is another tree that stopped me in my tracks as I was passing, although not because it was photogenic like the one in yesterday's post, but because it looked like some kind of scary mutant beast peering over the hedge.
It's almost like 3 trees in 1, with the dead branches on top, the large ball of growth in the centre and the more normal twiggy shoots on the lower tier.
My guess is that the large growth in the middle is ivy and it has killed off the upper part of the tree.
Either that or I've discovered a new species!
This picture was taken near Grove End Wood past Hardwicke.

CHILLY LASSINGTON

This tree caught my eye as I was passing it. I just liked the way all the twigs were drooping in the snow.
As the name suggests, Lassingville is near Lassington.

WINTRY WALHAM

The pond has frozen over and has a layer of snow on top but the water reeds appear to be unaffected by the winter weather.
The picture was taken in Walham.

WINTER HAY CART

If anyone was feeling sorry for the cows caught in the snow in yesterday's items, then no need to worry, the Port Ham hay cart was on its way to give them their winter feed.

COWS IN THE COLD

The cattle in the top picture seemed to be managing to munch on tufts of grass through the snow ok, but the cows staring over at me in the lower shot looked as if they were expecting me to be carrying a bale of hay for them to feed on!
Both photos were taken around the Port Ham area.

FROSTY FRETHERNE

I stopped to take a shot of this church spire poking through the trees on my way to Fretherne.
Couldn't stay for prayers, had to continue cycling to keep warm!

BIKES AND BOATS AND PLANES

One frosty morning when approaching this pub in the background called The Pilot, I was half expecting a "Halt, who goes there?" encounter, when I reached these barriers, but it wasn't like that at all. The bridge actually crosses the Sharpness Canal and so opens up to allow barges through.
This scene is located at Hardwicke.

FROZEN CHICKEN

I snapped these hens as I cycled passed Manor Farm in Longney.
They gave the impression they were free-range but perhaps they were just running around trying to keep warm in the winter chill!

THE HILL IN THE CHILL

The sun begins to melt the snow and creates an atmospheric haze as it evaporates around Robinswood Hill in the distance.
The picture was taken near Upton Wood.

SNOWED OVER

This chilly scene was taken in the mid 1990's where the River Severn flows by at Over.

A WINTER WORD

I caught this image during a cold snap in the early 2000's.
The bench was at the docks in Gloucester, and although it was too cold to sit on, there was at least still a warm welcome awaiting passers by!