Ruffling feathers: These duck brave the icy weather to take a dip in Derwentwater, near Keswick in the Lake District in a beautiful winter sceneIt's nice weather for ducks, as the saying goes. However, these birds must have been quackers to brave the icy waters of Derwentwater, near Keswick, in the Lake District.
These ducks were captured skirting across the water against a mountainous landscape, in the beautiful Cumbrian region - made all the more stunning by the arrival of arctic winter conditions.
As the Government warned residents to brace themselves for the cold snap to come, parts of the UK countryside have been glazed in a stunning blanket of snow, frost and mist - creating a breathtaking spectacle in the process.
Misty mountains: Low-lying trees and farm buildings in Cumbria's Eden Valley are blanketed by an early evening fog, creating a breathtaking spectacle
Standing in the heavens: As fog descends into the Ullswater valley, in the Lake District, the scene is reminiscent of a frozen glacier, surrounded by snow-capped fells and mountains
The mist descends: Fog blankets the Ullswater valley in the Lake DistrictThe Department of Health issued a 'Level 2' cold-weather alert running for the next two to three days, which is triggered when low temperatures give rise to significant health risks.
It warned that low temperatures can especially be dangerous for the young and the elderly or those with chronic disease.
Meanwhile, the Met Office put much of Britain on a 'yellow alert' for people to 'be aware' of the adverse weather conditions.
Whiteout: A fresh blanket of snow covers the land surrounding this farm in Northumberland creating a brilliant, bright white wintry landscape
Winter wonderland: Huge icicles hang from underneath a bridge in County Durham as forestry workers look on in admiration
Making tracks: A black grouse walks along the snow-covered ground, leaving a trail behind him (left) while rowers train in misty conditions on the River Thames at Henley in Oxfordshire (right)
Easy does it: Cross country motorcyclists ride carefully in a line as they make their way up a track in Nenthead, Cumbria
Mist-ical: Foggy conditions give the Thames a magical feel as rowers take to the water in Henley in Oxfordshire to train
Hardy: Ramblers walk in the snow near Pately Bridge, Yorkshire (left), and cyclists pedal their mountain bikes in the Pennines (right), on the Northumberland and Durham border as forecasters warn of plummeting temperatures to come
Braving the elements: The Four Shires Bloodhounds take to the snowy hills of Derbyshire, near Hartington, led by Kennel Huntsman, Heidi CritchlowThe snow is triggered by a warm Atlantic weather system from the west clashing with cold air in the east.
While many prefer to stay in a warm house during the cold spell, for others the plunging temperatures have brought out their adventurous side.
Rowers in Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire, took to the water to train as mist descended over the town, and cross country motorcyclist became not-so-easy riders as they carefully followed a steep hillside trail in formation, in Nenthead, Cumbria.
Winter arrives: The unseasonably mild winter gave way to cold and snow which turned Carr Shields, Northumberland, pictured, into a picturesque snowy scene
Freezing: Weather forecasters saying the cold weather could last into February as homes in Allendale, Northumberland, stoke up their fires to keep warmHills also offer 16/1 that the record cold temperature in England, -26.1c recorded in Shropshire 1982, is beaten. Hills are 50/1 that the Houses of Parliament are closed for weather reasons.
Hills spokesman Rupert Adams said: 'The latest forecast suggests that February could be foul and punters are predicting that our coldest temperature records could tumble.'
On Monday a slow-moving band of rain with hill snow in western parts will continue, before cold, and bright conditions with isolated showers push westwards towards midweek.
Chill: A man walks his dog through the snow at Kilhope, County Durham, as the country braced itself for a spell of cooler weather that has brought snow to some regionsForecasters said it was becoming increasingly likely that the freezing temperatures would stick around and even last through the whole of February.
George Goodfellow of the Met Office said: ‘It seems like we are edging toward a scenario where lower temperatures last for the next four weeks. It is going to be a contrast to the weather we have had this winter. Widespread frosts and snow could affect large areas.’
He said the wintry weather was a result of ‘a cold air mass moving across from Siberia’.
source: dailymail
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