Sunrise at Ferry Meadows

It was a bit of a struggle to get up early this morning... I had been planning to go out into the fens, but I lingered in bed too long, and instead decided on the closer option of Ferry Meadows, which meant that the dogs could accompany me. At least I didn't have to scrape ice from the car windscreen today, though down in the river valley there was frost on the grass.

I was rather surprised at how many other people were out so early - mainly fishermen, joggers and other dog walkers - but strangely I seemed to be the only one with a camera. It was really very foggy when I started out, but as the sun rose the mist gradually thinned. Again, lots of lovely views, though the light was quite tricky.

My chosen blip shows the character of Ferry Meadows at its best. Peterborough was designated a new town in 1968, and the country park was part of the planning for the new town. As part of the construction of the roads in and around Peterborough, more than five million tonnes of gravel was extracted from what are now the lakes at Ferry Meadows. These lakes now support many wildfowl in winter, and stretches of the margin are fringed by willows, seen in the foreground.

Beyond the lake there are areas of grassland, used for a whole range of recreational activities including dog-walking, kite-flying, archery and orienteering. Within this grassland there are a number of fine old oak trees, some of them approaching veteran size, and the crowns of at least two can be seen in the background.

Whilst driving home I had a sneezing fit - I just couldn't stop - and thought I must have inhaled something irritant. But soon I started to ache a bit and it became clear that the cold I've been keeping at bay for over ten days had finally got the better of me. I took some ibuprofen, painted a ceiling, and then spent the rest of the day pottering. I don't think it's going to be too bad, but at least it explains why I found it hard to get up! I think I'll have a bit of a lie in tomorrow...

Many thanks to all who commented on yesterday's light rays - especially those who gave it stars or hearts. It truly was a magical experience - and one that I may well never see again. I'm glad I had my camera with me to record it.