One of the main things I miss about the North are the many beautiful places to walk, and whenever I’m back there I always make an effort to get outside as much as possible. Today, before the winter frost had had chance to melt, I headed for a morning walk with some friends at Newmillerdam Country Park, an area of woodland surrounding a large lake near Wakefield.

Just as we set off, my friend somehow spotted a spider frozen on the ground. We wondered whether it would just carry on as normal once it had defrosted!

The low winter sun scattered light through the trees onto the shallow snow that remained from the previous day.

The lake is home to many birds, including a family of swans which this year had an impressive brood of six cygnets!

A frozen layer still covered much of the lake.

There’s a circular walk around the lake, or you can explore various trails through the surrounding woodland.

The still surface of the lake lends itself perfectly for some beautiful reflections.

It was tempting to walk out onto the ice, but it certainly wasn’t thick enough for that!

It’s a lovely area to explore, and has a good selection of walks depending on how far you want to go – perfect for a wander without having to travel too far from the city.