One of the benefits of life being a bit slower in winter is the opportunity to have a bit of a wander around Carlisle and discover its hidden jewels, including many hole-in-the wall local restaurants and cafes.

This particular morning I woke up to snow blanketing the ground and turning Carlisle into a fairy-tale village. I quickly grabbed my camera for a walk through Bitts Park, which borders the walls of Carlisle Castle (see snow-covered ramparts in photo below). 

A closer look reveals signs of life under the silent blanket of snow. A sprig of fresh-scented evergreen here, a clinging mushroom there and frosted daffodils peeking bravely up.

But in my mind the best photos always show people interacting with the world in which they live. I love this one of an old man in a classic long English wool coat out walking his dog as the melting snow drip, dripped on him.