Like many country houses, Kedleston Hall is decorated inside for Christmas, but on a sunny (but frosty) day I wanted to explore the Advent Trail. To be honest it's aimed at children but it added an extra bit of fun to the Short Walk, even for us old folks.
Twenty-four festively-decorated 'houses' fastened to trees have doors which open to disclose wintry/Christmassy related facts or simple activities (count the painted stars, sing a carol, for example).
There are opportunities for selfies and family photos by the massive parcels and evergreen archway, in a sleigh, or even crouched inside a Christmas bauble, and all in all it's an enjoyable way to get outside for some fresh air.
The Short Walk itself was looking beautiful with sun shining across frosted fields and lighting up the remaining leaves, but, having found all the advent doors, we turned round at the viewpoint, and headed back downhill to see something special which I'd noticed on the approach to the Hall.
Passing over the bridge I'd noticed that the lakes had iced over - or at least almost - and I wanted to see them from closer up.
Water was still flowing freely over the weirs, but most of the lakes above and below were frozen.
Here and there, where the current was strongest, the water had remained clear for most of the day, but by late afternnon even that was starting to ice over.
There were very few birds remaining on the water and I wondered where they'd gone - till a helicopter flew over the neighbouring golf course and disturbed them, filling the air with their raucous noise for a few minutes before they settled again.
We didn't walk far. After a while one frozen lake starts to look much like another, and the temperature was dropping as the sun set.
By this time, just the trees over on the golf course were still in light, and reflecting on the frozen lake.
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