Alva Glen and the icicles

For the past couple of days I have watched in dismay as the icicle outside my bedroom window grew longer and longer. Its now four feet in length. The reason I look on in dismay is because it reminds me that I have not been to work. Scotland’s motorways have been grid locked and the work closed to prevent our vehicles adding to the jams. That comes at a financial cost to both the company and the employees



Today, rather than sit around the house, I decided to take a walk to Alva Glen. I wondered if the -16C temperature had made icicles out of the waterfalls in the glen. It was walking in a deep freeze so I was surprised to see some water still flowing over the lower falls.



The path was solid ice and I was glad of the wire fence to prevent slipping into the deep gorge.



It was truly a winter wonderland as I wandered around the glen taking it all in.



The icicles in the glen were even bigger and more spectacular than the ones hanging from my window.



This hanging ice garden was about twenty feet in height with some of the icicles around a foot wide. It reminded me of organ pipes.



As I listened to the water music, I started to study the frozen detail in the burn



The narrow path that twists up the steep hillside was very slippery and I had a few hairy moments before I reached the top of the glen. The view over to Longannet Power Station and the Forth Valley made it worth the effort.



The view into the Ochil Hills looked inviting but I wasn’t equipped for a slippery snow walk to the tops and I noticed signs of avalanche on the steep sides, so turned back a happy man. I had managed to get out the house.



Tonight my home grown icicles don’t look so depressing. The motorways are clear again and a slight respite in the big freeze is forecast for the weekend. Besides, a walk in Alva Glen always cheers me up :-D