It was a sunny day, and the sky was blue and clear. It had frozen in the night and there was ice everywhere. My family and I decided to go to the New Forest for a walk with our dog, Jet. The New Forest is home to many animals and a few people too. But on this day, we saw none. We were alone.
There was a gentle river flowing next to the path. In the river there is normally a water hole that ponies drink from, but not today because it was solid ice, as smooth as glass. I used my foot to break the ice so the ponies, donkeys and pigs could drink. To make sure, I dropped a big sheet of ice on the water hole. The breaking ice sounded like Lego smashing in a room with no furniture. My favourite part of the day was the small puddles – each one was like a little garden frozen in time. The ice was transparent and created a window just for us. The river was paused at the surface with grasses, leaves and bubbles bent from the water that was not flowing.
That day felt like an apocalypse of ice. We go there lots, but on this day it was completely different. I really enjoyed exploring the new world.
Oliver, nine
• Read today’s other YCD piece, by Jenna: ‘My excellent fungal find – the winter mushroom’
• Young Country Diary runs every fourth Saturday of the month in the Country Diary column
