This snowy winter didn’t last long — barely two weeks — yet it managed to completely reshape the familiar landscapes along my favourite cycling routes. And now, even in mid-December, the cold already feels distant. Today was so warm and bright that I went out for a bike ride in just a cycling jersey, feeling the soft breeze on my face and catching that unexpected smell of damp soil warming under the sun — something you rarely sense at this time of year.

Revisiting a Favourite Place

While riding, I kept thinking about how quickly everything had changed. Not long ago, these open fields were covered with a thin layer of snow, quiet and resting under a muted winter sky. On one of those colder days I stopped, as I often do, at a place I return to again and again: a wide, open field lined with wind turbines. I love this spot for its simplicity — clean silhouettes, open space, and the way the turbines stand tall against whatever sky the season brings.

That afternoon, the snow still clung to the harvested field, and the last light of the day turned the sky into deep oranges and warm magentas. The turbines cut through the glow with sharp, elegant lines, while the distant road and passing cars created a thin strip of movement against the stillness of the landscape. It was one of those short winter sunsets that feels both calm and intense — gone in minutes, but unforgettable when you catch it.

Small Moments Worth Capturing

Looking at the photo now, after cycling through today’s almost spring-like air, the whole moment feels almost unreal — as if winter is already fading into memory even though December has barely begun. That’s the part of cycling with a camera that I enjoy most: these small, shifting moods in the landscape reveal themselves only when you slow down enough to notice them.

If you also cycle in winter, you know the contrast — one week the ground crunches under your tyres, the next it turns into soft, thawed mud. Do these sudden changes surprise you as much as they do me?

A Few Simple Tips

Over the years I’ve learned that winter rides (and winter photos) turn out the best when I check wind conditions and sunset timing beforehand. The most dramatic light often appears just after the coldest point of the afternoon. And from a photography standpoint, scenes with reflective surfaces — melting snow, wet soil, puddles, or even a distant strip of road — add depth and help balance warm skies with cooler foregrounds.

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If this warm spell continues, winter may soon linger only in photos like this one. But that’s part of the charm of these in-between days: every ride offers a new story waiting somewhere along the fields.

If you enjoy these seasonal shifts as much as I do, feel free to share your own winter cycling moments or favourite places to photograph — I’d love to hear from you. And If you’re curious how this same spot transforms through the year, I photographed it in a very different atmosphere in my earlier post Harnessing the Wind — it’s a surprising contrast to this winter scene.