Beech forest covered in hoarfrost

If this looks to you like the setting of a fairy tale, you’re not alone. These surroundings have long inspired writers and painters alike. Naturally, Cranborne Chase, England, has been designated a national protected area because of its natural beauty. It may be especially beautiful in winter, when the trees and shrubs can be coated with hoarfrost, an uncommon type of frost that forms when water vapour turns directly into ice, skipping the liquid stage.
© Guy Edwardes/Minden Pictures