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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'The joy of fen skating is a great metaphor for life' | 'The joy of fen skating is a great metaphor for life' |
| (4 months later) | |
| The winter weather conditions have to be just right for the flooded meadow to freeze | The winter weather conditions have to be just right for the flooded meadow to freeze |
| When photographer Harry George Hall began reading about fen skating, he decided to make his way to rural Cambridgeshire to see it for himself. Despite a number of failed attempts through flooded roads and darkness, the perfect weather conditions suddenly prevailed. | When photographer Harry George Hall began reading about fen skating, he decided to make his way to rural Cambridgeshire to see it for himself. Despite a number of failed attempts through flooded roads and darkness, the perfect weather conditions suddenly prevailed. |
| Fen skating takes place when a meadow floods and then freezes over, so the ice is very shallow, in places just a few centimetres, unlike frozen lakes. | Fen skating takes place when a meadow floods and then freezes over, so the ice is very shallow, in places just a few centimetres, unlike frozen lakes. |
| "After subscribing to weather alerts for obscure corners of East Anglia," says Mr Hall, "I made many trips to fen skating 'hotspots' to find thin or melted ice, rain or flooded roads." | "After subscribing to weather alerts for obscure corners of East Anglia," says Mr Hall, "I made many trips to fen skating 'hotspots' to find thin or melted ice, rain or flooded roads." |
| Fen skaters Natalia and Olga were photographed as they tried out fen skating for the first time | Fen skaters Natalia and Olga were photographed as they tried out fen skating for the first time |
| He found no sign of skaters or a wonky telegraph pole often referred to in fen skating circles. | He found no sign of skaters or a wonky telegraph pole often referred to in fen skating circles. |
| "But I knew when the conditions aligned, it would be worth it. | "But I knew when the conditions aligned, it would be worth it. |
| "This was a very niche thing to capture precisely because the conditions had to be perfect." | "This was a very niche thing to capture precisely because the conditions had to be perfect." |
| Skater Simon takes to the frozen fen in rural Cambridgeshire | Skater Simon takes to the frozen fen in rural Cambridgeshire |
| Then, one day, he struck fen skating gold. | Then, one day, he struck fen skating gold. |
| "As I pulled up, there was this golden winter sun, that first hard frost - everything I could want with the biggest budget in the world was here, naturally, now. | "As I pulled up, there was this golden winter sun, that first hard frost - everything I could want with the biggest budget in the world was here, naturally, now. |
| "It was humbling," he says. | "It was humbling," he says. |
| What followed became a collection of images Mr Hall, who grew up in Suffolk, hopes will be kept in local archives of this time - in this place. | What followed became a collection of images Mr Hall, who grew up in Suffolk, hopes will be kept in local archives of this time - in this place. |
| Local farmer Peter, 70, was taught to fen skate as a child by his father | Local farmer Peter, 70, was taught to fen skate as a child by his father |
| Peter wears his fishing kit over his clothes to keep warm on the ice | Peter wears his fishing kit over his clothes to keep warm on the ice |
| "As a photographer and a director I'm always fascinated by people," Mr Hall says. | "As a photographer and a director I'm always fascinated by people," Mr Hall says. |
| "So this wasn't just about skating, it was about the personalities - this little congregation of people. There are 74-year-olds out there. | "So this wasn't just about skating, it was about the personalities - this little congregation of people. There are 74-year-olds out there. |
| "It is freeing, calm and peaceful - there's nothing technical about it. They rely on nothing but the environment and the weather. | "It is freeing, calm and peaceful - there's nothing technical about it. They rely on nothing but the environment and the weather. |
| "It's not around for long - someone told me it's a great metaphor for life. The ice will melt and in the summer this will be a dustbowl." | "It's not around for long - someone told me it's a great metaphor for life. The ice will melt and in the summer this will be a dustbowl." |
| Skaters lace up their skates on the frozen grass before taking to the ice | Skaters lace up their skates on the frozen grass before taking to the ice |
| Max, an ice hockey player, prepares for some practice on the frozen fen | Max, an ice hockey player, prepares for some practice on the frozen fen |
| "There's a wonky telegraph pole in the centre that has become a beacon for fen skaters gathering - it's been there for years. | "There's a wonky telegraph pole in the centre that has become a beacon for fen skaters gathering - it's been there for years. |
| "You hear them before you see them, the sound reverberates, bouncing down the fen - then there's that scraping sound. People are really enjoying themselves. | "You hear them before you see them, the sound reverberates, bouncing down the fen - then there's that scraping sound. People are really enjoying themselves. |
| "When you take your camera out, people can be suspicious but it's a beautiful thing. Even the sight of their belongings on the side." | "When you take your camera out, people can be suspicious but it's a beautiful thing. Even the sight of their belongings on the side." |
| The wonky telegraph pole that acts as a central meeting point for fen skaters | The wonky telegraph pole that acts as a central meeting point for fen skaters |
| The right conditions for fen skating only occur a couple of times each year during prolonged cold spells | The right conditions for fen skating only occur a couple of times each year during prolonged cold spells |
| "It can be demoralising trying to find them at first - it's not all laid out for you, you have no control over it. | "It can be demoralising trying to find them at first - it's not all laid out for you, you have no control over it. |
| "I'd travelled to a few different spots like Welney and Sutton Gault near Willingham, but the weather wasn't right, the fen was too flooded. | "I'd travelled to a few different spots like Welney and Sutton Gault near Willingham, but the weather wasn't right, the fen was too flooded. |
| "But I rejoiced when I found them. | "But I rejoiced when I found them. |
| "Looking back at it now, it's very rare for those conditions to be right for a photographer - that canvas." | "Looking back at it now, it's very rare for those conditions to be right for a photographer - that canvas." |
| Mr Hall says even the abandoned belongings on the side tell their own story | Mr Hall says even the abandoned belongings on the side tell their own story |
| "When I put the pictures out, everyone had a story, a grandparent or great-grandparent who did it. | "When I put the pictures out, everyone had a story, a grandparent or great-grandparent who did it. |
| "I think it is so important that things like this are documented, it is so historical. It is telling a story - you are getting across the humanity of life. | "I think it is so important that things like this are documented, it is so historical. It is telling a story - you are getting across the humanity of life. |
| "It is an amazing snapshot of what it is to live like this - to be." | "It is an amazing snapshot of what it is to live like this - to be." |
| Fen skater Richard told Harry that fen skating is a metaphor for life: "Enjoy it while you can" | Fen skater Richard told Harry that fen skating is a metaphor for life: "Enjoy it while you can" |
| Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk | Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Welney | Welney |
| Cambridgeshire |