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Winter bites back: Britain braced for first cold snap of year as ice and snow transform countryside in scenes of breathtaking beauty

• Department of Health issue 'Level 2' cold-weather alert as freeze poses significant health risks
• Warning of ice forming on untreated surfaces

It's nice weather for ducks, as the saying goes. However, these birds must have been quackers to brave the icy waters of Derwentwater, near Keswick, in the Lake District.
These ducks were captured skirting across the water against a mountainous landscape, in the beautiful Cumbrian region - made all the more stunning by the arrival of arctic winter conditions.
As the Government warned residents to brace themselves for the cold snap to come, parts of the UK countryside have been glazed in a stunning blanket of snow, frost and mist - creating a breathtaking spectacle in the process.

Ruffling feathers: These duck brave the icy weather to take a dip in Derwentwater, near Keswick in the Lake District in a beautiful winter scene

Misty mountains: Low-lying trees and farm buildings in Cumbria's Eden Valley are blanketed by an early evening fog, creating a breathtaking spectacle

Standing in the heavens: As fog descends into the Ullswater valley, in the Lake District, the scene is reminiscent of a frozen glacier, surrounded by snow-capped fells and mountains

The Department of Health issued a 'Level 2' cold-weather alert running for the next two to three days, which is triggered when low temperatures give rise to significant health risks.
It warned that low temperatures can especially be dangerous for the young and the elderly or those with chronic disease.

Meanwhile, the Met Office put much of Britain on a 'yellow alert' for people to 'be aware' of the adverse weather conditions. 
It said: 'Icy stretches are expected to form on untreated surfaces, especially in places affected by showers.
'The showers will fall as snow above about 250 metres, but there may be temporary slush deposits to lower levels. The public should be aware of possible travel disruption.'
Forecasters say snow is likely to fall on Monday across northern England, Wales and parts of the south-west. There will also be snow showers in East Anglia and the south-east on Tuesday.

Dan Williams, of the Met Office, said: ‘This is certainly the longest run of colder weather we will have seen so far this winter.
'There’s cold air pushing in from the east, and it’s looking very wintry over the next few days and might last for the first half of February.’
Meanwhile, residents all over the country were bracing themselves for the Siberian weather front heading for Britain.

Whiteout: A fresh blanket of snow covers the land surrounding this farm in Northumberland creating a brilliant, bright white wintry landscape

Winter wonderland: Huge icicles hang from underneath a bridge in County Durham as forestry workers look on in admiration

Making tracks: A black grouse walks along the snow-covered ground, leaving a trail behind him (left) while rowers train in misty conditions on the River Thames at Henley in Oxfordshire (right)

Easy does it: Cross country motorcyclists ride carefully in a line as they make their way up a track in Nenthead, Cumbria

WEATHER WATCH BY JOHN KETTLEY

Britain has seen very little wintry weather so far this season – but nothing is ever straightforward with our weather.
After three consecutive harsh winters we have reverted to what is seen as more typical winter weather.
Perhaps this year we have felt cheated by above-average temperatures and just a few frosty mornings.
Now the snowdrops have appeared in the garden it seems that spring is not too far away.
Prior to the winter of 2008-09 there had been only one truly harsh winter in the previous 17 years – and that began late in the season.
Cold winds first reached us from Siberia in the
final week of January 1995, leading to heavy snow showers.
So could there be a sting in the tail this year?
History says it can happen, even after one of the mildest winters on record.
As recently as last Wednesday the temperature peaked at 12.1C at Hawarden in Flintshire, but a band of heavy rain sweeping into the North Sea by Thursday brought cold winds and snow showers to higher ground.
The prospects for the coming week are for the coldest weather so far, with hard frosts overnight, snow flurries and perhaps just the higher ground seeing any heavy snow.

Residents in a Cornish village have bought their own snowplough and gritter after they were cut off for a week in a blizzard during previous winters.

The Badgall and Laneast Action Group (Blag), have raised £2,650 to buy the plough and mechanical salt spreader.
Two farmers in the area have been designated to operate them during heavy snowfall.
Blag said residents 'voted with their pockets' after being cut off during the last two winters.
Spokesman Paul Stephenson said: 'If you're out in the rural areas the main roads are beautifully clear, but our parish is split into a hamlet and village either side of a ridge with a steep hill on one side and open moorland.
'The situation is that there is just not the resources for the Highways to cope with the snow, we just have to wait, and the reality is waiting up to a week before there is clearance of our road. But we're not trying to emulate the speed and ferocity of the Highways team.'
He said there were many retired residents in the area so 'we were very keen to mechanise' the removal of snow rather than relying on manpower.
And motorists were being urged to be vigilant against thieves who are cashing in on the cold weather by looking for drivers who hate getting into an icy car.
Police said the thieves - usually working in a team of two -park in a side street when people are leaving to go to work.
Many drivers nip outside and de-ice their windscreens, and leave their engines running to warm up the car while they pop back indoors for one last cup of coffee.
One thief sneaks from their getaway car, dives into the motor with the engine running and they both tear off before the owner can run outside to stop them.
Detectives said in a recent incident - in Northampton - a car owner heard their vehicle being driven away at speed after going back into the house for a brief moment.
A police spokeswoman said: 'It is vital that vehicles are clear of frost and snow before driving, but we would always advise motorists to stay with their vehicle whilst de-frosting, even if it's parked on their front driveway.
'People may assume that nothing will happen in a few minutes, however what might only seem like a few minutes in the house, can provide the small window of time an opportunistic thief needs.
'This type of crime is preventable and we urge members of the public to allow extra time to safely clear their windscreens in the morning.'

Mist-ical: Foggy conditions give the Thames a magical feel as rowers take to the water in Henley in Oxfordshire to train

Hardy: Ramblers walk in the snow near Pately Bridge, Yorkshire (left), and cyclists pedal their mountain bikes in the Pennines (right), on the Northumberland and Durham border as forecasters warn of plummeting temperatures to come

Braving the elements: The Four Shires Bloodhounds take to the snowy hills of Derbyshire, near Hartington, led by Kennel Huntsman, Heidi Critchlow

The snow is triggered by a warm Atlantic weather system from the west clashing with cold air in the east.
While many prefer to stay in a warm house during the cold spell, for others the plunging temperatures have brought out their adventurous side.
Rowers in Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire, took to the water to train as mist descended over the town, and cross country motorcyclist became not-so-easy riders as they carefully followed a steep hillside trail in formation, in Nenthead, Cumbria.
Other amblers and cyclists, in Yorkshire and Northumberland, were undeterred by the icy conditions and were spotted enjoying the great outdoors.
And the Four Shires Bloodhounds braved the elements as they took to the snowy hills of Derbyshire, near Hartington.
Led by Heidi Critchlow, the hounds and horses chased the scent of a human quarry, over the Peak District moorland. Today's 'hunting' was described as exceptionally good with the cold weather making it ideal for the hounds to follow the runner's scent.
It would seem all bets are off if you are hoping to take a gamble on the cold weather.
Bookies William Hill have trimmed the price of 2012 seeing the coldest ever recorded temperature from 16/1 to 14/1 in Scotland, after a run of money over the weekend.

Winter arrives: The unseasonably mild winter gave way to cold and snow which turned Carr Shields, Northumberland, pictured, into a picturesque snowy scene

Freezing: Weather forecasters saying the cold weather could last into February as homes in Allendale, Northumberland, stoke up their fires to keep warm

Hills also offer 16/1 that the record cold temperature in England, -26.1c recorded in Shropshire 1982, is beaten. Hills are 50/1 that the Houses of Parliament are closed for weather reasons.
Hills spokesman Rupert Adams said: 'The latest forecast suggests that February could be foul and punters are predicting that our coldest temperature records could tumble.'
On Monday a slow-moving band of rain with hill snow in western parts will continue, before cold, and bright conditions with isolated showers push westwards towards midweek.
Over the next couple of weeks, the weather is forecast to be mostly settled and cold leading up to the first weekend, especially towards the southeast of England, with widespread overnight frost and some wintry coastal showers towards the east.

However, northwestern parts will soon become cloudier, more unsettled, but milder with spells of rain and some snow, the snow mainly on hills.

Although there is considerable uncertainty, the bright, cold conditions will probably continue for a time into the second week in the east.

The unsettled but milder conditions in the west will probably spread erratically further east with time, introducing spells of rain and some snow, again mainly on hills. This progression may be coupled with strong winds and possibly gales in northwestern parts.
The cold spell breaks what has so far been one of the warmest winters on record.

Snow fun: Youngster Amy Eager, five, has fun on a sledge in Bowes, County Durham, as heavy snow arrives in Britain this weekend.

Cold snap: A cyclist braves the cold on the Pennine hill tops near Skipton, in the Yorkshire Dales

Chill: A man walks his dog through the snow at Kilhope, County Durham, as the country braced itself for a spell of cooler weather that has brought snow to some regions

Forecasters said it was becoming increasingly likely that the freezing temperatures would stick around and even last through the whole of February.
George Goodfellow of the Met Office said: ‘It seems like we are edging toward a scenario where lower temperatures last for the next four weeks. It is going to be a contrast to the weather we have had this winter. Widespread frosts and snow could affect large areas.’
He said the wintry weather was a result of ‘a cold air mass moving across from Siberia’.
There are fears that the sudden onset could bring travel chaos and catch many drivers off guard.
AA spokesman Luke Bodett said: ‘We have had a very mild winter so far and motorists need to get into their winter mindset from today. It is going to be important not to charge around in the way they may have been used to and be prepared for the unexpected.’
The Met Office has briefed government departments and local councils about the cold period so that extreme weather plans can be put on standby.

Bracing: A man and his dog enjoy a walk through the snow in another scene from Kilhope, in County Durham

Treacherous: A car on the A689 near Kilhope County Durham, left, negotiates the freezing conditions, while a driver slides off the A53 between Leek and Buxton, Derbyshire, after heavy snow closed many roads in the area