I wasn’t aware of Hair Ice until a couple of years ago when I saw a few photos of it online. I’ve wanted to see it for myself ever since!

We were on a Rosie walk this afternoon – to our favourite wood not too far away – and I mentioned (for the second time in two days, because it mattered) that I’d love to see hair ice!

You’ve guessed it, in the uncanny way of serendipitous coincidence, from behind a tree by the path in the woods, Malcolm exclaimed in excitement…

There it was, some hair ice on a log! It wasn’t perhaps the most instagram impressive (fine/ candyflossy internet wowsy) specimen, but it was late in the day, and it was undoubtedly still

actual hair ice!

Unlike ‘ordinary’ ice, hair ice protrudes from decaying wood outwards in thin hair-like strands – micro-strings. These give the impression of hair growing from the log!

I took a few photos, and on returning home, did a bit more research… I must admit, science wasn’t my strongest subject at school and some of the explanations were beyond my understanding.

However, in brief:

Hair ice isn’t common (described by the Met Office as, “a rare type of ice formation”). It is only seen in the Northern hemisphere.

It requires several phenomenon to intersect, not least:

Temperature (below 0°C)

Humidity in the atmosphere

Dead/ decaying log/ stick from deciduous descent

The presence of a specific fungi within the log (Exidiopsis effusa)

Without this fungus, hair ice doesn’t form. There is a (yet to be identified) substance within (or made available by) the fungus that prevents ‘recrystalisation’ of the ice – thus its hair-like form. Interestingly, I couldn’t find any specific information on Ezidiopsis effusa without hair ice being the main feature.

This amazing timelapse video shows hair ice forming.

There are several sites which explain the process in detail. There seem to have been a few theories including pressure and air bubbles, but suction is now known to be the mechanism by which hair ice forms!

There is a wealth of info on the wide world web if you’re keen to find out more.

I’m keen to return to see if ‘our’ hair ice is still there in the same fascinating form in the morning!