January is ending, which means…not a lot. We’re still deep in midwinter. And both the Christmas season itself and the quiet, contemplative time of early January has now passed. Yet there is always still beauty and wonder in wintertime. And when it gets too cold and dark out there, the Varsity Hotel Cambridge is always here for you.
Beauty of Winter
We all love the sun. This is an immutable fact of humanity. So when it gets scarce during the winter months we all tend to feel its loss. Though fortunately, Cambridge is not located so far north as to suffer nights of 18 hours or longer in the deep midwinter.
Yet when the sun does arise there are days of stunning beauty. There’s just something about the clear blue skies, the bright winter sun and the crisp cold air that crystalises a sense of awe and magnificence. And if you add in some frost covered spiderwebs, you can only stand and stare at the spectacle.
In some ways the beauty of wintertime is similar to the beauty of the desert. Both suffer from extreme temperatures, limited availability of liquid water and a very low density of life. They share a certain bleakness this sheer lack of life conveys. A bleakness that some may find depressing, yet others to be strangely alluring.
Winter Flora
Flowers are universally seen to be objects of beauty. And tokens of love. Yet for all their beauty they are delicate things. So few could survive the winter. And far fewer bloom in winter, since their varying pollinators tend to be in hibernation at the time.
So the ones that do exist are subtle. Restrained. Place them next to the colours of any other season, they may seem dreadfully dull. But against the bleak backdrop of winter, coming across a bank of snowdrops is a moment of heart stopping beauty.
Plus, Cambridge is host to the University Botanical Gardens. Unlike many such gardens, their primary purpose is research and education, rather than recreation. Not only does this mean that it remains a fascinating place at any time of year. But also it has a specially designed and curated winter garden – showcasing some of the best and most interesting wintery plants from across the world.
But if the curated side of nature is not your thing, fear not. For Cambridge is a small city surrounded by countryside. Making the Varsity Hotel an ideal base for making exploratory walks into nature. To see the beauty in the bleakness. With the added benefit that you can return from a long day out into the wild to a nice jacuzzi or massage in our Glassworks Gym & Spa.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
