January comes around every year like a train on schedule – although some commuters in mid Wales may argue over how apt a comparison that is.

The coming of January can either make us want to sigh with relief or get revved up for a fresh start.

Some people love January because they welcome the lull that follows the hectic festive season while others dislike the effort it takes to begin again, whether that means going back to work or going back to school.

It is said that to read a poem in January is as beautiful as taking a walk in June however the late author Roald Dahl once said “I would remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead if I had my way.”

Certainly the first month of the year is emotive and can bring out the best and worst in everyone.

But the latest offerings from our talented band of photographers in the County Times Camera Club serves as a reminder that for all the personal struggles we may take on board, it’s also a time of silent but immense beauty in our rural areas.

Wildlife is out and about looking for food in the frost, and the glow of a winter sunrise and sunset is surely unmatched for the vivid beauty of the colours it provides.

Self-improvement is the hardest of all improvements to undertake so perhaps it is rather unfair and irrational for people to expect everyone to change their lives due to it being the start of a new calendar year.

It would be better to allow people enjoy the month of hibernation and emerge at their own pace to embrace the new challenges.