The flood water has almost gone away. It’s still above freezing, barely light and snowing. Wet horrible snow for about seventy percent of the time. In between the snow it either rains or lightens a little. All in all it’s horrid.
I surfaced this morning to the news that Dithery David has upset at least two thirds of Europe. I beg you Europeans not to take it personally. He upsets a similar proportion of us on a daily basis. If his veto matters a jot then take comfort from the fact that he’ll change his mind next week.
I think that for once he did rather well……..Crisis Talks are never easy…….They happen when there is a crisis. The fact that the crisis has been obvious to all bar politicians for at least three years shouldn’t stand in the way of a good chin wag and dinner. I do suspect that were it their own money and not ours, it could all be sorted with a couple of texts, two e-mails and a conference call or three.
This morning the light was not good and we only walked a mile or so.
Haylands Bridge was accessible again. Water levels are normal and the wind is away.
There is no damage but there are some small trees in peculiar places. This shows how deep the water got….impressive! More impressive is that it dissipates so fast.
This is Limestone country and there is more water rushing along out of sight and under my feet than is ever visible on the surface. I like these little springs. They pop up in the most unlikely places after a bit of rain.
Now this is a Packhorse Bridge. It is one pony wide and beautiful. I need some sunshine on it. I pass it every morning on our first walk but no matter what I do it looks a bit naff. It is, in reality, worthy of a post to itself.
It is a little gem of a bridge.
This one, a hundred yards upstream carries the road. This little beck is on the map but I can’t find a name for it. I did ask the sheep farmer yesterday he says it’s called Beck. That’s sorted that little problem.
The view down Wensleydale in a fleeting bright spell. Well worth going out. The dogs have to but it is nice to get a good sky at least once a week. Note I didn’t say great!
I almost forgot……………….The Pork Pie.
One of Yorkshires best pies……….there are better in Derbyshire but not by much. Great texture, melting pastry and the jelly is divine……….Give them a try if you venture into Hawes. There’s only the one butcher and baker. It’s by the old bridge.
The snow is settling as I write this so hopefully I’ll get my Christmas card shot tomorrow.
Have a beautiful weekend.
Beautiful photos. The bidge was so great. Have a nice weekend to you. Hope the snow is coming to you.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the pork pie Adrian. As you say, not quite as tasty as the Derbyshire ones, but we might be biased!
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising how quickly the water recedes after a hefty downpour.
ReplyDeleteThat Packhorse Bridge is a little treasure, and the pie looks like a proper pie, not a supermarket excuse.
Glad you survived that brief little shower Adrian!
ReplyDeleteThat little bridge is beautiful and holds so much photographic potential, I hope you get some decent light before you have to leave.
That pork pie looked (past tense!!) very nice indeed, what did you have with it?...was it Branston...or maybe Colemans Mustard...or perhaps Daddy's sauce...or possibly a healthy green salad...or maybe.. slurrp.. droool..dribble...aaah! Whatever it was I hope you enjoyed it.
Take care and have a good weekend...[;o)
The tree caught in trees made a good composition.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how old the packhorse bridge is. It looks in good condition.
You can have the jelly from my pork pies. It's the only bit I have never liked no matter what the make.
A wonderful post Adrian and that little packhorse bridge is a real beauty...and it's jogged my memory of a few small ones at Hockenhull Platts that cross the River Gowy near Tarvin (you will have past through on your way to Chirk).
ReplyDeleteSomewhere for me to go over the weekend.
Hilda, it is a beauty. I am not short of bridges here.
ReplyDeleteGeorge, I don't consider myself a chauvinist. There are good pork pies from Bakewell and Tideswell. Bakewell is miles from home.
Keith, it is hard to imagine how much water went away in twelve hours.
Trevor, had there been twice the quantity of rain it may have been a different story.
It is a bonny little bridge.
I had the pie with a tomato and mustard.
John, it is a good tree. It could have been higher up till the river receded. The jelly is only stock. If you buy a new pie and it's warm then it is like thin gravy.
Andrew, have fun bridging. I was going up to Hardraw Force but it has only just stopped snowing. It's freezing now.
Wow, that river sure was full, good that nothing terrible happened. It was like a flash flood. The limestone underground must be the reason that the water goes down so quick.
ReplyDeleteYou have so many wonderful old bridges, it's great to see how they are maintained. The railing on your little treasure are obviously a recent addition - blame health and safety? I can imagine it without the railings, in the days when ponies (?) had the good sense not to fall off it.
ReplyDeleteNormality, a packhorse bridge (I wonder how many points that would have got in the I Spy book. Well you've sorted out what I'll be having for lunch and it'll be with Branston and mustard!
ReplyDeleteWas it wet then?
ReplyDeleteLove the looks of that pastry. The landscapes are gorgeous, too. As for the politics, I remember a line from Red Dwarf: Emergency. There's an emergency going on. It's still going on...
ReplyDeleteHorst, we are very close to the watershed. It will take much longer for levels to drop further down stream.
ReplyDeletePauline, I suspect they were built well to start with. The railings are not new but I suspect both drovers and ponies were capable of crossing withour falling off.
Graham, There are many old Packhorse and Drovers bridges in the Pennines. I don't like Branston.
Bob, it was a bit damp.
JoLynne, I like it here. I'd forgotten the Red Dwarf.........Thanks!
I agree with you, this little bridge is a beauty! All the bridges you showed us recently have an extraordinary charm as they are all stone built and ancient. I like modern structures as they are often a feat of architecture and you often wonder how they can stand as they are so light and elegant, but i really prefer these old ones which have been standing in a very unassuming way for centuries!
ReplyDeleteOh, and i like this little springs as well, they are terrific. I thought it was a brook at first but when i read your comment I realized that they just appear whenever there's too much water underneath!
DeeBee, I like modern bridges. The Tees and Tyne have more than their fair share of wonderful river crossings. They are both worth a drive around. both have both old and new bridges and of course some boring ones.
ReplyDeleteThe springs are always a fascination to me. This one looks to flow on a regular basis but some are just a little hole in the turf. Wonders.