The wild winds coldly blow* 💨☔🌧❄

 After what felt like the longest week in the world I finally reached Saturday and dragged myself through it - in the end I had to admit defeat and left work by lunch time. Yea gods I was tired! The rest of the weekend was mostly happening behind my eyelids, finally by Sunday afternoon I felt 'human' enough to be persuaded to go for a walk by Himself and Moss. The weather, to be honest, had been quite cantankerous and alternatively threw down hail or rain, sleet and in some cases snow but by the afternoon there were promising flashes of sky and moments of delicious sunlight.

So we wrapped up well, jumped in the van (I made sure we had tea and milk and a box of shortbread biscuits on the off chance we might need them .... well you never know!) Himself had decided on a short canal based walk in a small town a few miles away however after about ten minutes of driving the weather turned foul again so with hail hammering down on the windscreen and the heating on full, we drove on towards the Dales to places we know are susceptible to flooding to see how they were coping. 

As we crested the hill we could see the flooded wet meadows and to our left more heavy sky seemed to be bowling in rapidly. The wind picked up speed and the van was buffeted about as we dropped down into the valley.

Roads, rivers and fields became one watery entity as the hail hammered down with a loud metallic clatter above our heads.

We have seen it worse and so far it seemed it was just the fields under water, however some houses were close to the lapping flood.

Sheep were happily on higher ground sheltering against stone walls as they stoically chewed the cud. We'd driven this way last weekend and a couple of fields were dotted with ewes and new lambs - today they were all away hidden in warm barns.

Then just as suddenly as the showers appeared, the sky was blue and the sun shone weakly- we were not deceived by this apparent change of heart as we could see the trees still whipping back and forth and the distant clouds racing in.

By the time we'd reached the small village of Linton, we parked near the falls, there finally seemed to be a decent break in the weather so we chanced a short walk. Down to the Linton Falls themselves - which were turbulent and noisy, over the bridge which rumbles somewhat disconcertingly when it is this full!

Along the river going upstream puddle hopping and hoping not to slip on the muddy path.  We soon reached the lower part of Grassington, crossed the bridge and began the return walk on the other side of the river - we could see the next barrage of clouds coming up and we did not want to get caught.

We only just got back to the van in time - as we were stepping out of our boots and waterproofs - the hail began. It howled and lashed it down with about 20 minutes of vile weather. I am so glad we were not caught out in that! Remember that milk, tea and shortbread biscuits I mentioned earlier? Well they made an appearance and they were most welcome!

Despite the unforgiving weather - the frisky fresh air certainly blew away any cobwebs and the short blustery walk was like a boost to the system. However, I was very glad to be safe and warm and hugging a mug of tea back at the van as we watched and listened to the storm around us.

*Spellbound - Emily Brontë

The night is darkening round me,
The wild winds coldly blow;
But a tyrant spell has bound me
And I cannot, cannot go.
The giant trees are bending
Their bare boughs weighed with snow.
And the storm is fast descending,
And yet I cannot go.
Clouds beyond clouds above me,
Wastes beyond wastes below;
But nothing drear can move me;
I will not, cannot go.