Swaledale - after the floods

Had a walk from Muker this afternoon up to Crackpot Hall. All peaceful and green here - where the communities of Reeth, Fremington and Grinton just 10 miles down dale, are reeling from a devastating flash flood. An intensive and short lived storm on the hills above Reeth sent water careering down the becks and hill slopes, sweeping up animals, cars, trees and silage bales across and down the dale- and through homes and businesses. Although one single event cannot be attributed to climate changing - this is symptomatic of our warmer, wetter and more challenging weather.