The fast thaw

When I went up the lower carriage drive at 9.30 it was quite icy and when I came back 3 hours later, after 7 miles showing Gill my new favourite route, it had gone. In some places we were up to our knees in snow drifts. Not in this picture - but I like this old green Lane.

The village is on flood alert. There’s a lot of snow to melt in the hills and in the recent flood the river breached the dyke into the Caistron gravel pits, now lakes and a great place for birders. It is now a possibility that if a lot of water comes down all the water in the lakes will breach the bottom dyke. The flood gates have been closed, car park and paths closed and animals moved to higher ground.