Warning - Wet Footpath

I was on my way to a blip I'd planned this afternoon when I found the road closed. I pulled into the dog walkers footpath to turn round then thought I'd stop to see if there was a blip here. This is the River Teign that's burst its banks, I've never seen so much water here so I think this'll do just fine.

Devon and Cornwall (not to mention Somerset) got quite a beating last night as I'm sure you'll be aware from your newses. If Dawlish is on national TV it's usually to do with the railway because the waves do splash over a bit there in stormy times. You may be aware that a large stretch of the sea wall's been taken away from under the railway line and it's going to need much more than replacing a bit of ballast on the track now!

Dear old IK Brunel was responsible for the placement of the railway, although I believe his original intention was to place it completely off shore. I don't know if that would have been better or worse as it turns out but anyway it did give us one of the best railway view as the train comes down from Exeter along the edge of the River Exe, along the coast past Dawlish and Teignmouth and then up the bank of the River Teign in to Newton Abbot. There was an alternative to the mainline once as there was a single track branch line that came out from Exeter, along the Teign Valley and into Newton Abbot. It would have been a great alternative when there was a problem on the mainline but unfortunately it was closed in 1967 and the A38 runs down part of it now.

It was a right ruckus last night and I didn't sleep very well for the wind and rain battering against the windows. It seems to have died down a bit now but I imagine that high tide will cause a few more problems this evening. I'm keeping away from it for the time being.

Hope you're keeping safe!

David