© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

After yesterday's improvement in the weather, this morning saw Storm Emma (or whatever her name was)

come blasting through, bringing real wind chill and blowing the snow off the fields and into drifts along the roads.

Still life goes on and we've done a lot better than other folk around the country.

We awoke to a bit of a blizzard on St David's Day morning . . . not a daffodil in sight !

In fact Low Fell was hardly in sight at one point.

It must be tough being a sheep . . . I hope you carnivores appreciate what they do for you !

Later in the morning I took the dogs (and the little camera) out for a short walk in the local fields.

There was no real need to go further.

A snowdrift almost stopping the 'dog gate' alongside the stile from working.

Much of the snow had been blown off the field and stacked up into this corner.

Looking across the the yellow outside light of the Kirkstile Inn.

We'll not bother climbing over the next stile . . . but we'll do a quick circle round and return to the warmth of the cottage.

- - - o o o - - -

After a little investigation we decided to drive to Maryport to meet someone

who had originally arranged to come over and see us.

Good road reports from Lorton onward, just had to get up Scale Hill

and from there we were confident that the road was okay . . . but drifting might be a problem.

There was traffic about and the picture doesn't really show how clear half of the road was.

I stopped the car to get a picture of the snow drifting off the fields during a strong gust of wind.

The local grapevine was correct . . . and from Lorton the roads were tarmac heaven.

The Subaru delivered us safely to Maryport and importantly, safely back.

- - - o o o - - -

Friday morning and the weather is a little more benign . . .

I take the two dogs out for a stroll around . . . this is the back road from the Kirkstile down to Low Park.

Grasmoor looking cold and grey across the valley.

The fields are losing a lot of snow due mainly to the wind.

On the bend on the lane the wind had funnelled the snow into even deeper drifts.

It will be a day or two before this clears . . . unless anyone's got a mechanical bucket ?

- - - o o o - - -

After lunch I had to get into town once again . . . but only into Cockermouth this time.

The roads are clearer today.

Hold your cursor over the picture to remind yourself of yesterday's scene.

The double width road is reduced to a single lane but that's okay.

Business sorted and a little extra shopping done, it was time to be heading home.

The view ahead is of a wintery Hopegill Head, Whiteside and Grasmoor.

I pass the post van in Lorton on the way back . . . he couldn't make it into Loweswater yesterday.

Back safe . . . didn't need the horseshoes.

After loading with non-essential garden supplies the wheelbarrow hit a snowdrift at speed and nearly deposited its load over the side.

It took a little manouvering to get through . . . but fear not . . . we managed it !

- - - o o o - - -

Day three and there's less snow on the fields but the temperature still hovers around zero.

It's that time of year again as Gordon is getting his sheep scanned . . . life goes on despite the weather.

Paul is using the ultrasound to identify how many lambs each sheep is expecting.

They'll be marked accordingly and the multiple-lambed sheep will get a little extra feed with a bit of luck.

There was a concern that the wet autumn may have reduced the sheep's fitness and so reduced the chances of a good pregnancy.

However, they are reasonably happy with the percentage and quantity in lamb that the scans have shown.