Storm Dudley: February 16 2022

I went out yesterday just before Storm Dudley arrived. The region I live in, the East Midlands, had an amber weather warning with winds upwards of 45mph expected. The Botanic Garden was closed at 12pm to allow staff from Estates to carry out a safety survey. The Garden will be closed until Monday, after Storm Eunice has passed, and the grounds have been checked for fallen debris.

It was still dry as I stepped outside, I was surprised by the mildness of the air, which felt warm on my skin. Older people in my family might have described it as balmy.

I was walking quickly - I had booked an online event at 5.30pm and I would need to get a move on to be back in time. There was a fresh breeze - I remembered how much I loved being out in weather like this - so exhilarating.

The rain started, lightly at first, as I reached the halfway mark. Still, the picnic benches were dry and I took a short break before moving on. Even as the rain began to get heavier and the wind working up into a squall, people were out training, with one lone runner, hooded against the weather, making his way round the track.

I headed for the trees, loving the sound of the wind in their branches, suddenly coming into view of the sea of snowdrops covering the ground. I had forgotten about them, and it was so lovely to see their brightness on such a dark day.

The rain started in earnest, lashing down by the time I was back on the main road. There were no amblers or dog walkers in the tree-lined avenue today.

I was well wrapt, so only my head and face (and knees) were caught in the deluge. But it wasn't cold and I was moving fast. I made it back with six minutes to spare, enough time to shed my wet things, find a towel for my hair and make a cup of tea.

The news says travel and power was disrupted further north, with some people without heat and light, trees falling across power lines and rail tracks. Some bridges were closed, and warnings given for drivers of high-sided vehicles - in some places, the wind reached 74mph.

I did, once, many years ago, pass an articulated lorry that had been blown over, fortunately, not into oncoming traffic. It lay like a dead dinosaur, quite forlorn, by the roadside.

I see my garden furniture is upside down on the grass.
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Walking