A Country Weekend

One of the things I love about living in Cumbria is the dramatically changeable weather. At its most exciting, the conditions are extreme. When that is combined with the county’s patchy mobile phone reception, you can be in for an adventurous time!

This weekend the weather in the Lake District has been truly severe, making national and international news after the Original Mountain Marathon went ahead despite forecasts for continued high winds and heavy rain -- in an area that had already experienced localised flooding. The two-day race was abandoned at midday yesterday, leaving competitors scattered along the various routes. Some of the 2,500 runners found shelter in places such as Honister Slate Mine, a local school, and farms. But the majority spent the night in the mountains, and were unaccounted for until today. You can read all about it (and see some great footage) here.

I was out in the countryside yesterday, enjoying the thrill of driving through big puddles and pouring rain. But even I stopped short of heading down Honister Pass (one of my favourite roads for driving). Watch the dramatic scenery, and OMM competitors battling the wind and rain:



ETA: I have now watched this video several times and it’s not quite so dramatic as it seemed. Note to Special Effects: More rain! ;)