Keswick Floods Update

Firstly, we would like to express our condolences to the family of the local police officer Pc Bill Barker who died tragically and heroically trying to save others during the flooding.

Secondly, we have been informed that there are no bus services running into or out of Keswick at the moment.

Thirdly, this bridge photographed by me yesterday has been declared unsafe for motor vehicles and pedestrians and has been closed.  This is the Greta Bridge and is the main road out of Keswick towards Cockermouth just before the garage on High Hill.

The waters are receding now but the town is not back to normal as the switching on of the lights which should have been tonight has been cancelled along with the Food Fayre.  Also not all Keswick shops are open as many of the shop assistants do not live in Keswick but West Cumbria and cannot get to work.  (The local butcher told me today he had to take a wide northern detour to avoid the closed roads.)

It looks like some guest houses will be taking in some of the many people whose homes have been flooded and they may not have enough accommodation for all so the advise if you intend to come to Keswick is to check first with your intended provider. My advise would be to not come at all, but to leave the locals to recover from what has been a traumatic experience. The fells are sodden so no joy is to be had there and the town is not back to normal yet. Also major traffic disruptions are still unavoidable, so think before you commit to a holiday because you might not enjoy it.

Basically, please take care if you do come, the locals have been hit hard and this is a tragedy of major proportions for Cumbria.

Keswick is Flooded

The police have asked people who have booked B & B's not to come to Keswick because there is only one road open and it is essential it is kept free for emergency vehicles. So please think carefully if you intend to come and check out the latest reports which are being shown on many websites and Radio Cumbria etc. This photo shows you what it is like at Booths where we normally catch the buses for our guided walks.  There was about a foot of water at 1pm today but miraculously Booths was still open for business providing you did not mind sploshing through the water to get to the main doors.

This shot shows you the river pouring over the top of the flood defences as the retaining wall clearly has been broached.  My friends have a house just opposite and I could not go down any further to see if they were flooded but it was a certainty I am sure.

So I do not know what will happen tonight as more rain is due to fall into the early hours of the morning then it is supposed to stop on Friday but pick up again and rain on Saturday and Sunday I think.  Clearly, Keswick is in a bad way and it is not a good idea to come here for any reason least of all for walking the fells.

I know that tomorrow night is supposed to be the big switch on of the Keswick Lights with Paul Mooney the Radio Cumbria weatherman but I should imagine that might be in doubt, I could be wrong though. I suggest you check it out on Radio Cumbria first as today was market day and no stalls had been set out and even the staff at the Tourist Information Centre at the Moot Hall had locked it up and gone home by early afternoon. So too had many shops because the staff needed to get home. So most of Keswick shops were not available and I only noticed a few who stayed open including George Fishers. Meanwhile, the rain was not affecting the pubs because they all looked to be open but trade did not look exactly brisk.

I wish you luck if you try and get here!

Bella's 2nd Birthday

We had wonderful weather last Wednesday for Bella's 2nd birthday. This photograph shows you the Langdale Pikes in the distance and was taken on Loughrigg Fell near Ambleside.  We caught the 555 bus near the Keswick War Memorial and decided to go upstairs. No one was on the back seat so we managed to get it to ourselves and it gave us magnificent views all the way. (Bella loves being on a bus and hates car travel so as it was her birthday treat we went by bus.)

Once in Ambleside we headed through the park and onto the fellside and we were not the only people that day to think it was a good idea as the place was teeming with walkers and their dogs. So plenty of sniffing and doggie introductions took place. We stopped half way along the walk and had our lunch which we had bought at Ambleside market off a lady selling cakes. Yes we had a wonderful carrot cake fresh from her stall. It was really good and Bella liked it so much she would have eaten Pete's bit too!

We  continued along the fell until we came down above White Moss just outside Grasmere and made our way along the back road to Grasmere village itself.  Once there we called in at this place and bought some gingerbread, and sat on the wall near the village green and finished our flasks of tea with the gingerbread, mmm yummy... Then we caught the next bus back to Keswick, a good day out with not too much walking to tire Bella out but full of interest and she enjoyed it. You could tell by the way she snuggled down onto the sofa in my study  and then proceeded to stretch out full length right along it so no one else could sit down that she was smug. And that is not a bad position to be in on your birthday.