After the Rain

To the wood on Friday 16th January. It had poured down the night before - the worst winds and rain of the winter so far, and I went to see how the wood was holding up. This is what I found:

The pond was brown with churned up silt.

The water level was very high, in places flooding the fishermen's swims

At the northern end of the wood, Frenchbridge Ghyll had flooded 

Along the ride the ditch - created with so much effort last year - was working just as it should. The water was running down the slope and into the ditch, and through the drain and under the ride:

Great pleasure to be had from a working drainage system

And then running down through the wood towards the pond. 

Note to self - this woodland channel needs clearing out, and the ditch needs extending - possibly doubling in length. The ride with the ditch is obviously dryer. Where there is no ditch the water sits on the ride, the surface is water logged and rushes grow. Back to work with a spade ...  sigh.