Early Warning.

[Ghost Donkey]

Nothing to worry about at inthe Yorkshire area at least. Can't say about the others. Supplies are good. A dry autumn rather than the expected rain would cause problems for next year but this is a standard statement for every year.

 

[ColinJ]

Nothing to worry about at in the Yorkshire area at least. Can't say about the others. Supplies are good. A dry autumn rather than the expected rain would cause problems for next year but this is a standard statement for every year.

I was out on my mountain bike on Saturday doing a 25 mile loop over the local hills (the westernmost part of West Yorkshire and parts of East Lancashire) and it was the driest I've seen it since the great Yorkshire drought of 1995. Several reservoirs were dry and most of the others had significantly lowered water levels. Bridleways which normally pass through peat bogs were dusty - it's dry, dry, dry!

When we had the drought in 1995, I noticed a remote farm still had a lush green lawn. It was a time when part of the M62 was coned off to allow a convoy of water tankers to stop on Scammomden dam to top up the reservoir's water level with water driven down from Kielder Water in Northumbria. That's probably all that kept us going until it rained again. Despite all of this, some idiot appeared to be watering his lawn, later comfirmed when I saw him doing it. I was thinking of reporting him but then it finally started raining again.

 

[Ghost Donkey]

It was a time when part of the M62 was coned off to allow a convoy of water tankers to stop on Scammomden dam to top up the reservoir's water level with water driven down from Kielder Water in Northumbria. That's probably all that kept us going until it rained again.

At the time it was believed that *some* of the tankers were only half full. The drivers were loading and unloading water but only partially filling to save fuel and time but were being paid for a full tank. I'm not sure how payments were made but that was a rumour from "inside" .

My dad mentioned 1995 and you are nowhere near that problem at the mo. Over all quite healthy. I have a percentage figure but I'm not going to give it away as I might give myself and therefore him away. My dad could be lying to me of course .

I'll be MTBing in the hills around a couple of reservoirs in the summer in Yorkshire so won't see it first hand until then.

 

[Fnaar]

I'll be MTBing in the hills around a couple of reservoirs in the summer in Yorkshire so won't see it first hand until then.

What, around the dry sloping banks, where the water should be?

 

[ColinJ]

At the time it was believed that *some* of the tankers were only half full. The drivers were loading and unloading water but only partially filling to save fuel and time but were being paid for a full tank. I'm not sure how payments were made but that was a rumour from "inside" .

Sneaky!

My dad mentioned 1995 and you are nowhere near that problem at the mo. Over all quite healthy. I have a percentage figure but I'm not going to give it away as I might give myself and therefore him away. My dad could be lying to me of course .

I've just had a look at some of the photos I took on Saturday. We did see a couple of dried up reservoirs, most of the others were down on their normal levels, but actually I have seen them lower since 1995. A couple of reservoirs were full. So, not as bad as I suggested earlier after all, but it's still pretty dry up here!

We have no rain forecast this week and sunny conditions so it's only going to get drier. Mind you, after 3 terrible wet summers, I'm not complaining!

I'll be MTBing in the hills around a couple of reservoirs in the summer in Yorkshire so won't see it first hand until then.

The Mary Towneley Loop perhaps, or are you heading up into the Dales?

 

[Ghost Donkey]

The Mary Towneley Loop perhaps, or are you heading up into the Dales?

I'll be taking my family (wife and kids) to visit my family (parents) so I'm restricted to a few hours of early morning rides in Bronte Country. It's certainly worth the effort of taking a bike when we go When the kids are older I, or hopefully we, can go further afield. Maybe include a bit of camping.

 

[Ghost Donkey]

What, around the dry sloping banks, where the water should be?

Head first, sliding down the mud when I go over the bars