A Semi-Aquatic Dog Walk

~ beetleypete

I waited until the rain I wrote about yesterday had finally stopped, then set out with Ollie in bright sunshine. I was aiming for Beetley Meadows as usual, but soon discovered that around 40% of our usual walking area was under water.

This is definitely the worst I have seen it since moving here, a legacy of the rain that almost drove me insane over the previous 28 hours.

The seats of the picnic benches were submerged, and the water had not just burst the banks, the river was actually flowing at some speed in areas where we walk every single day. In the livestock field beyond, it was spreading almost as far as the busy Holt Road in the distance. Fortunately, there were no grazing animals there.

Ollie splashed happily through the freezing muddy water, but as I followed him I realised that it might well come over the top of my boots, and I was forced to retrace my steps. I decided to head across to Hoe Rough, which is slightly higher ground. Our arrival there coincided with a sudden hailstorm, which turned Ollie’s back white in seconds, and was hammering against the canopy of my umbrella.

It turned out that not only was Hoe Rough just as badly off for flooding on the north side next to the river, but some of the larger ‘puddles’ along the main path were also too deep for my knee-length boots. Some old trees had fallen too, the roots washed away by the flood waters. I may have to invest in some fisherman’s waders!

The second hailstorm that arrived was more than I could take, so we headed home. I had to take Ollie along the path beside Fakenham Road to avoid more standing water.

And even after using all four of his special dog-towels to dry him off, he is still damp to the touch.

We have an Atlantic storm arriving on the 26th. They say we will have ‘heavy downpours’ along with winds up to 80 mph.

At least tomorrow is forecast to be dry.

40 thoughts on “A Semi-Aquatic Dog Walk”

    1. We had a hard frost overnight, and only made it to 3C. I am betting that’s colder than India. I miss you on my blog every day, but I understand why you are not around, dear Suzan. Happy New Year, my lovely friend. xx

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      1. It’s getting colder everyday. It’s 20•C here and it’s getting super cold day by day. Tomorrow it’s estimated to drop to 12 degrees. I am back pete. I just want to catch up on all blogs and comments so that I can post another blog by tonight

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    1. Not really. We don’t have a basement, and we are well over 400 yards away from the small river, on a very slight incline. Our outbuilding (Brick and timber shed) does flood regularly, from groundwater seeping through the concrete base. But it is rarely more than an inch or so deep.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  13. Well we had snow on and off all day but everywhere was too sodden for it to settle (which is sad for me as I’d have liked a nice white world to photograph), forecast dry tomorrow, IF they’ve got it right. Stay warm and toasty Pete if you can, worse to come next week by the looks of things.

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    1. Yes, the ‘Big Storm’ on Boxing Day, with winds up to 80 mph and weather warnings for most of southern England. I’m tempted to say “Bring it on”, but as I will have to take Ollie out in it, I will shut up. 🙂
      Oh well, at least it is dry tomorrow here, and I don’t have to cook anything!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. Time to move Pete. As your pal said yesterday, life is too short to be miserable and Beetley doesn’t appear to make you very happy. I heard on the traffic news about the flooding your way. Not the driest county any more by a long stretch.

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