For the past two December 18ths I have had 5pm appointments at Townhead Surgery for my annual review and check-up. This means I walk back through the town nearer to 6pm. I have the place to myself. The cars have mostly gone home and so too the people and evening has not got into its swing. Here are this year's images. Hardly changed from 2023's but wonderful. Click on any one to enlarge:
This was the aftermath of a dreadful fire in not-far-away Kirkby Lonsdale at the weekend. It was right in the middle of the small market town with narrow streets. The shape and corner position of the building involved made fighting the fire exceptionally difficult. Sadly a man died. Water was a big problem in such a small place. Hydrants ran dry as did the town's water supply in general and special high volume pumps had to be brought in to pump water from the river Lune. A severe test for the mostly volunteer fire crews from all over Cumbria. Lancashire and North Yorkshire to whom all credit.
After several days of dire warnings Storm Bert* is here. Nothing too bad in Settle though. A very modest amount of snow followed by lots and lots of rain and a sudden rise in temperature as southerly winds blew in strongly. Autumn and winter sort of rolled together. First picture illustrates rainy darkness at just half past four in the afternoon of Saturday 23rd November, The next two show spectacular low speed skid marks from our lovely new car being driven away over what appeared to be harmless rain-drenched slush. The car ended up sideways on to the boundary fence having slid down the modest slope sideways. Fortunately not a scratch.
* Who names these storms? Bert hardly does justice to the event.
Here's another one of mighty grandson James, quarterback for Birmingham Uni., helping them to a resounding 27-6 win against Cardiff Uni.
Meanwhile, younger grandson Ben is now sixteen
Our policy of letting nature do its thing with the 'cultivated' parts of the gardens has worked well. But, too well in the case of some high growing plants - brambles and young trees especially. Autumn is time for a clear-out of those.
We are unable to tackle them ourselves so must call in some help. Help has come form two directions - Paul and Tracey. Paul, who we have known for years, was a teller at Settle's one-time Barclays Bank. He is now a much happier green-fingered man. He has set about clearing the steep slope of the southern embankment, clearing space for the wanted shrubs:
You could not even see that fence before! The young trees and bushes are in those ton bags awaiting recycling. Phase two is attention from qualified plantswoman Tracey.
How's this for a magnificent photograph by MJ Turner, whose commentary on it is:
The emergency services are kept busy in this far flung corner of England, 30+ miles from the nearest hospital. Police, fire and ambulance are all based here in Settle. A bit further up the valley are the cave and mountain rescue. That said, the actual presence at any one time may be one police constable and one ambulance crew. Fire cover is by call-out. Mutual aid is there in abundance but it is from a distance and that takes time. Emergency calls for the ambulance are either answered almost instantly for Settle itself, IF the ambulance is not elsewhere in the vastness of the Yorkshire Dales. In that case there are the volunteer first responders or, nowadays, the air ambulance is the much valued backup.
You will have seen them on TV probably, too often deployed to the Three Peaks accidents and to serious road accidents.
Late yesterday afternoon must have been one of those times when 'our' ambulance was elsewhere - which could well include being at the far distant Airedale Hospital. I happened to be on the roof of the tower and saw and heard the air ambulance approaching Settle at speed from the south east, heading north west. To my surprise the helicopter slowed and circled more or less directly above the station and water tower, landing very nearby on the playing field of Settle Primary school, immediately on the far side of the railway. There it shut down and the paramedics went about their duties inside the by-then closed-for-the-day school.
Here it is (picture 1) between flights. It took off again around 5pm. Lisa Smith at Settle station caught the ideal picture, number 3 below.
