For those of us who love this region of England the last few days have been heartbreaking to watch. Almost 13 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours. The flood barriers in Keswick were breached yesterday along the river Greta and the entire lower part of town is now under several feel of standing water. Pooley Bridge near Ullswater, that has been there since the 1760s, was destroyed, and parts of the railway track/footpath that were raised on steel bridges above the river running out of Keswick were taken out by a holiday caravan that washed down river. Farmers rescued as many Herdwick sheep and other livestock as they could and emergency services has been trying to help but unfortunately many have been lost. Hundreds of people are displaced and stranded. Glennridding is full of debris and stones with water running through buildings. Grasmere's main street was a river. Roads washed away. It's just a mess. Fortunately I haven't heard of any lives lost. I could go on and on about the affected areas but you get the idea.
If you are so inclined, there is a page called "I Love the Lake District" on Facebook where you can see pictures and video of the devastation. There are several links as well to organizations that are trying to raise money for those whose homes have been destroyed right before Christmas. Reading FB over the last few days I have been amazed at the community spirit in the area...I always have found Cumbrians to be lovely people and this just confirms that view!
If you are thinking of going to this area in the coming year I encourage you to go. Their economy could really use our tourist $$$ to help them recover.