It is with trepidation that I drive to the Priory after or even, like this morning, during a gale. Storm Katie caused havoc across Southern England and the thought of a large oak or ash lying on its side gave me an anxious twitch as I drove to work. Carefully dodging branches and a few downed trees on the road, my real worry was seeing one of the huge oaks keeled over in the garden.
Relief was my first reaction on arrival. A quick scan reassured me that no biggies were on their knees, or dunked into the ponds, but still, there were plenty of large limbs scattered about. These few shots nicely illustrate why I avoid walking beneath large trees in gusting winds.
The old foot-bridge was also battered and partly collapsed.
I’m not having much luck with bridges at the moment. It’s become a prominent feature of my life and, frankly, just a tad tedious.
The damage is more wide-spread than I’ve shown and, when the winds have died down, it will take me a whole chain-saw-day to sort out.
I’m happy that whist I might have lots more wood for the Priory fires, I don’t have to dismember one of the character trees I’ve grown to know and love. Katie did some damage but she could have been far, far worse.
