I think the best description for conditions here yesterday is "chicken weather" (foul).  It rained all day and finished with a grandstand flourish comprising rain in stair rods and a hefty gale.  By 8pm the river was in full spate and had flooded the bottom of Newhouses Lane to a depth of 2 feet or so.  Its dropped back a bit this morning and the forecast is for blustery showers, but the water is still heavily coloured and bank full.  No doubt by later today and certainly tomorrow we should have very good salmon water.

The spate gave everyone attending the parish meeting about the Slaughterhouse site development a timely reminder of the power of Brants Ghyll  after only a day of heavy rain.  There is strong local opposition to the plans and the YDNPA will get quite a few letters of objection to this exercise in blatant greed.

 Members planning to fish at the Tarn next week should be aware that Newhouses Lane will be closed to all traffic on 16 & 17 October.  This is to enable NYCC Highways to resurface the road at Harber and through Newhouses.  You may be able to get up to the Tarn before 8.30 but may well not be able to return until after works stops around 5pm.  By all means ring me for an update early next week but I am in London on 17 & 18 October.

Ian