Yet another wet start here in the valley with cloud masking the fells all round and a thin, soaking rain that the Scots very appropriately describe as dreich if that's how you spell it.

Talking of things Scots I watched the BBC programme on rivers with Griff Rhys Jones last evening out of curiosity and have to say that overall it was quite good.  There was a rather informative sequence on salmon conservation showing the netting and stripping process and some good shots of a very impressive hatchery setup.  Mind you, it beats me how anyone can make a film about the Tay and not include a single fisherman.  There was a sequence about salmon caught including a couple of fine examples caught on the same day many years ago.  It would seem that two members of the same family (father and son) set out to fish and father caught the fish of a lifetime.  Whilst this 44lb monster was laid out on the front step being admired son appeared with a 50lb specimen.  Father's fish was acknowledged as being quite a good "tiddler".  You can't win them all!

Let's see how this programme develops as we venture onto the rivers of England.

Ian