Kendal (Post-Eunice), Cumbria, Winter
The day after Storm Eunice.
Evenings and weekends have been frustratingly wet and stormy in February, which has meant that I’ve not been able to get out into nature as much as I’d like. This culminated in the week commencing 14th February, which saw two named storms passing over the British Isles: Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice.
Storm Dudley struck first, from Wednesday 16th to Thursday 17th. It brought 80 mph winds and heavy rain to Wales and parts of Northern England and Scotland. Following Dudley, Storm Eunice arrived Friday 18th to Saturday 19th, with even stronger winds of up to 122 mph, and a rare Red Alert (danger to life) issued for the South West and South East of England. Videos across social media soon emerged of trees being ripped up from their long-held roots, power lines collapsing, wind turbines disintegrating, and even the O2 Arena having its roof shredded apart. Unfortunately, lives were lost, too.
This 2021–2022 storm season has reportedly seen more than 8 million trees destroyed.
By Saturday afternoon conditions started to calm down once more, and the sun soon came out. So, armed with my camera, I gingerly ventured out for a hike around my town, Kendal, to get some high vantage points and survey the damage.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 with a Fujinon 23mm f/2.0 prime lens. Developed in Lightroom and finished in Affinity Photo.
It was nice to actually see the sun come out for once.
I decided to head up onto Castle Howe, the site of Kendal’s first castle. To do that, you need to turn onto Allhallows Lane then up one of Kendal’s steepest roads, Beast Banks.
Even following two life-threatening storms, people are still more than ready to head out for a spot of retail therapy.
About a ⅓ of the way of Beast Banks you can exit onto Garth Head, an ancient medieval lane connecting two steep streets, Beast Banks and Captain French Lane. It’s technically an unclassified highway—the U752—making its upkeep the responsibility of Cumbria County Council.
About halfway along Garth Heads a couple of footpaths branch off and head up the fellside. This is the way to Castle Howe, the site of Kendal’s first castle. Nowt remains of the castle now except an obelisk that marks the castle’s original location. The castle was built somewhere around the end of the 11th century or turn of the 12th century.
The obelisk that marks the site of Kendal’s first castle, Castle Howe.
What the land around Castle Howe does offer is a fantastic view across Kendal town all the way to Benson Knott and the Whinfell fells.
One of my favourite lanes in Kendal, and certainly one of the steepest.
From Low Fellside the view spreads out more. The Whinfell fells and the Howgills are covered in a fresh coating of snow.
Above Maudes Meadow Residential Care Home, the rabbits were happily munching and frolicking on the common.
Storm Arwen destroyed many trees around Maudes Meadow. Thankfully, Dudley and Eunice didn’t add to the casualty list.
The River Kent, too, appears to have returned to normal levels.