HIT ME WITH YOUR BLIZZARD STICK

   I drove up from the Askwith village and on reaching the ridge turned to view Ilkley.  What an incredible sight.  A force was dragging a curtain of snow across the town.  Half being totally obliterated from sight, the other half still experiencing late morning sunshine, but minutes away from suffering the same fate as blizzard would envelop it.

  I parked at Timble village and headed along the road back towards the woods. The blizzard was at its most fierce now but fortunately I heeded the forecast and had pocketed a pair of protective glasses with pink snow lenses.
 The snow had well and truly settled on the trail and for once I was first to experience it and knew there was no ice hidden underneath.  
  It seemed as if in minutes the landscape had been returned to what it was just after Christmas.

Emerging from the woods the snow storm had passed through and I was enjoying warming sunshine.  The glasses worn to prevent the stinging snow flakes now serving their primary use as sunglasses.   But it wasn't to last and as I skirted the shores of Swinsty reservoir  yet another snow storm hit me!  So yesterday I was blasted by a succession of Tornado jets; today  one snow storm after another. 
    I must say I was really glad to reach the main Swinsty car park....only then to remember that I'd parked at Timble village ...........which meant a steep half mile uphill to finish my run.  A run of very severe weather extremes.........8.5 miles.....tough........but enjoyable all the same.......in the main.