Storms over Cumbria

The storms over Cumbria have brought destruction and deaths, well reported on all media, with images of the damage to many homes and businesses. However, the damage is wider than just the area of Cockermouth and west Cumbria.

Further round the coast, into the South Lakes, there is also heavy flooding. My cousin Suzannah Bevins has sent me news and dramatic photos (below) from the village of Backbarrow, where the river Leven flows from Windermere and onwards to the sea.

In Backbarrow the old blue mill, now converted into the Whitewater hotel, stands right beside the river. The first two photos show the scene as I saw it on a typical day last September.

Suzannah writes: “The Hotel and the lower part of Backbarrow have been totally flooded out. As you can see the bridge now has a raging torrent running over it, the first time ever that the river has been this high”

Later, it was washed away completely. The Bailey Bridge footbridge, just a few metres downstream, was also completely submerged.

Severe flood warnings are still in place for parts of the county, and for many other parts of the UK.