Down the Drain

Giant 'Plug Hole' at Fontburn Reservoir

It stopped raining. We went for a walk in the wilds of Northumberland with friends P and D. This is Fontburn reservoir and it is full to capacity. The rain has to go somewhere. In this case the reservoir feeds Morpeth. Morpeth is a notorious 'black spot' for flood problems, where the river frequently bursts its bank flooding the residents. This picture shows you the power of the water and where it all comes from in the Cheviot and Simonside Hills.

This giant sink is over 200 feet deep. It is terrifying to look down and see where this water is falling, down to an underground network of pipes and then the river. My friend told me: "I was here in the summer and a man had taken his eye off his two small children. They were playing right over there, sitting on the very edge of the giant plug hole." Can you imagine the little kids sitting on the side of this 200 foot drop into the abyss !! A frightening thought for all parents. Luckily, the naughty but adventurous little children were retrieved safely.

We also saw a fantastic snowy white stoat near the woods. It ran around us in a big circle, and scurried so incredibly fast. Spectacular sight! After this we met a cute little wood mouse, then spotted a kestrel hovering overhead ...waiting...waiting...

A lovely bleak, muddy, pretty, cold, but spectacular walk. It certainly blew the Xmas cobwebs away. :)