Thursday 21st January and we’ve had very heavy rain overnight and through the day. The stour flooded very quickly and I walked along Melways lane towards Hanford, I knew I wouldn’t be able to cross the river at either of the footbridges. I was hoping for a nice dawn but it didn’t happen the main field that takes you to the Wilson Haines bridge was flooded nearly to the back edge with just a strip clear to walk. I ended taking a couple of images of the floods from higher up the lane toward Shillingstone.

On the Friday when I looked out things looked more promising a frost on the ground and a fairly clear so I headed towards the same place. I knew the floods would have receded by how much I wasn’t sure. It was still quite dark when I headed along Melways lane but I spotted a large Fox crossing the slope of the field near Chisel farm, he knew we were there and soon disappeared.

Sure enough the floods had receded enough for me to find some places to take photos but the meadow was still very flooded and I couldn’t have got to Shillingstone! A heron flew off as we got there. As we walked back I spotted a Roe deer doe just laid down in the field, it knew we were there but happy just to stay there.