When the five of us started out it was dry. At Highnam it was time to get jackets on, and by Tibberton we were pretty damp. By now the rain had progressed from steady drizzle to light downpour and we were discussing alternative destinations.
We were thoroughly wet by Birdwood and would have pulled into the garden centre if it had been open, but as the rain had eased a little we decided to push on to Soudley.
The Dean Heritage centre was a welcome sight and we were only slightly surprised to find the Intermediate ride already there. By now it was pretty torrential rain and we settled in for coffee and cake in the hope it would blow over. No such luck, however the pond did look lovely when illuminated by the lightning. The sound of thunder and the rain battering the roof made conversation difficult, second cups of coffee were ordered.
Eventually it eased enough to tempt us out. It may have been raining less than previously but it was still lashing down and everyone was happy to just get home as quickly as possible.
I shall leave you with a short poem we heard when walking in the South Island of New Zealand – a part of the world blessed with amazing scenery and biblical levels of rainfall.
It rained and rained and rained and rained,
the average fall was well maintained,
and when the tracks were simply bogs,
it started raining cats and dogs.
After a drought of half an hour
we had a most refreshing shower,
which soaked our party to the skin
and after that, the rain set in.
SP 36.2 miles, 1,846 ft, 15.2 mph, enough rain to fill a reservoir.