Worst weather conditions ever

The snow continues unabated. We put on the snow chains yesterday and took the children to Is y Coed whilst we got on with the Christmas shop for the whole extended family. Arriving back with a full load we gracefully slid down a third of a mile amidst ever increasing layers of snow. The dogs were pleased to see us. Shopping is left out in the car as it's colder than the fridge. Unfortunately presents are going to be mostly remote this year as we haven't done our usual round of in-store shopping. The kids are nonetheless excited, as we have at least one big toy to entertain us all on Christmas Day. Plus all the right food!

The decision now is as to whether it's safe to get the children back today, or whether we wait another day.  Video of our lovely driveway to follow.

Here we go again

 

We were expecting this wave, and the snow chains were at the ready. However a call from the parent of another child who had already been involved in a crash on the way to school; this morning put us off attempting the track in full blizzard conditions. I called the school to be told all buses were running, but looked on the website. The larger bus companies were mentioned but not the smaller companies, and the school was adamant that the day would continue as normal. It all leaves one with a feeling that no-one is aware of what the real weather is doing in this part of the world. The weather forecast is saying heavy snow today so no chances with children will be taken!

We may still have to get the school band CD delivered for whatever sales are possible.Online sales?

Snow and snow chains

We have now had no post for over a week, with the postman not even venturing as far as the top of the drive. This means a pick-up in the town, although getting out is an issue. We have not only to live here and get all our supplies, we have to get our children to school and significantly we have to bring the occasional customer in to record.Although the C2033 has now been gritted, there was a freeze last night so we'll see the conditions tomorrow for driving.

Snow chains and cleats arrived in the post. Has Christmas come early? YOu would think so from the flury of excitement and unwrapping. Phil set to with his chains and we soon got them on, after a few moments' doubt. The best way is that Phil reads the instructions and I grovel on the floor and do all the threading through. Circumstances make me a foot soldier for physical operations although it's not a role that I usually get cast in! The idea is to put on the chains and tighten, then drive and stop to draw in the slack, like tights for the RAF engineer (sorry that'll only mean something to those who've worked on a chilly airfield)
The snow chains went on, the car set out. A nice easy trip up the icy track he said on the 'phone.
You have to take them off when there's no snow, and you're driving direct on the road, so after a few minutes I had a call. He had taken them off and somehow wrapped them round the rear wheel.
The skype was running in the kitchen down to his father and so he watched on as I "alerted the emergency services"./ Next minute he'd freed off the wheel and went on his way to get provisions for Mum and Dad and pick up our school-bound children (sorry kids, you have to live in Llanfyllin when it snows, without the X-box!)

Returning down the track  last night (I haven't seen the kids for a couple of days) he travelled down the track at an uncontrolled 20mph until he put hill descent in action. I will have to go up and grit the critical stretch again today. I will use the cleats.

Talking of cleats, they're very good so far and I recommend them if you fall over easily in the snow and ice, or have to go where you don't want to. The cheapest by far are the AA ones at about £6.00, and if you go to the AA website you can order them with next day delivery. So if I don't fall over today go ahead to this address:

http://shop.theaa.com/store/other/aa-snow-ice-grips

It has to be right, particularly if this is going to become the norm.

C2033

I think the gritter has been this morning, will be going out this afternoon to get provisions. Haven't had any mail since last Friday. Hoping weather will improve soon and we can get back to normal!!

I think we have grit

I think we have grit. And determination, NO I did mean grit, the gritter is on his rounds I believe, having spoken with Highways today. Fingers crossed.

How to get to school in the snow

It looks quite pretty......

Just a dusting of snow, shoudn't be a problem....

We'll check the track before driving up.

Doesn't seem too bad.....

The cat's managing!

Ah. A snag maybe?

Uh-oh.

Let's take a closer look

And you say we have school?

Now don't go on!

The cat can go to school

Will it, won't it?

I spoke again with Roger at "Highways", which carries out the gritting. No-one has been out on our route yet, which is not a secondary , but I suppose must be a "tertiary route". He says he tried to get someone out yesterday, but they were all taken by the secondary routes. He will try again today.

In the meantime, the much heralded "heavy snow" has not arrived yet. We are getting drizzly type precipitations at the minute. However our track is iced up so grit will mean walking up for the school bus at the very best, in the absence of certainty.

I can't grit the entire length of the drive if more snow is forecast.

Henry has had his piano exam moved on...we always seem to have exceptional circumstances here!!

Fortunately we are still in touch with the world, able to run the business and skype the grandparents, who are getting keen to see "their children" (not us!)


It would be so pretty if only it wasn't so cold and palpably icy!

The C2033 is unsafe

I have now been watching in some horror the footage from the Range Rover, as it was driven here at 3.30 PM yesterday, and will be uploading it as soon as I can. There are sheer drops from the C2033 where the driver is only protected from tipping over the edge by an ancient sheep fence, and it was at this point that I watched the car, completely out of control veering repeatedly across the ice to hit the flimsy barrier..... The road needs not only urgent gritting, but a survey to determine safety requirements. Used not only by a school bus, but also Council Refuse services, postmen, and a variety of inhabitants, it is only a matter of time before there is a serious accident in icy weather.
I am hoping to be able to get some camera footage up later today.


 

Green Belt Living Hazards!

I called the gritting services in Llanfyllin yesterday to ask for the C2033 to be gritted, and spoke to a nice chap who said it would either be today (yesterday) or Monday. Otherwise there wil be no school bus for Llanfyllin High, Llanfyllin Primary or any of the schools, without a massive thaw. We'll see what the realities of this are on Monday, nothing has happened so far, because the A roads are prioritised, and after that, the B roads have to be seen to.

People forget that the high up roads need servicing too, even when it has thawed elsewhere. Even though it's a tiny road, it's one used by a school bus, and there is constant pressure to add housing, even though this runs completely contrary to Planning considerations, in that it places increasing pressure on our local road maintenance services. The ideal principle is to build near to main nodes of transport, but often plans are made in the Spring, when the issues of actually accessing your property are not so apparent. It's all very well to plan a nice little building estate on this lovely green belt, but the realities are that it is impossible to service. And the Winter has only just started.......

To slide downhill one third of a mile in a supposed four wheel drive vehicle is hair-raising enough when with a superbly competent driver, but no ambulance could have reached us yesterday, and therefore the hazards of living out here are hugely multiplied, particularly when you have a family, a business or disabled family members...

Hopefully some photos today will illustrate the stark splendours of life in the countryside.

The Great Snow Hazard

We now have our first ice and snow for this Winter. I fell over twice and hurt myself. We could not stay in the 4-wheel drive to get down the track, and when my Dad drove it down it slid from the top to the bottom which is a third of a mile. On coming down the track I found it very difficult to keep my balance as it was extremly slippy. Unfortunately our car got stuck in the ice and so we had to leave it there. It is going to be a very cold Winter and I do not look forward to the cold.

Henry

Oil Delivery

Our oil was delivered yesterday - we have finally located a company prepared for our rather bumpy steep access. The cold has now started to freeze in the mornings. We are hoping for a milder Winter, having been virtually house-bound for five weeks last year despite the four wheel drives. This presents us with difficulties not only in getting food in, but in getting to the doctor in emergencies. Gritting does not routinely happen on the C2033, making the trip across the ridge to Llanfyllin very hazardous and the necessity to stock up on essentials.

Fierce winds yesterday left a large number of branches and sizeable logs down across the C2033 which had to be cleared by the school bus driver. The winds blew open the five bar gate leading into our field and we were faced with the task, with some help from friends, of ejecting several dozen sheep from our field and in front of our house back into the field next to the barn.

Still, we are hoping for a lenient time as Christmas looms.

Autumn to Winter

A windy day today and the approach of Winter. The barn roof, which is at best only a vanity roof, clangs loudly, loose rusty corrugated iron flaps creeching in the late afternoon The dogs enjoy it, and howl to each other at night across the valley. We are travelling less now, no more daily trips out to school, so fewer punctures in general! The post arrived today, apparently blown in by the wind. The parcel wouldn't fit in the post box and so all our letters were left on the floor at about 2 o'clock, and I came out to a haphazard pile of bank statements by the front door.

We will see what the ice brings this year, as I suspect the C2033 from Llanfyllin will become impassable again, meaning a loss of services for up to two months of the year.

John came down and cut the hedges on the track yesterday. Thanks John, if you're looking, things'd be a lot harder without the good neighbours.

Llanfyllin, Llanfair Caereinion Llanidloes Schools Reorganisation

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Snow is back! Can you believe it?

I see the snow has returned with a vengeance - 5 inches plus all over. Let's hope some thaw will make the school run possible tomorrow! Any news on the state of the road would be appreciated.

Could This be the End?

Finally we have woken up to the sound of rain....
Here are some last pictures, as we hope we'll be saying goodbye to this in the next day or so.

Sledge Uses

The last week has been the slowest. We have done school projects, worked, cancelled appointments, eaten, slept and watched the weather forecast and the potential change this Friday. We've used the sledge in many ways...











































Going up..............

Snow Drift by Allt Goch Turning

We wanted to go to a special Lunch today.
When we approached Allt Goch turning, on our way out, we almost drove the Discovery into a new Snow Drift which is about waist high. We had to reverse back to our Drive and back down our lane home.
The Lunch invitation, which we had accepted a month ago, was an occasion that we had looked foward to!
All the snow must have blown back onto the road causing the Drift. It had only been opened during Fri and Saturday.

Road to Meifod - what's the situation?

Here are some more shots from the day before yesterday. The road to Meifod has apparently not been cleared yet. I haven't been far enough along to inspect, but our neighbours told me that there had been another vehicle stuck there yesterday. People have to work, of course, particularly here where no-one will pay their wages if they don't!

More snow pictures on the Bachie Rd, C2033