Water level

It's been a dry winter really, the ground is wet, yes, but not sodden, and the streams, the streams, other than the occasional overflow, have stayed firmly within their banks. In fact, on the whole, the streams have shown gravel for months now.  I know that such things can, and will, fluctuate, although you can't help wondering if what we're seeing is a more permanent shift to cycles of more extreme episodes as a consequence of climate change kicking in.  Extended periods of dry, punctuated by episodes, long and short, of inundation and flooding; it's these extremes butting up against each other which create the right condition for environmental degradation and erosion. In recent years the number of trees slighted by the combination of adverse environmental conditions have soared, and the number of stream side trees undermined and now laying prostrate across the streams has increased too. The wooded parts of the forest look battered. Still, it's a lovely day and following Highland Water above Millyford Bridge, along some of its upper stretches, the forest stirs. The Sun has broken through, giving a sense of approaching spring, and it feels good.