Sunday, January 21, 2007

Winter Weather

English weather: anything is possible.

It's a lovely Sunday morning here in Kenilworth. Our plan for the day was to drive (2 hours) up to Hathersage, in the Peak District, and walk along Stanage Edge. Stanage Edge is where Keira Knightley, as Elizabeth Bennet, stands on the gritstone ledge with the wind blowing through her dress in Pride and Prejudice. Hathersage is where Charlotte Brontë was inspired to write Jane Eyre, and it's also where Robin Hood's lieutenant, Little John, is buried (if you can believe the story and the inscription on the tombstone). Unfortunately, the symbol above appears on today's BBC weather forecast for the Hope Valley. Sleet. Not wishing to drive all that way only to be caught in sleet on Stanage Edge, we're opting for a walk closer to home, along the Grand Union Canal into Warwick. Simon, if you're reading, we're just keeping in mind your story of a fatal fall from Striding Edge on an icy winter day. Incidentally, the symbol above is pretty illustrative of English weather: a single symbol that combines sun, cloud, rain, and snow. In a single day, you're liable to get a little of everything.

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