IT WAS PENRITH WITH CUMBRIAN HEATWAVE 18 DEGREES

Where do we begin, its usually with a messed up weather forecast and why should today be any different, I've heard that the Met offices own although the basis for the BBC effort does have maps and you can make your own judgement call on what it looks like doing. I was up at 4.45 and by 5am had checked the situation at Immingham where it was going to be foggy until lunch time then clearing while penrith was sunny from sunrise so I changed my plan and headed straight up the M6 motorway to Penrith and then had breakfast at the truck stop and then decided that although cold and cloudy I'd better make the most of it, actually it was quite even lighting and none of the glaring white from the majority of lorries so that was a saving grace but it certainly wasn't the above average temperature just a typical day in the Lakes midwinter but as the morning progressed it did clear to a warm and pleasantly hazy sunshine which again was good for photography.

There were certainly lots of lorries about, it is always a good spot on the A66 a route I've now filmed for about thirty years.  By early afternoon I was all filmed out and needed a break so with three hours already achieved I headed home but not before being driven off the Plumley Moor Road by a big sloane ranger machine overtaking a removal van on her side, she saw me go off and on to the grass but didn't even stop to make sure everything was ok shame in the panic I didn't get her reg no. At home the DVD orders were something of an avalanche but I'd still got two hours until the post is collected and I managed to clear the whole lot and got a few stamps I can use for any more small numbers, also note that the post goes up yet again mid March. The top temps I passed through were 18 in south lakes and 19 around Blackpool North Lancs area then back down to a chilly Cheshire at 17. Photos from Bracknell and the first of todays samples. All the DVDs up to yesterday are ready but I need to upload on our shop and get digital versions on.