Thunderstorm

In one direction there were glimmers of blue sky and Juno and I set out for a long afternoon walk, me with my binoculars and ready for any showers before the weather became stormier later in the day. My timing turned out very poor as from the same vantage point looking over toward Horton, the clouds were looking steelier. I decided to walk toward them as the constant rumble of low level thunder built up, expecting to be able to turn back before things deteriorated. However, I got things spectacularly wrong.

Juno and I walked a usual route until we decided to go toward Haythorne, somewhere I had cycled during lockdown but didn't know. It seemed a good time to explore! I found a new path and started walking up it wondering if it would sweep round to take me back toward home. It seemed promising but whilst walking up a slight incline I took in the reality of a complete bank of black cloud which was then illuminated right across with forks of lightning moments before the thunder cracked right overhead. The way in which the horizn lit up was incredible and I was instantly aware that the storm was going to explode right over us with home 2 miles away, trees all around and rain starting to fall.

Turning round, Juno and I were soaked in seconds as flash after flash and crack after crack loomed over us with all the threatened violence of the darkness. It was difficult to see too far ahead with the rain pelting down and the skies so dark. Juno was wet through and I was soon in a similar predicament, the light rain jacket doing a decent job up to a point but my shorts like wet cardboard in moments necessitating a complete change of clothes after a shower once back.

The walk took just over an hour for the four miles, the return being walked at pace and I will admit to being a little anxious as the storm broke and we seemed so far from home with the prospect of lightning accompanying us all the way. The thunder was so deep, cracking like something from a horror film, the rumbling continuing for long periods. It was good to get back on the road as the rain began to ease and to start to feel the pleasure of the excitement generated by the thrill of the storm.