Sue Woodcock: Beauty and hardship of Dales winter

Everyone rallied round and the manager and his family were put up by a neighbouring establishment and all the local tradesmen were there to help. The manager has worked so hard to make the pub a lovely place and it seems so unfair.

They opened again after a couple of days and the guests were all found alternative accommodation locally. This community is like that, they help each other in a crisis.

My cousin decided to come up from Rutland to see in the New Year with me. Her best- laid plans went a little astray. Because everywhere was full she ended up staying the night at the Travelodge in Skipton before finding a guest house locally for the next couple of nights. The idea was that we ate out together in the evenings, but the weather put paid to that.

We did manage to visit Burnsall and Ilkley on New Year's Day. There wasn't a lot open but we browsed in a bookshop and found yet another place for another cup of coffee. I headed home as soon as I got back to Grassington as the roads were getting worse. Once back in front of the fire nothing was going to get me out again.

The next day she was determined to visit Harrogate which she loves. I like it too. With another friend I drove there after a bit of a delay and the snow diminished.

Having found somewhere to park we headed for lunch and ended up at the Winter Gardens, part of the Baths. Then we split up each to find the shops we were interested in. I had a wonderful time visiting the charity shops and got some great winter clothes at a reasonable price. I called in to get some dog food just outside the town and got a dog toy that lasted exactly 24 hours when I got it home. The dogs killed it very effectively.

I came back on the major roads as the weather was not looking helpful. I had a bad feeling as rain turned to snow as we climbed over Blubberhouses. As we came up Wharfedale we followed the gritter along. There was a blizzard making life very difficult. After a brief cup

of tea I declined an invitation to supper and headed up

the hill.

It was none too soon either. I almost missed my gate as there was a total whiteout. Even the walk from the gate to my door was horrendous and I had to do it twice having dropped something on the way. It was bitterly cold and snow was coming sideways, masking everything.

Once the fires were stoked up, the dogs were let out and then in again, which didn't take long at all. I unpacked and dried my purchases over the Raeburn and got the generator going. I urged everything to warm up more quickly and donned many layers of clothes.

The morning scenery was white. I did the normal chores and then dug out

my gate. I got down to the village about lunchtime for a soup and roll with my cousin. We then met the prospective new owners of the little Jack Russell bitch I have been looking after.

We came up to the house and they decided she was just what they wanted. She liked them too. They arranged to pick her up later in the week.

Our local farmers who are subcontracted to keep the roads clear have been doing a sterling job gritting in all weathers. But because of the system that operates around here, some roads are overgritted and others are totally ice-bound and highly dangerous.

I was driving very carefully and in low four-wheel drive down the lane and was met by a group of mature walkers heading up to the moor. They reluctantly moved out of my path and I looked at what they had with them. Yes, they were well dressed and shod, but I don't think they realised just how cold it was up on the tops. One slip and a fall could put them in danger.

Certainly an ambulance wouldn't make it up the hill so once again the rescue would be called out. It had been minus 10 and below up here even in the daytime.

When the weather had improved I was heading down to the village and

came across a couple with a very weary-looking dog who were debating where to go. The dog had a coat but was obviously not enjoying his walk. I offered and then gave them a lift down to the village for which they seemed very grateful. The dog, Freddy, looked most relieved. They were a lovely couple and soon worked out who I was since they were readers of the Yorkshire Post. They had sensibly decided that to continue their walk would have been unwise.

The snow is very beautiful but I have had enough of it now. The cold air is coming from Siberia and I wish it would go back. There just seems no respite from this bitter cold. It makes life very hard, not just for me but a lot of elderly folk I know are almost imprisoned inside because they fear to venture out. Most people round here know how to cope with winter and harsh conditions, but they still need to visit doctors and dentists, not to mention the ones who have to try to get to work.

One of my dogs, Ewan, got tangled up in the gate and when I went to help him he panicked and bit me. I had to go down to the surgery to get strapped up. I also had to take the new dog to the vet for her jabs and took the opportunity to visit friends over at Settle. The snow wasn't so bad there but still serious enough to cause problems.

My friend dreads walking up to her field because the track has turned into the Cresta Run, not helped by children sledging down it making it lethal. Roll on summer!