Country diary: I'm struck by the raw force of the storm wind

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: A coastal walk pits me - and my hat - against the northerly winds that disturb everything in sightThe overnight storm has battered the landscape and torn the remaining leaves from the beech trees, with only a few small oaks maintaining a grip on their senescent foliage. Frost followed by heavy rain has reduced much of the leaf litter in the lane to a rutted mulch, which deadens the sound of my footfall as I head towards the coast.Away from the dubious shelter of the hills, I realise just how strong the northerly wind still is, raising short, angry waves even in the sheltered waters at the mouth of the Afon Rheidol. Plumes of beech leaves swirl in the confluence of waters at the harbour mouth; a line of foam marks the margin of the salt water. In mid stream, a lone cormorant stands on a bank of shingle in apparent defiance, as the wind tugs at its plumage, iridescent in the late afternoon sunshine. Continue reading...