Danny savage reports from the yorkshire dales. Across large parts of britain at the moment there is a lack of water. A dry spring, preceded by low winter rainfall, has left many riverbeds exposed. This wouldnt be an unusual widespread sight in late summer but its rare in may. When i had a ride around up there on friday, you get a lot of small ponds and wet holes that are usually there all year round. Theyre all dried out, theyre absolutely bone dry, theres nothing at all in the bottom of them. Stuart herd has farmed here all his life. The Riverbed Drying Up is not unheard of but hes noticed the Hillside Springs arent right. You can tell that its been a lot drier because were actually noticing sheep that have come down to parts of the river where the water is still running, Noticing Sheep Standing on the river bank drinking. Whereas ordinarily they would be spread about up on these fells and drinking out of Little Springs and streams and things like that, which suggests there isnt as mu