A toadstool trail

On 16 Oct 201916 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn Photography1 Comment

It was going to be an arboretum amble, but the fungi were much more fun! Bodenham arboretum on a (rare) fine sunny afternoon, where, after a light lunch, we’re following the perimeter path to enter the arboretum from the far side. There’s a ball on the path, and just yards away, an intensely interested dog. Having kicked the ball once (and seen a superb retrieval), we have a determined companion. Are we playing with him, or is he playing with us? A couple of times, just before a kick, he makes a quick grab and runs off, and there are occasions when I’d swear he’s placing the ball just to see if we can spot it.

Given good weather, there’s much to be said for autumn. The colours are wonderful, but the variety of shapes and sizes (and sheer number) of fungi, is really what gains our attention today. And, of course, that dragonfly…

Bodenham Arboretum

Woodland path (Spot the dog! Spot the ball...)

Dragonfly

On 16 Oct 201916 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn Photography2 Comments

We spent some time in the arboretum at Bodenham, near Kidderminster, this afternoon. The autumn leaves were colourful, as one would expect, and this year’s crop of assorted fungi exceeded all expectations, both in number and variety. The star of the visit, however, was this dragonfly, flitting around one of the pools, and from time to time landing on a nearby block of stone. More photos later…

Bodenham Arboretum

Lanky Lines

On 11 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways...Leave a comment

Wednesday 9 October: we’re having a day out on a Northern Rail day rover, exploring (mostly) lines in Lancashire – via Wigan and Preston to Blackpool, for a walk along a blustery prom, then out to Colne on a soon-to-be-history class 142 railbus. There are some showers around – quite hefty ones inland, over Pendle Hill – but we’re lucky, we don’t get wet. We head for home via Todmorden and Manchester, where the walk from Victoria to Piccadilly provides the opportunity of a well-earned (!) pint.

For a few more rail – and tram – photos, visit “Another Northern Day” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.

Around the Smithies

On 08 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

A short road walk (they’re very quiet lanes) to avoid the worst of the mud, in a part of Shropshire that feels forgotten (no bad thing). Here are there are clumps of wild hops – pick a flower and rub it between the fingers. What a wonderful aroma!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367470&Y=297846&A=Y&Z=120

Toadstools and pumpkins

On 06 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

…and various other autumn fruits. Once again, we’re dodging the showers in Attingham Park. It seems busy – others have had the same idea, though once we’re half-a-mile or so from the entrance, it’s much quieter. Some sad soul has kicked what were probably fine fungi into many fragments – but there are still one or two splendid specimens for the camera.

Attingham Park NT

Inside Calke

On 04 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

They call it the un-stately home. Only a very tiny part of the interior is restored – mostly it’s as found, preserved as left, unbelievably cluttered and in places semi-derelict. Spooky? The best bit is the last – how do we escape? Through dark cellars and tunnels – is there light at the end?

Calke Abbey NT

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Outside Calke

On 03 Oct 201904 Oct 2019 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Sounds like “cork”… Wednesday – a fine a sunny day. It’ll be too wet underfoot for a walk – there’s been a good deal of heavy rain. How about a visit to Calke Abbey?

There’s a lot to see here – too much for a single visit. There are some splendid outbuildings and a wonderful walled garden – let’s take a look at those first…