A cold morning

On 13 Apr 202613 Apr 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Sunny though, and the sunshine’s warm. There’s sunshine in the fields too – oilseed rape, not quite fully in bloom, but eye-catching in the landscape. We’re out fairly early (after a surprise overnight frost) – the clouds will build and there will be showers later.

We’ve been playing with AI recently, mainly to try (with some success) to revive some seriously faded old slides (dare I mention Agfa CT18 and Perutz?). It can also paint! “Please create a watercolour painting from this photo” – here’s the result, another way of looking at this morning’s outing

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A Shirlett Round

On 02 Apr 202602 Apr 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

More a wonky egg-shape perhaps…
…which begins up Round Hill, then along Shirlett Lane, cuts across the fields and join the lane past Hannigan’s Farm and the Hurst Farm pools. The Shirlett – Hannigan’s stretch always feels remote – a public footpath without a visible trodden way, well-hidden and possibly little-known. Perfect for a quiet walk on an equally perfect afternoon.

The bluebell season is about to begin...

... but the violets are out in profusion

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=366520&Y=296945&A=Y&Z=120

Out of the wind

On 30 Mar 202630 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

It’s bright and sunny, but there’s a biting wind. We won’t get the full benefit of the sunshine in Comer Woods, but it’s sheltered there, and it’s warm on our backs at times. It’s the first week of the school Easter holidays – lots of children out with mum and dad, or perhaps their grandparents – but we hadn’t realised so many dogs went to school. There are dozens of them today…

It's an Easter egg hunt (we couldn't find any)

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Humbersides

On 24 Mar 202624 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways...1 Comment

Yes, both sides of the estuary! It was a TPE half-price sale offer, which we’d spotted back in January – and planned for a date when the daylight hours would be reasonably long. Quite the round trip too! From Crewe, we travelled to Manchester, for a TransPennine Express service to Hull, via Leeds. A bus ride from Hull took us across the Humber Bridge to Barton-on-Humber, for a quick walk to the shore at Barton Haven. There’s just time to walk the half mile or so for a few quick photos, and back to the railway station for our train to Cleethorpes.

What does one do in Cleethorpes? Fish and chips, of course, and excellent they were too! One or two more photos, then a slightly earlier train back to Grimsby, where our TPE Cleethorpes to Liverpool train would pick us up and take us back to Stockport – nicely in time for our intended train back to Crewe. A great day out – all the trains on time, everything gone precisely to plan!

1st class refreshments: Manchester Victoria

Hull Trains' 'The Humber Bridge' at Hull Paragon

... with a great view of the Humber bridge

Barton on Humber - train for Cleethorpes

And so it continues…

On 21 Mar 202621 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Once again: dry sunny weather, pleasant temperatures, no wind… It can’t last, so we’ll make the most of the afternoon with a walk, from the NT car park at Benthall Hall to the hamlet of Wyke. It’s a good circular amble. The first mile or so via Posenhall is along surfaced roads, but then we take to the field paths to Wyke (really quiet!), and continue past the Vineyards back to Benthall.

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First comma

On 19 Mar 202621 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Nothing to do with punctuation (apart from the obvious little mark on the back of its wings). Simply, the weather has warmed up and the butterflies are beginning to appear. This year’s first comma was in Bould Lane – and in Britons Lane, we found the first toothwort we seen in 2026. It was much earlier last year – has it been a cold spring? Perhaps, but not during the past few days…

... but this is our first toothwort of 2026

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Sausage rolls 0, adders 1

On 19 Mar 202619 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, WalksLeave a comment

Wednesday 18 March: Cannock Chase on a beautiful clear blue sky day: we’ll walk to the visitor centre, where we can have a drink and a bite to eat – a sausage roll perhaps? Sadly, the fine weather has meant stocks are depleted – just toasted sandwiches and a selection of cakes. Disappointment maybe, but not a disaster. On our way back – “Stop! Look!” – there’s an adder, unconcernedly making its way across the path between us. There’s barely time for one hurried photo before it’s gone into the undergrowth, still visible but not photographable (and it’s perhaps wise not to harass it). Definitely a highlight on this very enjoyable wander!

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Walking to Willey

On 17 Mar 202619 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

St Patrick’s Day – and a beautiful day it is too! No shamrocks, but plenty of signs of the developing season in the quiet fields and lanes. The fields are drying out too – no awful unavoidable mud anywhere – and it’s pleasantly warm – no gloves, hat or heavy jacket today. It would be a crime to stay indoors!

There'll be blackberries later in the year

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Ten at 10.00

On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Once again, we’re making the best of some fine weather – there could be some heavy showers later (there were!). Once again, it’s that symmetrical walk (see the map). More to the point, it’s a fine airy stroll, ideal on a morning like this – cold air, warm sunshine

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To Kenley ridge

On 11 Mar 202611 Mar 2026 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Via Harnage Grange – a leg stretch on a bright and breezy day. It’s colourful too – new leaves appearing, and more firsts – first violets, first stitchwort. It’s very pleasant in this quiet countryside below Wenlock Edge.