It’s a dull day – apart from an hour or so of brightness around 2pm. Perfect timing! We’ll take a walk along to the end of Red Lane where, as we turn back, the clouds begin to gather again.
Ned’s Lane in late November
We’ve missed the best part of the day – the sun’s still shining but the clouds are gathering. It should stay dry though, and as ever it’s good to be out in the woods and quiet lanes.
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Chatwall and Enchmarsh
Walking from Cardington, along quiet lanes (and a diversion across the fields on our return down the lane from Willstone, as the road’s closed and blocked at the ford). It’s a fine day, with lots of blue sky, cold but hardly any wind – and there’s a dry and well-placed bench on Yell Bank, for a mini-lunch break with a wonderful view – perfect!
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There and back again
Hurst Farm – along the lane. We’d thought of the route across the field, past Shore Pool, but there’s a new crop coming up and the path hasn’t been restored yet. Similarly, we could have kept going from the end of the track to make a circular walk via Shirlett Lane. Another day, perhaps – it’s looking gloomy and there’s rain on the way…
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A dry afternoon?
It began that way – <5% chance of rain, they said. It’s cold, clear and breezy, lots of blue sky, hardly any cloud – at first. The sky’s still blue at Wyke, but twenty minutes later, at Posenhall, the cloud is building dramatically. The Wrekin begins to fade – will we make it back to the car? It holds off; for just a few moments, there’s a sunshine searchlight – then the first few drops fall. We’d better not hang around, though I’ll need to record the rapidly-changing scene… (“Come on, hurry up!”)
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Light at the end of the day
The day’s showery, blustery rain should finish around 3pm, according to the Met. Office. Sure enough, the rain has stopped, the sky is clearing. A walk from Benthall Hall, along the road to Posenhall, then the lane to Wyke, should provide us with some late sunshine. If we then walk through the woods (it’s getting dark in here!) and along the farm track back to the hall, we should see a Stretton hills sunset? Sadly no – the sun’s gone behind a bank of cloud. Another time perhaps.
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Top of the bank
That’s as far as we’ll go today – beyond, the lane drops steeply towards the river. It’s a good place to stop for a minute or two, to survey the scene before heading for home again. Today’s bonus is the light: the forecast heavy cloud is with us, but gaps in that cloud are letting the light through, and the air is clear. Much better than expected!
Toadstools
It’s dull. Heavy grey cloud, flat lighting (‘lighting’ is not the best word to use) – and the Met Office’s rainfall radar says it was raining (admittedly at the rate of between 0.01 and 0.5mm per hour, which hardly counts) all the time we were out. We can’t have been paying attention. Anyway, the camera stayed in its bag – apart from snapping these toadstools at the chocolate stop. One of us thinks they look like bread rolls (the toadstools, that is).
Rain in the lane
It rained heavily in the early hours, and there could be heavy showers today. We just missed one – and timed the lengthy ‘sunny interval’ to perfection. The hedges along Shirlett lane have been trimmed – there are new views!
Kenley ridge
Once again, we’re keeping to the surfaced lanes – they’re pretty quiet in these parts. Sadly, the morning’s sunshine is gone. There were going to be “sunny intervals” throughout the afternoon: we must have been in the wrong place. Similarly, <5% chance of rain. Hmm (it didn’t rain heavily, and only for about 10 minutes). Nevertheless, it’s very pleasant to be out and about.
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