Water under the bridge

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Rather a lot of it… Mostly Welsh water, this – the rain hasn’t been especially heavy here in Shropshire. The “big bends” near Leighton are almost invisible – look carefully to see the current in the normal river bed. It’s the same at Cressage bridge – the flood plain is a lake, and if the water rises another inch or two, it will be over the road. Flooding here is not uncommon, but this could be the last opportunity to see the disused power station above the waters. Perhaps, in some way, that’s symbolic.

Walking on a windy day

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Willey and Linley: we walked this way before Christmas (see “The depth of December“) – a route which was good underfoot when the fields were soggy. After last night’s heavy rain, the field paths will again be worth avoiding. It’s cold, and with a strong westerly wind, a bit of shelter would be good too. So we’re returning to the quiet roads linking these hamlets, stretching our legs and making most of the (fitful) sunny intervals – the sun is pleasantly warm when it’s allowed to shine. (Just for variety, we’re doing it clockwise – last time, we walked widdershins)

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367450&Y=297861&A=Y&Z=120

A Tale of Four Bridges

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

There’s a cold wind, but it should stay dry. Maybe there’s a chance of some sunshine? Not really – certainly none of the deep blue that we had between the morning’s sharp showers. Down in the valley, walking between Ironbridge and the Coalport bridge, it’s sheltered and pleasant enough. To avoid what would have been a very muddy path, we’re crossing the Severn twice more – using the Jackfield memorial footbridge and lastly, the new “Free Bridge” – that’s four metal bridges in a row, all significant in their own way.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=368630&Y=302741&A=Y&Z=120

Rails and pools

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, WalksLeave a comment

Wednesday 27 Feb: We’re enjoying the last day of the warm sunny spell, walking from the top of Coalbrookdale to the pools at Dawley, in part following the route of old pre-railway age wagonways. We’ll cross (on public footpaths) some real railways too – the disused line to the power station and the soon-to-be-reconstructed line from Horsehay. The various pools, dating from the same era as the wagonways, are likewise associated with the early iron-making industry in these parts. They look pleasantly rural in the bright sunshine.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367790&Y=305706&A=Y&Z=120