Month: September 2020

Lunch at the Packetstone

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Tuesday 29 September: another day that’s too good to waste! We’re ready early, so we’ll take a mini-picnic and find somewhere suitable to eat it. Perhaps Pole Bank? Perhaps not – it’s crowded! (That’s a relative term. There were perhaps 20 other people, plus bikes, dogs etc) We’ll keep going! Our original intention was to walk to the Packetstone, out on the ridge between Callow Hollow and Minton Batch, and it was there that we found dry, if not especially comfortable rocks to sit on. A picnic place with a wonderful view!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=341830&Y=292570&A=Y&Z=120

Is this a grey day?

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Seems to be. I’ll go for b&w. Inevitably, and despite the forecast, the sun decides to shine (for a while), and the camera switches itself to colour mode. Perhaps it’s trying to tell me something? For the purpose of these pictures, I’ll stick with plan A. It’s Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale, staying with the quieter, less-frequented ways.

Borderlands

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

From Black Pool car park, up through the forest to High Vinnals, then out across the top of Hanway Common and down to Richard’s Castle (or what’s left of it), partly in Shropshire and part in Herefordshire. We walked this way about 18 months ago, on a fine, bright spring day (see “High Vinnals and Richard’s Castle“). Today’s a fine, bright autumn day, and it’s good to be out once more on these hills. High Vinnals is no great height (375m / 1230ft) but it’s a wonderful viewpoint, offering a tremendous panorama of the Welsh border country.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=348480&Y=271266&A=Y&Z=120

Spring in autumn

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The harvest has taken the barley that was growing in these fields. The land has been ploughed, harrowed and re-sown – and next year’s wheat or barley (hard to tell at this stage) is starting to come up. There’s the green sheen of spring in this early autumn landscape! In the hedgerows, the season is more obvious.

View OS map on Streetmap https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367540&Y=298191&A=Y&Z=120

Stretton Westwood

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

We walked this way two months ago, trying some new (to us) paths on the Wenlock Edge, just a couple of miles from Much Wenlock, We’re extending the route a little today, which adds distance but not much more interest. It’s a hazy day; despite the clear blue sky and sunshine, July’s colours are long gone, and the autumn leaves are still mostly ahead of us. Nevertheless, it’s good to be out – infinitely more enjoyable than long drives down busy motorways…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360205&Y=297700&A=Y&Z=120