Walking in woodland, however pleasant it may be, would be a waste of a sunny day – but it’s not, it’s cloudy. We’re off to Comer Woods!
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Bedlam is where we park the car! We’re walking up to Madeley, looking at some of the buildings which serve as a reminder of the area’s history. We head back past the All Nations, then follow the former railway track down to Coalport. The footbridge takes us back to the south bank, which we’ll follow through Jackfield before re-crossing on the Free Bridge and returning to Bedlam.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=368850&Y=303680&A=Y&Z=120
We need to visit Shrewsbury in the early afternoon – a visit to Attingham afterwards would be good. The snowdrops will be out! Nearby, the bothy is full of knitted people whose homes in the woodland came crashing down in the storms (apparently…). They seem to be having fun – there’s a tea party in progress. Out in the park, the deer have been having a party too – they’ve had their 3pm winter feed, and are now taking it easy.
It might have been ‘Silhouettes’ – but happily the sun came out. With a cold wind and fairly frequent showers, we were chancing it this afternoon, but we needed a leg stretch and a breath of fresh air. We certainly got the latter!
Sunshine and showers! We weren’t expecting the latter, though they were little more than spots – or were they snowflakes? – in the wind. It’s a cold afternoon, but it’s mostly uphill to start with, so we’re soon warm – and it’s downhill all the way from Church Preen, back to the start.
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It was touch and go along the path from the hall to Wyke Lane – deep mud and dodgy detours. We’ll have to go the longer way round, along the road, next time. On the lane to Wyke we heard a plover (“pee-wit, pee-wit”). It’s fine underfoot now (and the light is lovely) – until we get to the edge path, where dying ash trees are being cleared, and what used to be a winding path through the wood is a wide track for the tree-cutting machinery. Oh dear! Further along it’s fine, and we follow the usual ways to the chocolate seat, before cutting back to the lanes and paths across the fields, to return to Benthall Hall where we started.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365525&Y=302445&A=Y&Z=120
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