Author: geoffspages

A dry afternoon?

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

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!”)

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=365265&Y=301021&A=Y&Z=120

Light at the end of the day

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

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.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=365370&Y=302370&A=Y&Z=120

Top of the bank

On By geoffspagesIn PhotographyLeave a comment

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

On By geoffspagesIn PhotographyLeave a comment

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).

Kenley ridge

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

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.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=356695&Y=301410&A=Y&Z=120

Down to Coalport

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It’s a regular destination for a good leg-stretch. Today we’ll walk up into Broseley and Broseley Wood, down ‘the slip’ and through Jackfield, then over the footbridge to the Coalport canal bank, where the sun is shining brightly. In better times (and in season) there would be tea and cake at the YHA café; today we’ll make do with the chocolate we brought with us (it’s what camera bags are for). We’ll need the energy to get back up the hill from the old railway line – and by then, the light is fading.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=368985&Y=301665&A=Y&Z=120

One misty moisty morning…

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

… we stayed at home. It’s not much less misty in the afternoon, but we need a leg-stretch – didn’t get out yesterday (far too moisty!). It’s grey along Shirlett Lane (it feels grey!) but there’s lots of colour in the woods, most of it on the warm side of the spectrum. There are still some colourful autumn leaves, but very few of them are on the trees. They’re mostly lining the road and the paths (hiding the deep muddy holes!). It feels brighter down by the Smithies – is the sun going to come out? No – it’s just as misty and moisty on Shirlett Lane as it was earlier, and though it’s only 3.40 pm, it’s beginning to get dark when we arrive back at the car.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=366345&Y=297885&A=Y&Z=120