Author: geoffspages

Orchids galore

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

The wild rose is in bloom now, and very attractive it is, with almost-white and decidedly pink specimens. I’m wandering near Benthall Hall on a fine June afternoon. There’s woody nightshade beside the pool, and several orchids (common spotted) in the grass nearby. In the meadow beyond, there are several more amongst the buttercups and daisies. Then, in the scrubby grassland beyond, there are many more – a clump of several large heads catches my eye – and finally there’s a patch of maybe a hundred flower heads. Quite a sight!

The fields here are in the care of the National Trust, part of the Benthall Hall estate.

Morville to Broseley

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

“If we go to Wenlock on the bus, we can take a Shrewsbury – Bridgnorth bus as far as Morville, and walk back”…  True, though the bus from Shrewsbury was more than 20 minutes late – we nearly gave up (I blame the ongoing road works in Shrewsbury – no fun at all). We’ve walked most of the constituent parts of this route on previous occasions, but never joined them together. It’s very pleasant wandering on this warm 1st June afternoon, and once we’re away from the main road at Morville, it’s very quiet too. Most enjoyable!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367450&Y=297876&A=Y&Z=120

Royal Oak

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Thurs. 25 May: a visit to Boscobel House. It’s where King Charles I hid in the oak tree in 1651. The oak’s no longer with us, but a descendent is there for visiting. It’s looking decidedly tired, though beside it stands its successor, grown from one of its acorns and planted there 350 years later by the chap who may one day be King Charles III. We have to bide our time outdoors, until a guided tour has finished, and then we can explore this interesting old house.

Boscobel House (English Heritage)

Last of the Early Purple

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Weds. 24 May: the month seems to have passed by rather quickly. We’ve usually been up to the Wenlock Edge by now, to see how the orchids are doing. But we’ve left it late – they’re not doing, they’re done, more-or-less. There are usually lots on the hillside amongst the bluebells, which are history now, though there are still one or two orchid stragglers – late early purple, perhaps. Orchids or not, it’s a perfect May afternoon.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=361490&Y=300371&A=Y&Z=120

Flying Scotsman

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways..., VideoLeave a comment

Fri. 19 May: 60103 “Flying Scotsman” is due to haul “The Cathedrals Express” south from Shrewsbury. I’d better go and see that. It’s a day of sunny intervals – there’s plenty of blue sky, but quite a lot of cloud too. These trains can sometime run a little late – but not on this occasion. It was one or two minutes early through All Stretton, which was a great pity – if it had been on time, the sun would have been shining…

Staffordshire Centenarians

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100 years old: Stanhope

Sun. 14 May – a birthday celebration in Staffordshire. Stanhope and Diana are both 100 this year; their friends Joffre and no 9, also actively attending, are 101 years old. Roger will be 100 next year – and his little friend Jennie is just 12 years old… Yes, it’s the Apedale “Stanhope” gala weekend. For more pictures, and (a little) more on the day’s events, visit “More Birthdays at Apedale” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.

Steam in the streets

On By geoffspagesIn Photography2 Comments

Sat. 13 May: as part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, around 30 steam road vehicles – traction engines, steam rollers, steam lorries – have assembled at Blists Hill – and at 10am, they’re off to explore the local roads. They’ll be coming up Bridge Road into Broseley, down the High Street, then down the Ironbridge Road and off to the Half Moon for lunch. At 2pm, they’re off again, past Craven Dunnill’s, over the level crossing (it’s an awfully long time since so many steam engines crossed here!), past the Black Swan and back across the river. I’d better get out with the camera – record this wonderful one-off event, and perhaps incorporate some of the local landmarks to complete the picture.