Author: geoffspages

Snow on the Wrekin

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It’s not a very high peak, but snow on top made the Wrekin look most inviting. I accepted! It’s cold today –  lower down, on the northern slopes, the mud on the path was frozen hard. Higher up, the snow had been well trodden and polished, and the path was treacherous. The antics of descending walkers persuaded me to continue over the top and down through the trees towards Little Hill, to return through the woodland. The sun, which had sneaked behind a patch of cloud, came back out and shone brightly again once I was well into the forest. There’s no snow down here, and the air has been warmed a little – there’s serious mud…

MapView OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=362970&Y=308206&A=Y&Z=120

S for Shrewsbury

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Walks4 Comments

Should we be up on the hills in the snow? It’s a bright but cold afternoon, with a biting wind – perhaps something a bit more sheltered. We decided on a walk beside the Severn in Shrewsbury, a route that in my mind was roughly S-shaped. Looking at the map afterwards, it’s a bit more than an “S” – not sure how to describe it. Inevitably, though the sky was mostly blue, the sun spent much of its time behind a (relatively small) bank of cloud.

MapView OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=349224&Y=312694&A=Y&Z=115&ax=349252&ay=312687

The Aqueduct

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Walks2 Comments

A district of Telford is named after the c1792 sandstone bridge built to carry the western branch of the Shropshire Canal over the turnpike road. Both are long redundant, but their courses remain. Though we’d driven through the area very many times, we’d never sought out the structure – perhaps we ought to go and have a look? Sadly, it’s in need of renovation, and much of it is hidden behind corrugated steel sheets. We walked there from the “coke hearth” at the top of Coalbrookdale, along the trackbed of a pre-railway age tramway, with beside us the railway which still carries fuel to the power station. We left this route where it was once crossed by the Coalport branch line, following the latter a short way to the aqueduct. Now our route would follow, on and off, the canal – to a point where it was crossed by a wagonway – another ancient bridge with a plaque to confirm the fact, though its construction date seems to be unknown. Whatever its age, it made an excellent spot to shelter from a sudden sharp flurry of snow… We returned to the car along rough lanes before descending once again to the wagonway beside the railway. Most of our walk had been on, or beside, ancient transport routes, mostly unseen and unknown by today’s road users.

Map
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367995&Y=305276&A=Y&Z=120

Tiles

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography1 Comment

Many tiles – more than the mind can comfortably comprehend… We’re wandering around the museum at the former Craven Dunnill tile factory in Jackfield (part of the Ironbridge Gorge museum). There’s a new gallery open, displaying the John Scott collection. There are some wonderful colourful designs (and some hideous Victorian monstrosities!), but there’s far too much to take in in a single visit. Tile overload! We’ll have to come again…

Jackfield Tile Museum IGMT

January on the Mynd

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks2 Comments

We’ve done it many times, always with subtle variations. The afternoon was too good to waste – leaving the car in the Carding Mill Valley, we walked up Townbrook Valley onto the ridge and on to Pole Bank. The air was growing cold as we headed back towards Mott’s Road; if we’d done this a month ago, it would have been dark by the time we got back to the car.

Map

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343320&Y=294676&A=Y&Z=120

Clee Murk

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

Thursday: there was a chance that the sun might break through later in the afternoon – it was trying when we left home. It failed – though sunbeams to the south showed success elsewhere. It was cold on Clee Hill, with patches of snow, and the views weren’t great – the hills beyond Ludlow more sensed than seen. It’s not pretty up here – a bleak landscape, with much evidence of past industrial activity. But it’s atmospheric today, and the old workings are interesting. We started out from Clee Hill village, past the noisy working quarry, and headed north-eastwards to Magpie Hill. Our return was by Random Farm and the three-forked pole (see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/607144), descending from Hoar Edge (and its frost…) to the Titterstone road. From the top of the old incline, we followed the route of the railway (more industrial evidence) back towards the car. An enjoyable afternoon.

MapView OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360005&Y=276536&A=Y&Z=120

Munslow Mud

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks2 Comments

Saturday afternoon: we’re out on the Wenlock Edge, enjoying some winter sunshine. There was a moderate sprinkling of snow at home – perhaps there would be a bit more up on the edge? No such luck – just an occasional dusting to prove we were in the same county. Sadly, one or two short stretches of the (public foot)path have been deeply churned by tractor tyres and are almost unwalkable. In fact they are unwalkable. The only progress that can be made – very cautious hedge-hanging, slithering and clambering out of one rut into another – cannot be described as walking. We’ve walked these same paths and tracks in previous winters, and one or two stretches can get a bit sticky, but now they’re seriously damaged. (Did the local farmer get a new tractor for Christmas? One of those really huge, heavy monsters that completely fill the lanes? I hope it came with a rut-filling attachment…)

Calm before…

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

…the high winds and heavy rain, forecast for tomorrow. It wasn’t completely calm today – there was a light breeze, and it was pleasant to be out in the country to the south of Shrewsbury. Lyth Hill is a tremendous viewpoint for the Shropshire hills – it’s also a popular spot for the dog-walkers. We left them behind as we descended towards Exfords Green, past the venison farm. By the time we got back to the car, the day was changing…

MapOr view OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=346640&Y=306321&A=Y&Z=120