A quiet hour in the afternoon, exploring the streets of Ludlow (and trying to keep the cars out of the photos…)
Author: geoffspages
Afternoon at Attingham
Friday – first “ordinary” day of the new year. Attingham’s always good for a gentle stroll, and it shouldn’t be too bad underfoot. We might see the deer too… They were anticipating their lunch as we passed, but rather than hang around, we wandered on around the perimeter of the parkland on the east bank of the Tern, getting back to the car a little before sunset.
Winter sun
There was still evidence of Saturday’s snow showers on the Stretton hills. We should have been out enjoying the conditions on Sunday, or yesterday, but other transport arrangements got in the way. No such problems today, and once again, the sun was bright and the frost hard – the mud on the path to Hope Bowdler was well-frozen. It’s the walk we did in November (“To the Battlestones“), though today we started from the parking space below the Gaer Stone. Most enjoyable it was too!
Coalport
Can’t stay in all day, but the weather’s poor and deteriorating… The China Museum at Coalport is worth exploring – the china is astonishing! (there are those who like it). We leave at about twenty to four – already it’s becoming dark, and the rain has turned to sleet – which turns to snow as we climb out of the valley.
Christmas Skies
Yesterday evening, as instructed at about twenty past five, we gazed into the western sky – and there it was, Santa’s sleigh, a brightly-lit object hurtling past the crescent moon and the stars. We tried the binoculars, to little effect – it just became a larger brightly-lit object. My son, on a seasonal visit, insisted that it was the International Space Station…
For the last daylight hour of Christmas Day, we took a stroll along the lanes for a much-needed leg stretch and breath of fresh air. It certainly was fresh, but once again the sky was mostly clear for a glowing sunset. Merry Christmas everyone!
Shrewsbury’s quieter paths
A Christmas Eve exploration – along quiet paths in Shrewsbury, within the loop of the river but away from the bustle and the traffic
More wandering – to the river and back
Another leg-stretch with the camera, this time down to Jackfield and along the old railway track as far as the cooling towers, then up onto Benthall Edge and back across the fields via Benthall Hall.
Over the iron bridge
We parked where the railway once ran, the site of Iron Bridge and Broseley station, crossed the bridge and climbed the steps up to the church, then followed the narrow roads beyond to the hilltop. Hodge Bower leads to Church Road and the descent into Coalbrookdale. At Dale End, demolition and excavation have revealed the remains of what appears to be an old water mill, and there’s a very short stretch of old wagonway track, a reminder of Shropshire’s pre-railway age network of primitive lines.
Wandering
I wasn’t certain where I was headed when I set out with the camera – perhaps the higher ground with a view to the west? There’s not much light at this time of year – some strong sunshine would have been good, but the clouds generally got the better of the sun. A cool and stiff breeze too, to blow away the cobwebs…
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