We walked this way in early March (see Roaming around Rindleford) – the air was clear and cold, the spring vegetation just beginning to appear. At the end of July, it’s a different scene – warm, grey, flat lighting – and truly a jungle on the descent to Batch Lane. Similarities: the route; the quiet surroundings…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=373850&Y=295125&A=Y&Z=120
Wednesday afternoon – a lazy walk from Dudmaston taking in the cool Comer woodland, the asparagus farm and the ‘Big Pool’ lakeside. In the grounds of the house are some large colourful artwork panels, depicting various fauna and flora. One last call, before we set off home: ice cream in the orchard…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=374910&Y=288890&A=Y&Z=120
Tuesday 26 July: we’re off on a fairly leisurely day out, by rail to Buxton (a pleasantly scenic journey), then to New Mills, where (as well as lunch) we’ll find, if we can, the Millennium Walkway. It’s rather spectacular! A hidden gem, which I suppose is inevitable, given that it’s in a gorge. The photos below may give a flavour of our day; for more rail photos, and more on the journey, visit ‘Buxton and New Mills‘ on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
View OS map of New Mills on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=399597&Y=385020&A=Y&Z=115
Familiar ground, but today a slightly different route: up the (very quiet) road to Harnage, go round the back by the rough lane, walk a little further along the road, then follow the footpath past the pools and beside the wood as far as the Coundmoor Brook ford. Now we’re heading back, beside the brook for much of the way. The season’s first blackberries – just a few – are ripe, but they’d been eaten before I could take a photo! The light for today’s photos isn’t exactly spectacular, but it’s very pleasant and very quiet along these byways.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355890&Y=304025&A=Y&Z=120
It wasn’t our first choice – but when we arrived at our intended start, there was a fine drizzle which looked likely to keep up for some time. Perhaps it will be dry on the other side of Wenlock Edge? (Perhaps Tigger’s Ickle Shop will have some cakes?) Yes! The Corvedale fields look ready for harvesting, and here and there are hints (ripening berries and a few yellowing leaves) of the autumn to come
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=354120&Y=288725&A=Y&Z=120
Friday: it’s not warm – 18C or thereabouts – but the humidity soon makes it feel warm. It’s hazy too – the hills are watercolour shades on the horizon. After the recent dry hot weather, today’s rain was very welcome. It’s dry now, but is there more on the way? In the last quarter-mile, it’s starting again – we won’t hang around…
Certainly much cooler than the last few days! My last post was on Saturday – since then, it’s been too hot for outdoor activity (it’s been too hot for any activity! It’s possible that readers elsewhere in the world may have noticed that a maximum temperature exceeding 40C was recorded yesterday, for the first time in the UK). It’s barely exceeded 20C today, and a wander around Attingham Park’s parched grassland was very pleasant. The walled garden seems to have survived the heat – still plenty of colour, and some of the fruit crops look rather tempting.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355590&Y=310167&A=Y&Z=120
The air’s still quite cool when we start out, heading up Round Hill. It’s shady here, and in Ned’s Lane. By the time we’re looking over to the dead tree from Bould Lane, the sun’s starting to feel quite warm. We’ve timed it nicely for this little outing.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367105&Y=297810&A=Y&Z=120
Starting and finishing through the shady Chestnut Coppice, we’re walking down the old Severn valley railway track as far as Bridgnorth golf course, then back along the riverside path. The latter follows the riverbank pretty closely, but the river is only occasionally visible through the jungle of vegetation on the bank, through the fishing access points. It’s a pleasant afternoon with a light cooling breeze; the cool air of the coppice is very welcome too.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=371965&Y=296470&A=Y&Z=120
Warm though – nothing too energetic. A walk down the lane to Coalport should be pleasant, and there’s a cool and shady path on our way home. There’s little to see in the landscape, but some interesting detail close by.
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