It’s murky too – there’s not much light, but at least it’s dry. We’re walking from Benthall Hall, via Posenhall and Wyke to Benthall Edge. Just about everything in sight is on the warm side of the spectrum, from the rich browns of the toadstools to the gold of the leaves. Soon they’ll all be gone and we’ll be into winter.
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Walking from Corve Dale to Hope Dale, from Hungerford to Topley and back – some familiar ground and some new. It’s dry but gloomy – the sun’s trying to break through in the distance, but never quite succeeding here – we’re in the wrong place. The weather may be dull but the seasonal shades are eye-catching.
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…beside the Severn again. We walked this way in late September (see
Colemore Green and Astley Abbotts), when there was “plenty of increasingly-autumnal colour”. The season has moved on – most of the colour we enjoyed then has fallen to the ground, but there’s still no shortage of autumn shades in this quiet corner of Shropshire.
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We’re walking down to Blists Hill. “We could have lunch there. The fish and chip shop might be open”. It was – the aroma led us straight towards it. They were pretty good too, though I suspect a portion between us might have been sufficient. Our return journey will help to walk them off!
While we’re dining (al fresco) the little replica Trevithick steam locomotive is being driven up and down the track on the opposite bank of the canal. I’m not going to try while fingers are greasy, but as soon as we’ve finished… Inevitably, as soon as we’ve finished, and cleaned our fingers, the loco driver is ready for his lunch. We’ll wander on.
The visit to the toy shop in Ironbridge was planned in advance (a birthday is on the near horizon). We’ll make a walk of it – up the hill and past Woodside to pick up the path (a former plateway) beside the railway. Passing through the museum yard, the lights are on the tea shop – are we going to be tempted?
When we leave, the light has almost gone outside, and the Ironbridge shops have a welcoming appearance on this cold afternoon. A more successful outing than we’d anticipated!
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Enjoying some intermittent late-morning sunshine, with a walk down the lane to the top of the bank (and back). It’s a good place to pause and contemplate the view to the east, aided by a little chocolate…
… there’s colour in the woods, and there’s a splendid bank of toadstools beside the path back up the hill.
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Along Ned’s Lane, pale particles are sifting down through the trees. I should say from the trees… Larch needles, doing what they do in autumn, covering the path with a snow-like coating. Elsewhere, there are still plenty of toadstools, though most of the ‘Flying Erics’ are well past their best, and the puffballs have puffed!
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We ate out on Tuesday – outside the Tea Emporium in Ironbridge. The ambience for today’s lunch was on a different plane – nearly 1500ft above sea level, beside Boyne Water on Brown Clee. A bit draughty perhaps, and just a plain wooden plank to sit on, but much superior views – a great place to dine! A little later, we’re enjoying our second lunch (a fine tradition is developing in these parts…) – biscuits on the bench near the Five Springs. With the Brecon Beacons in view, 55 miles to the south-west, and Cader Idris (57 miles) peeping over the Long Mynd, the views are even better.
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When the sun shines at this time of year, it’s low and directional, restoring a dimension that’s lost in flat summer lighting. It brings out the colour too, and there’s no shortage of autumnal shades in the quiet country below the Wenlock Edge
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