Scenes from the walled garden at Attingham Park (and a walk around the park afterwards).
Category: NT and EH
National Trust, English Heritage, museums etc.
July at Blists Hill
A showery day – perhaps not ideal for a long walk. How about Blists Hill? – we haven’t been there for a while, and there’s plenty of shelter if it rains. (It didn’t…)
Ryedale Ruins
Sunday afternoon: we’re visiting Rievaulx Abbey, in the quiet valley just a couple of miles from the summer bustle of Helmsley. There’s some dark cloud around, and the chance of a shower – if we carry the brolly we won’t need it. I’d been here before, many years ago, but had forgotten just how substantial and extensive these ruins are – as were the cakes and scones at the cafe…
Rievaulx Abbey (English Heritage)
No, we didn’t need the brolly…
Two sunny afternoons
They’re too good to waste! Bright sunshine, fluffy clouds, not too warm – ideal for wandering.
Wednesday: To Benthall Edge and Hall (tea and cake)
Thursday: Long Mynd. A route we’ve done many times, starting from the Cardingmill valley and ascending via the Lightspout (hoardes of schoolchildren – it’s peak field trip season). Beyond the waterfall it’s quiet – just the sheep and the hill ponies to accompany us to Pole Bank. We return along the ridge to Townbrook Valley, a pleasant path to take us back to the start.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343005&Y=294546&A=Y&Z=120
Berrington
We needed to pay a brief visit to Leominster, and would require lunch later. How about Berrington Hall?
Stokesay – swallows and kites
Not walking today – just enjoying the warm sunshine at Stokesay Castle. The swallows are building their nests in the ceilings of the ancient building, and over by the main road, a red kite is wheeling, almost at rooftop level.
Stokesay Castle (English Heritage)
Snowdropping
“We need to go and see the snowdrops at Attingham”. Yes, I suppose we do, and it looks like being rainy tomorrow and Friday. They are worth seeing, and there will perhaps be tea and cake afterwards. The snowdrop woods are busy – it’s half-term, and there are lots of kids-and-grandparents out today. They’re not really interested in the snowdrops, but that familiar shrill chatter is evidence that they are enjoying their outing (I’m referring to the kids, of course). We continue beyond the snowdrop woods to follow the park perimeter path, and it’s much quieter, perhaps because there’s a crocodile in the swamp. A gap in the trees reveals, perhaps 1km distant, a Roman villa. Is reality on the blink again?
Tiles
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…
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.
