Too warm for wandering around the grounds – but it should be pleasantly cool indoors. Afterwards, if we can find somewhere to sit in the shade, an ice cream could be good…
Category: NT and EH
National Trust, English Heritage, museums etc.
Hanbury – out of doors
Thursday 25 July: We’ve explored the hall; now we’re going to wander around the grounds, in an effort to work up an appetite for ice creams… (very good they were too!)
Lunch at Hanbury
…before rediscovering the interior of Hanbury Hall (we’ve been before, but not for a while). The lunch was light – a sausage bap and a bacon bap between us – but the hall was full of interest (I’d hate to have to do the housework – the dusting must be a nightmare!)
Newhailes
It’s a National Trust for Scotland house and estate near Musselburgh, not far from the Forth shore between Joppa and the old harbour at Fisherrow. There’s a rather fine play area for small people, “Weehailes”, with well-placed picnic benches for mums, dads and grandparents… Sadly, the latter are just a bit too old for the play equipment (it does look fun!) – a walk through the estate to the shore and back will have to suffice for them…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=332724&Y=672644&A=Y&Z=115
Dudmaston in June
Wandering around the estate a few miles south of Bridgnorth. It’s a varied route – woodland, asparagus fields, parkland and lake, and all very pleasant on this fine afternoon.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=374655&Y=288930&A=Y&Z=120
Ditches on the skyline
We’re in quiet south-west Shropshire today, walking in the woods to finish up at Bury Ditches, a fine hill fort with extensive views over the surrounding countryside. Under a clear blue sky and in strong sunshine, it’s very pleasant to walk in the cool air on the fringes of the woodland, where conifers give way to deciduous trees, the sunshine dappling the pathways. The day’s high point in every sense is the fort, where a clear path winds along the rim of the main earthwork, through heather and glowing broom. Finally, a short straight path leads back down to the start.
Bury Ditches (Forestry England)
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=332435&Y=283195&A=Y&Z=120
An Attingham amble
The paths should be dry… It’s not warm – we won’t hang around – but there’s some pleasant sunshine from time to time, and it’s sheltered in the walled garden (I suppose it would be…). The woodland is attractive too, well-covered now in fresh spring greenery.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355090&Y=310005&A=Y&Z=120
Colour on a grey day
A wander with the camera around Blists Hill Victorian Town – a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
Christmas is coming…
That’s my guess, based on the number of Christmas trees at Attingham Park. We’re there for a wander, one that won’t get us seriously muddy. Hadn’t expected all the trees (which nevertheless are great fun!). The first is rather unconventional, to say the least. Others are more easily recognised. We’re rather taken by the piggy baubles, and as the Three Bears… There’s no sign of any porridge though – the (pine?) Shrewsbury biscuits and the (plywood?) layer cake look much more tempting.
The previous King Charles
Lunch at, and a quick wander round Moseley Old Hall near Wolverhampton. King Charles II famously hid in an oak tree at Boscobel – and having avoided discovery there, found his way to Moseley, where he was able to hide in a priest hole. It’s an interesting place in which to spend an hour or so (the Cornish pasties were good too…)
geoffspages.blog 