Attingham’s cool!

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.

Attingham Park NT

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355590&Y=310167&A=Y&Z=120

Shugborough

Thursday 12 May: Staffordshire – a walk from the Satnall Hills car park, near Milford, through the Shugborough estate to find draught Bass in Great Haywood (no, it doesn’t look like rain! The weather’s better than expected too!). We return beside a tranquil stretch of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal to complete a circuit full of interest.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=398720&Y=321695&A=Y&Z=120

To the bridge

We need to walk down to Ironbridge to buy some cards, apparently. We’ll go this morning, as there’s a chance of a shower this afternoon (again! It is April, of course). I’ll take the camera…

One of the photos below depicts some old brickwork, topped by steel sculpture. Only very recently (after more than 40 years of walking past it) I discovered that it was the southernmost support of the former railway station footbridge, which spanned the road alongside as well as the tracks. There’s always something of interest to discover!

Snowdrops, knitting and deer

We need to visit Shrewsbury in the early afternoon – a visit to Attingham afterwards would be good. The snowdrops will be out! Nearby, the bothy is full of knitted people whose homes in the woodland came crashing down in the storms (apparently…). They seem to be having fun – there’s a tea party in progress. Out in the park, the deer have been having a party too – they’ve had their 3pm winter feed, and are now taking it easy.

Attingham Park NT

Fish and chips

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.

Blists Hill Victorian Town