Just photos – no particular theme
20 August: Though the weather is sub-optimal, the scenery’s still good (rather soggy underfoot…). Instead of our usual coastal haunts, this was an inland exploration – the sea is barely a mile away, but mostly out of sight in this remote and quiet riverside beneath Skye’s Trotternish ridge.
Sunshine after rain… A wander around Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire.
A stroll along the bank of the Montgomery canal, a formerly dry section that has only relatively recently been restored. It’s connected to the national network at Frankton Junction, and is in water as far as Redwith Bridge, on the Knockin to Llynclys road. It’s navigable as far as Gronwen Wharf; the next stretch to Redwith Bridge is clearly appreciated by the numerous moorhens, ducks, swans and others. Beyond, work is in progress to extend the navigable waters, though it looks to be a slow job.
Canal Central is a good place to start the walk – it’s an even better place to end…
A short walk on the southern part of the Long Mynd, along the cutely-named Starboard Way past the gliding field. The paragliders (is that what they’re called?) are in the ascendancy (so to speak) these days – dozens of them wheeling above the steep western slope, and just two or three hang gliders. The conventional gliders were being winched up at regular intervals too. The large white butterfly behaved itself for a photo, but none of the many peacocks were cooperative, so no photos. Then, by the pool, we startled a dragonfly, which, when it landed again, got on with the business of laying its eggs (we think…).
Flying things notwithstanding, it was a good afternoon for a wander on the Shropshire hills – the air was clear, with views extending to Cadair Idris, some 45 miles distant on the western horizon.
A walk from the weir to the Quarry, where Percy Thrower’s Dingle is almost certainly at its very best, just two days before Shrewsbury’s flower show.
We’re wandering in the north-western corner of Herefordshire. Wigmore Castle is unusual in that it hasn’t been tidied-up in its derelict state – rambling and colourful undergrowth rather than manicured lawns. Just the place for the Famous Five, or was it the Secret Seven, to have an adventure. Yes, they turned up, complete with dog.
The Shobdon Arches form a folly on the hillside, some remains from the interior of the old church which was replaced more than 250 years ago. Sadly, the stone carvings are suffering from the weather.
In the company of those who aren’t really up to some our more energetic outings, a wander around the gardens will have to do. There’s plenty to point the camera at, even though it’s firmly in the “sunsets, kittens and flowers” category.
The first few are taken beside the Severn in Ironbridge; then it’s a visit to The Dingle near Welshpool, and finally David Austin Roses at Albrighton. Like everything else, the roses are late into bloom this year.
Retracing our steps around Benthall (see Benthall Bluebells) – the bluebells are out now, four to five weeks late if the newspapers are to be believed.
Eustace Beard was a trowman (an 18th century equivalent of Eddie Stobart perhaps), as recorded on his cast-iron gravestone outside Benthall church. The broken anchors cast into the corners indicates that he is no longer trading…
“Day return to Barmouth, please” – but we’ll leave the train, on the outward journey, at Llwyngwril, a request stop a little way down the coast. The one-year-old Wales Coastal Path takes us over hill lanes where a red kite quarters the ground. Standing stones and other antiquities suggest it’s an ancient route. We drop down to Morfa Mawddach, where a triangular railway junction once connected the Cambrian coast line to the long-gone line to Dolgellau and, ultimately, Llangollen and Ruabon. The Coastal Path descends to Fairbourne before skirting the estuary to the Bridge – but the path is closed where coastal defence work is ongoing, and my companion suggests a route that follows the disused railway for a little way inland, before cutting across the marshes (the path is dry) to the unlikely row of houses at Mawddach Terrace.
The long wooden trestle that is Barmouth Bridge carries the railway and, alongside, a footpath and cycleway with extensive views inland. Once over, all we need is a little refreshment before joining the train for the long but scenic journey home.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=259905&Y=285170&A=Y&Z=126
A walk up the lane from the National Trust car park in Much Wenlock – to see if the orchids were out… They were – and they weren’t on their own. (I’ve no idea what the orange blobs are in the last photo – we thought they were some kind of tiny fungi, hardly bigger than match heads – but looking more closely at the photo, they seem to be growing on the moss itself)
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