The old station
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

A stroll up Coalbrookdale on a reasonably pleasant afternoon – first photos of the new year. First stop – the former railway station.

Yes, it did get rather dark – in fact, at 8.30pm, a couple of days before midsummer, it was like night. The camera was struggling – 1/20 @ f:8, ISO1600… (the photos are “as taken” – no tweaking)

By Wednesday morning, the damage was done – Hampton Loade, just a few miles down the Severn Valley, was cut off, its only road washed out, and the SVR’s tracks suspended in space above washed-out embankments. To quote the SVR website, “from Bridgnorth Outer Home Signal to Northwood Halt … sections of the line have been subjected to landslips, with several sections of track left suspended in air, cuttings filled with debris and at Highley, a major landslip, with the Up Starter Signal washed away, down the embankment.” The SVR has launched an appeal for funds and practical help.

The red kites of mid-Wales are a real success story. Down to single numbers of breeding pairs – as few as two or three at times –  in the 1920s and 30s, there are now hundreds – and introduced populations are thriving elsewhere in the UK. One factor in their recent success must be the feeding programme at Gigrin Farm, Rhayader. Since 1994, and at the initiative of the RSPB, the feed has provided a daily spectacle for visitors.

We had an omen for the day’s success shortly before leaving Shropshire – we spotted one circling near Hopton Heath, on the road from Craven Arms to Knighton – my first Salopian sighting.

We took our places in the hides at the farm at around 2pm and waited. The crows began to take their places too, and as the hour wore on, the odd kite or two in the sky above the farm became several, then, as 3pm approached, dozens. By the time of the feed (3pm in summer) there must have been around 50 kites in the air.

The crows stomp around and take their pick – the kites swoop, grabbing their chosen morsel with their talons, and eating it on the wing – amazing! (I think Hitchcock would have been impressed too…)

The weather could have been better (it was, a few miles away) – if it had, the photos might have been better.

…which turned out to be perhaps the heaviest snowfall for over 20 years. Some photographic opportunities – shame about the lack of sunshine. By the time the sun came out, most of the snow had melted.

A fine, sunny afternoon, with a clear blue sky – seems a crime to stay in. So – a little photographic outing to these pleasantly rugged hills to the east of Church Stretton.

1-5 August – and perhaps the cloudiest spell we’ve spent on the island. I don’t think we had more than 20 minutes of sunshine the whole of the time we were there. And when it wasn’t sunny – well, not much actual rain, but the constant threat of it in the distance – grey curtains of mist drifting about and obscuring the landscape. On our last day – murk and mist, no views at all. Can’t complain really – the last few trips have had uncharacteristically good weather. And as for the journey home – we caught up with the rain that had passed in the night and followed it most of the way back. Just the thing for the M74 / M6…