Baucott – Broncroft – Tugford, an old favourite. It’s particularly good at this time of year, given photogenic weather… There’s a herd of friendly-looking longhorn cattle beside the road, there’s an intact and inhabited castle, there are fine views in most directions. On this potentially showery afternoon, however, the sky rules the scene (and no, we didn’t get wet).

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Caughley Road: sunny, frosty, still – and very cold. By the time we’ve reached the far end (beyond which the lane slopes steeply down to the valley) we’ve warmed up a little. Take the camera out of the bag – it needs some exercise too.

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…but bright and sunny. In the shadier places (like the first quarter-mile) the frost hasn’t completely lifted, and it’s bitter! We’ve warmed up a little when we get to the brow of the hill, where the warmth from the sun is very pleasant. It’s good to be out on an afternoon like this!

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… and getting colder. At least the rain’s gone. Our last outing was six days ago; just one dry day since then, when we were otherwise engaged. It’s really quiet around Church Preen this afternoon, and very pleasant, though we’re clearly in the last days of autumn. December’s approaching rapidly…

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09.45: it’s going to rain this afternoon… A pleasant walk around the Willey lanes. There’s no wind, no sunshine and hardly a sound – a grey melancholy calm as the last of the leaves, dripping with water, hang on for a few more days. Plenty of seasonal colour though.

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After a bright but overcast morning, the clouds have lifted. Blue sky! It’s against the law to stay indoors on afternoons like this. Just for a change, I’ll leave the car at home, and head for Willey (rhymes with ‘silly’), via Darley (rhymes with ‘rarely’). I’ll return past Deancorner, which sounds (a) like it should and (b) like war has broken out. It’s the shoot, and it’s very noisy (both guns and beaters). I’ll take that feather out of my cap (metaphorically, but we don’t want any mistakes) and scuttle away quickly!

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An hour or so along Shirlett Lane. No sunshine, but no rain either, and a steady breeze – plenty of fresh air! The autumn colours are great, but they’re not going to last much longer – most of them are on the ground.

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The land rises gently from the river so that whenever there’s a view to the north-east, the Wrekin is prominent. As we walk from Cound Guildhall on this fine afternoon, it’s worthy of attention…

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Should have been ‘November Morning’… We weren’t very quick getting away – until we saw the sunshine and the forecast for rain later. The season has moved on again – the trees are becoming rather sparsely foliated, and the autumnal fruits are either gone or well past their best – but it’s pleasant out, despite a few spots of rain. We’ll be ready for lunch when we get home

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