We were here on Sunday, and we’re back for another look at the orchids, followed by a stroll through the shady woods
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Category: Photography
Just photos – no particular theme
By Climbing Jack Common…
…to Richard’s Castle.
Monday 5 June: we’re walking with an old (as in “we’ve known her many years”) friend, from Black Pool car park, through the forest and up the gentle slopes of the common to High Vinnals. The top (with a perfectly-placed bench) is a wonderful viewpoint, even on a hazy day, though it won’t be if the trees get much taller…
Descending now, we’re following a fairly straight route to the old part of Richard’s Castle – there’s very little left of the castle itself, but the redundant St Bartholomew’s church next door is worth a look – and provides some pleasant shade on this sunny afternoon.
Like the village of Richard’s Castle, this walk straddles the county border – we start and end in Shropshire, but much of the forest, including High Vinnals, is in Herefordshire, as are (by a matter of yards) the castle and church.
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Summer flora
The hedgerows are really colourful now, and the wild rose is blooming. Summer is here!
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Space invaders
They’re not native, and they’re highly invasive, crowding out other plants – but the splash of colour in the woods is most attractive, as are the exotic and complex blooms. It’s easy to see why they became popular.
Commonly spotted at Benthall
We weren’t sure there would be many in bloom yet – but already there are hundreds, both in the scrubby woodland where they’ve been prolific for a few years, and in the beautiful buttercup meadows nearby. The orchids are our last objective this afternoon – much of our wandering has been in the pleasantly cool and shady woods along Benthall Edge.
We stopped at the usual chocolate seat in the woods, overlooking the old Patten’s Rock quarry and Ironbridge. I took the photo (below) but didn’t notice the deer (centre bottom – little more than a speck) until I studied the photo on the computer screen…
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Taters
Lots of potatoes have been planted very recently in the fields around Willey. They’re not showing yet – there’s been no rain – so the clean-cut furrows are neat and pristine, revealing the rich red of the local soils. Beyond the spuds, we’re extending the route slightly – up Round Hill (where tiny damsons are already forming on the bushes) and back down Ned’s Lane. Everywhere is very quiet on this bright sunny afternoon.
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Bottoms up!
A late afternoon walk from Bedlam to Coalport, crossing the Severn four times en route. In the canal beside the old china works, the ducks are demonstrating the origin of the expression…
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Bank holiday crowds
They’re worth avoiding, along with the road traffic that seems to accompany them. We succeeded on both counts – very little traffic along the two or three miles to the start of this walk, and no-one else on the very quiet paths we followed this afternoon – up Round Hill, down Ned’s lane and around the sheepy pastures of Nordley Common. Most enjoyable!
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Past Seven Springs
A favourite walk from Wenlock – down through Homer to Bannister’s Coppice, back past Seven Springs farm and up the old wagonway through Traps Coppice. It’s a pleasant route, much of it in woodland, where the garlic and the early purple orchids are past their best. As well as lots of sheep and tweeting birds, there are alpacas at the old mill (in their shelter today), a couple of deer in Bannister’s (fleeting glimpses – no chance of a photo) and, near the end, a family of Highland cattle, with one very recently-arrived new addition. The beautiful demoiselle (yes, ‘beautiful demoiselle’ appears to be what they’re called) posed very patiently; King Alfred’s cakes were infinitely patient…
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From the sublime…
The Apedale Valley Light Railway’s steam locomotives are wonderful things. Their internal combustion locomotives are, in some cases at least, at the other end of the scale (but no less fascinating). This weekend they’re holding their ‘Military trains’ event – I decided to go and take a look on this very fine and sunny day. Visit Military trains at Apedale on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for the full story and more photos
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