Category: Photography

Just photos – no particular theme

Snow on the Chase

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, WalksLeave a comment

“We haven’t always parked here – once, we parked in Brocton and walked up that old railway line – was it called Tickety-boo?” Close! The Tackeroo was the WW1 military railway across the Chase – we’ll cross its trackbed a couple of times today, but for once we won’t be walking along it for any significant distance.

There’s been a fall of snow up here: there’s little trace of it on the heather or the trees, but the paths remain mostly well-covered. The sun comes out on schedule (well done, Met. Office) and it’s a glorious January day on Cannock Chase, cold but pleasant in bright sunshine which really brings out the colours. I should add that the snack lunch at the visitor centre is worth the walk too…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=399070&Y=316545&A=Y&Z=120

Rindleford and Bromley

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

A walk on the far side (we try not to cross the river too often – it’s a strange and different world over there) – through Rindleford and up the stony-sided valley of the Worfe, returning along quiet lanes and the hamlet of Bromley. Not always an easy walk – many of the surfaces are hard-frozen and slippery – but it’s pleasant out on this fine and mostly sunny afternoon.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=373930&Y=295055&A=Y&Z=120

Weather-watching

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

There’s a lot of weather around this afternoon! Clear air, an icy breeze, bright sunshine followed by some darker cloud, distant snow showers – and it’s great to be out on the Hope Bowdler hills. They’re no great height but they provide a wonderful viewpoint for the surrounding country, with some extensive views. We can see the Brecon Beacons, more than 50 miles to the south-west, and the snow-topped Llangollen hills perhaps 40 miles to the north-west, beyond Chirk’s eye-catching chipboard factory. (We can also see Wolverhampton some 25 miles to the east, but we won’t go there, so to speak). On days like this, it’s a shame to have to leave the hills, but the sun’s dropping behind a huge cloud to the south-west. Time for home!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=347655&Y=293665&A=Y&Z=120

Baucott, Broncroft and Tugford

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

None of them are big enough to call villages: Baucott is just a couple of farms, though Tugford has an ancient church and Broncroft a castle, no less (and little more). The spasmodic sunshine in the early part of our walk is pleasant; later we become aware that, though the sky above is mostly blue, it’s mostly cloud where the sun should be. The fields are sodden – this is a tarmac walk, along quiet lanes which are in part minor watercourses…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=354765&Y=287275&A=Y&Z=120

Mayflower

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways...2 Comments

An old friend: 61306 was the last of the LNER’s B1 class in normal BR service, withdrawn in September 1967 and going straight into preservation. I photographed it a number of times on steam specials in the late 1970s (it received the name ‘Mayflower’ in 1976), but for one reason or another we’d failed to meet since then. This week it’s been in action on the Crewe circular test route (driver training? I don’t know): today we saw and photographed it near the site of Allscott sugar factory, getting along very nicely at 60mph or thereabouts. For once, the sun and the wind behaved themselves…

(Click the image for a larger view)

High tide at Attingham

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Hardly – tidal waters are much further down the Severn. However, the local rivers are in flood, and where the Tern flows through Attingham Park, it overspills to form a lake, very scenic in this afternoon’s bright sunshine. The ducks and geese seem to be enjoying it too. We can’t follow our usual route today – part of the estate is closed (did the sign say something about herd management? Expect venison in the shop…), so instead we’re just wandering, with an eye to the sparkling waters of Lake Tern…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355095&Y=310095&A=Y&Z=120