Just photos – no particular theme
Photos from three fairly short local outings – down the lane and back again, a Willey wander and a Cound circular. We’ve been seeking (and finding) fruit for some crab apple jelly. We also found lots of interesting fungi (which most certainly will not be going in the jam, or any other cooking pot…)
We’ve done this one before, eight years ago (it hasn’t changed much! See Down the coast – Borth to Aber). We’re taking the train: a day return to Aberystwyth, but we’ll get out at Borth and complete the journey to the railway’s terminus on foot, along the coastal path with wonderful views of Cardigan Bay. Closer to hand, there are several little gatherings of splendid parasol mushrooms, and in the air are numerous gulls and one or two red kites. Unusually, we’re above them occasionally – this isn’t a level path. At highest, we’re about 350ft above sea level, but the numerous ups and downs make for 1,300ft of ascent in total. Nor is it a long path – a little over six miles between the two railway stations, which means we don’t need to hurry to catch the train home again. Just as well – the next one is two hours later…
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Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, an illustrated account of yesterday’s visit to the Apedale Valley Light Railway. Visit Apedale’s little locos now!
Edgar and the rattly v-skips
It’s feeling rather autumnal today, though my outing was blessed with blue skies and sunshine for a time. The harvest is in around Aldenham, the fields now showing stubble or brown earth, the seasonal shade of things to come…
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Another visit to another favourite 2’0″ gauge line, the Apedale Valley Railway, which held a steam gala earlier today. There will be lots more photos (once I’ve worked through them all) and an account of the visit on Geoff’s Rail Diaries; in the meantime, here are three ‘newcomers’. The German-built O&K, with its neat little tender, spent its working life in Argentina. Avonside Ogwen was repatriated from the USA a few years ago, and Edgar is a ‘new-build’ replica of a (French) Decauville locomotive. A multinational railway!
A walk with the camera – down to Ironbridge (busy, as ever), then along the quieter paths away from the main roads as far as the canal at Coalport. I’ll head for home up the dingle – it’s a good way of going uphill without really noticing…
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A walk from, but not in, the Carding Mill Valley. Once parked, I’m away back out of the valley, taking the path to Cwm Dale to reach the Batch Valley. At its head, the latter splits – into Long Batch, and Jonathan’s Hollow which takes me up to the Long Mynd plateau. I’ll stop for lunch at the froggy pond near the junction with the direct path from the Carding Mill. Pond? It’s a mere puddle! We’ve had a little rain in the last week or so – what was it like in August? I hope the frogs are OK!
Lunch over, I’ll continue to the top, Pole Bank, where there are just two people, one oblivious to everything but his smartphone, his companion engaged in a loud phone call: “I’m on a hill…” I won’t stay (I was here just last week after all) – I’ll head for the heather-clad ridge leading to the top of Town Brook Valley, then follow its narrow path down towards Church Stretton – and there’s a car in Carding Mill Valley…
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A visit to a open day at the old pumping station, in Shrewsbury’s Coleham district. The old pumping engines have been lovingly restored – so have their boilers – and are steam-operated at fairly regular intervals. Outside the building, there’s more of interest, including steam-powered garden railway trains, a 7¼” miniature railway and a 2′-gauge line. Great fun!
And here’s the movie:
It’s been more than four years since my last visit – a lot has changed at the Staffordshire railway. Visit ‘Back to Statfold‘ on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for lots more pictures and a full(ish) account of yesterday’s enjoyable outing
Tuesday 30 August: Not St Abbs! That was our intended destination, but there was a tailback on the A1 just past the cement works. “Let’s go to North Berwick instead”. It was a good choice – great rolls and cakes from a High Street deli and a bench with an extensive view across the Firth of Forth to the Fife fishing villages (try saying that quickly!), encompassing all the little islands off this coast. Now replete, we can explore a little – along the beach to the harbour and the lookout point. Plenty of interest in all directions – we’ll have to come again!
Tomorrow – back to Shropshire…
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