Just photos – no particular theme
We can’t go far today – the car’s at the local garage (MOT), and we need to visit the greengrocer – but the morning’s too good to waste, so we’ll walk from home, and do our shopping on the way back. The phone rings as we leave the shop – “Car’s ready. It’s passed” – doubly-good news! We can collect it and drive home with the shopping.
* it was a local trade campaign a few years ago
After a few wet and windy days, it’s still and sunny after breakfast. The afternoon looks much less encouraging, and we’ve other plans – let’s make the most of the morning along Shirlett Lane.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=365660&Y=298545&A=Y&Z=120
We need to be in Shrewsbury towards the end of the afternoon – let’s explore first and enjoy the sunshine…
Broome barely exists! Just a few farm buildings, a little way from the single-track road. Plaish has its Hall, and Church Preen its Manor – and (obviously) church. Halls and manors notwithstanding, this is very quiet country, especially on a grey and breezy Sunday afternoon. Being December, the poor camera is struggling by the time (not long after 3pm) we’re completing our circuit, but it’s been very pleasant wandering around these lanes.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=353820&Y=297015&A=Y&Z=120
…and the leaves have all gone. Well, most of them anyway. The morning looks like being a little better than the afternoon – a touch more sunshine, that’s all. It’s quite cold and there’s a stiff breeze, though the lanes (Scots, Britons, Bould et al) between Willey and Linley Brook are fairly sheltered. It’s good to be out on a day like this.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367662&Y=298184&A=Y&Z=120
We expected clear blue skies, but a bank of cirrocumulus drifted over for a time. However, we didn’t expect snow, and while there wasn’t much of it, a recent fall, lingering especially on the north-facing slopes, provided us with scenes we’ve not enjoyed for some time. The Hope Bowdler hills are no great height, but they make up for it by providing wonderful views, extensive to the south and south-west, where the mountains of south Wales form the skyline around 50 miles distant. It’s good up here in winter!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=348000&Y=293240&A=Y&Z=120
It’s winter tomorrow! The daylight is already wintry – the hours are short and the sun is low. Our walk this afternoon was very pleasant, with some blue sky at first; later, coming up from the old railway track through Chestnut Coppice, the sky is grey and it’s dark under the trees. Emerging from the woods, we’ve enough light for the last mile or so back to the car, but we’d better not hang around.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=371110&Y=296405&A=Y&Z=120
Arwen has been and gone – there’s plenty of evidence along Shirlett Lane this morning. Lots of small debris and one or two larger items – branches down here and there, and a tall tree has fallen in the wood (it was rotten!). The temperature’s fallen too – the puddles are frozen over (more fun for the camera). It may have been a cold morning, but it was dry and fairly sunny – now, after lunch, the sky is leaden and a light rain is falling.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=365660&Y=298545&A=Y&Z=120
There’s been a frost, but now it’s a beautiful sunny morning. From the Shirlett road junction, there are two ways to Barrow, and from Barrow there are two ways to Arlescott. At Barrow, we’ll retrace our steps for a short way, so it’s not quite a circular walk, it’s a figure of eight – and a very pleasant one at that.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365520&Y=299945&A=Y&Z=120
Wandering along Red Lane, making the most of the light. The tunnel through the trees is unusually dry – it’s impassable without waders in a wet spell! This could be our last chance before next spring. There are patches of blue sky here and there, and the sun shines brightly at just the right time to floodlight some toadstools near the old Caughley mines.
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