Category: Photography

Just photos – no particular theme

Flaxmill Maltings

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Built in 1797 as a flax mill, from 1897 to 1987 it was a maltings. Disused for several years after that, it’s now in a fine state of preservation. Appropriately so – it’s the world’s first iron-framed multi-storey building – predecessor of the modern skyscraper. On the ground floor is an impressive exhibition making good use of hands-on multimedia displays, and outside, the attractive old buildings are well worth a few photos (taken on the phone. I haven’t lost my memory – simply forgot to put it back in the camera…)

EH: Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings

Short and shady

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Cooler again today, but still worth staying in the shade. We’ll walk from Bedlam and cross to the shady side of the river, then down to the  Jackfield footbridge to cross over to Coalport – to the youth hostel at the china museum for ice creams. I’m not sure we’ve really earned them, but they’re very welcome.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=368785&Y=302795&A=Y&Z=120

At last – the valleys!

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways...Leave a comment

It’s more than two months since we enjoyed this day out in South Wales. Today it’s too warm for outdoor activities, so I’m in the comfortable shade catching up on some loose ends, one such being this trip. So, here it is – visit “Three Valleys” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries, an illustrated account of our journeyings from Cardiff up the former mining valleys. The mines have all gone, but the railways are thriving – electrification, smart hi-tech new trains, new stations…

Mud-free Brown Clee

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

I was here in November last year, when the mud on the main descent was truly horrendous. Hadn’t been back since… This afternoon, Mrs Geoffspages is out eating cakes with her friends. I’ll make the most of it with a walk on Brown Clee – and it’s a wonderful day! It’s cool and shady under the trees on the way out, down the eastern side of the hill. When I cross the crest of the ridge, I’m in pleasantly warm sunshine,  with a gentle breeze. There’s no-one in the chocolate seat either (I only passed 10 other people in 3 hours). It’s too warm for chocolate though; instead an apple is just right. And the mud? Practically all gone. Last November, it was hard to imagine it could ever be dry again.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=359675&Y=286170&A=Y&Z=120

Linley fields

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Our small visitors have gone out for the afternoon, so I’m taking the opportunity to enjoy an hour or two out in the fields – down Scots Lane and Bould Lane to the path across the field of oats, over the main road and on past Linley Hall to the top of the bank, then back beside Birch Wood to Linley Green and home again. There’s a crab apple tree down there which is well-laden – worth a revisit when they’re ready for picking, if I can time it before the deer get them all…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=369030&Y=298805&A=Y&Z=120

Any old iron…

On By geoffspagesIn PhotographyLeave a comment

… will do to create these remarkable figures! We’re entertaining two small people, wondering what will keep them amused. The scrap metal creations are certainly eye-catching. Sculpture? Yes, I suppose they must be. Art? It’s in the eye of the beholder. The eyes of our two small beholders seemed to recognise most, if not all, of the weird creations here – which certainly kept them amused, as intended…

British Ironwork Centre, Oswestry