a "what's new" guide to the whole of Geoff's Pages, and a selection of bits and pieces that never made it to the site
It’s a regular: walk down to Coalport, for tea and cake. But it’s too warm for tea and cake – we’ll have ice creams instead. We’ll vary our return route too – Corbett’s Dingle (locally known simply as “the dingle”) can be impossibly muddy, but today it’s dry, and pleasantly cool and shady on this warm afternoon.
It’s too warm for energetic activities, but we need some fresh air and a leg stretch. Woodland might be cool, but the tops could be breezy. How about the Long Mynd? We can park at the northern end of the plateau, near Robin Hood’s Butts, and walk to Pole Bank and back. It’s not a long walk, but it’s sufficient, and yes, there’s a pleasant breeze for much of the way. Hang on to that hat!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=342575&Y=295371&A=Y&Z=120
It’s pleasantly warm this afternoon, though the sun will be hot out in the open. We’ll follow a route that includes a good proportion of natural deciduous woodland, on and below Wenlock Edge. The views aren’t great in the woods, of course, and the deer are hiding today, but it’s very enjoyable walking in cool, shady and quiet places.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=362105&Y=302086&A=Y&Z=120
A beautiful day! We’re wandering around Benthall Hall and Edge – it’s warm and sunny in the fields, while the woodlands are pleasantly cool. A couple of weeks ago, the bluebells were at their best, but they’re past it now – as is the oilseed rape, and the tatty peacock on the brambles. Perhaps we’re past our best too? Who cares! Maybe, like the emerging orchids in the scrubland, the best is yet to come…
The bluebells are out with a vengeance on the lower slopes. The sky’s blue (with puffy white clouds, and the distant hills are blue (remembered…). And there’s hardly anyone else out (were there a couple of matches going on today?). A cuckoo makes its presence felt, and just off the north end of the hill, there’s a pair of red kites wheeling and diving. It’s good up here – shame to have to come down again.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360190&Y=285771&A=Y&Z=120
There’s plenty of colour on the Wenlock Edge now, much of it from the far end of the spectrum – blue, indigo and violet*, in other words. There are plenty of bluebells, and violets here and there – and the early purple orchids are out. There are yellows and whites too, and of course there’s green everywhere. It must be spring!
*Richard of York gained battles in vain = the rainbow… Does everyone know that?
We’re following what has become a favourite route – from Much Wenlock, down through Homer to Bannister’s Coppice, and back along the old waggonway route. There may be some deer about, and perhaps some early purple orchids? Down beside the brook, there was a group of perhaps a dozen deer, well-camouflaged amongst the trees, and only visible when they moved (away, of course). There were a few more in the field when we left the coppice – they didn’t hang around either.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=362200&Y=302111&A=Y&Z=120
