Category: Shropshire hills

Mucklewick mud

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Friday 10 Nov: One of us felt we should visit the Christmas fair at the Bog Centre – it would be quieter, perhaps, than the Saturday and Sunday. While we’re out there, a walk would be in order – it’s bright and breezy, with plenty of sunshine and just the odd spot of rain in the wind every now and then. We set off with no firm route in mind, and ended up with a route that was decidedly unfirm. The last few fields were seriously soggy – it was “pick your way very carefully” territory. If the Christmas fair was relatively quiet, the walk was even quieter – we saw no-one from leaving the Bog until we returned a couple of hours later. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else on Mucklewick Hill. I’m not complaining…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=334345&Y=297286&A=Y&Z=120

An unseen kite

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hillsLeave a comment

The clocks have gone back – it’ll be dark early, and we’re making the most of a fine sunny afternoon. Wenlock to Bannister’s Coppice will be a pleasant stroll – perhaps we’ll see some deer? We did – a sizeable herd, in the depths of the wood, just distant shapes moving quickly but quietly between the trees. No chance of a photograph. What we did achieve was a photographic record of a red kite, quite accidentally. I only saw it when checking through the photographs later – that speck in the sky has a pretty distinctive shape…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=362135&Y=302151&A=Y&Z=120

Late October on the Mynd

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Friday 27 October – a bright sunny day, far too good for staying at home, so we’ve packed a picnic… It’s very busy in Church Stretton, but we soon lose the crowds – the Pike provides a quick way up onto the hill, at the top corner of the golf course. At this point, we attempted to follow the path clearly shown on the OS map, which is a mistake, as it doesn’t exist. The clear, easy-to-walk path is 100 yards to our left, higher up the hill. At least its quiet along here…
We take our lunch break by the pond, near the top of Mott’s Road, before heading to the summit, then returning to the car by Townbrook Valley. It’s a bit quieter down here – and finally, we time the tea room to perfection… A good day out!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343320&Y=295091&A=Y&Z=120

Kites and alpacas…

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It’s busy on the Stiperstones this afternoon – lots of black sheep, at least two red kites, a grouse, a good number of alpacas and several llamas. There were quite a few people too, in the more popular parts – something to do with it being half-term, and the weather fine, clear and sunny? Young parents and children, a largish party armed with pointy sticks and a large group of – were they schoolteachers? Our greatest fear was that they might arrive at the Bog before we did, and that it might be packed anyway. Our fears were unfounded – just a medium-sized group around one of the tables, and it seems one of us knew them all anyway, so that was OK. The tea and cakes were, as ever, excellent (and well-earned, of course).

The Bog visitor centre

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=336375&Y=297956&A=Y&Z=120&ax=335475&ay=299701

Bedlam to Coalbrookdale

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

The remains of the ancient iron furnaces at Bedlam were open to the elements until very recently – now they have a cover – a canopy with substantial steel supports. We’d better take a look. Afterwards, we’ll wander over the hill, and down Church Road, viewing the closed power station through the trees (there’s a common theme to this little walk…). At the top end of Coalbrookdale the viaduct no longer serves its purpose. The woodland path to the old railway station, now in the care of the Green Wood Centre, overlooks the iron works, soon to cease production. It’s been a quiet walk so far, but now we’re dodging the many visitors to Ironbridge as we walk beside the river back to the car. At least one thing is still thriving here.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367367&Y=304093&A=Y&Z=120

 

Cleehill Curiosities

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Tuesday: We’re exploring in the southern part of the Clee hills – Magpie Hill and Titterstone Clee, and Clee Hill itself (Cleehill – all one word – is the village). The curiosities are many, not all easily explained. Who would think to name a place “Random”? Then there’s the three-forked pole – shropshirehistory.com quotes a map of 1571 which described it as a “A fforked pole neare to a place whence on old Stone Crosse stood formerly”. Those space-age mushrooms on Titterstone Clee (there was once a rocking or “teetering” stone) are not quite what one would expect, though, visible from miles around, they aren’t really unexpected. But those brick-built figures of eight – what were they for?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360620&Y=276671&A=Y&Z=120

Parasols and sombreros on Brown Clee

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Not just parasols (one of which looks more like a sombrero), though their size makes them rather obvious – there are all kinds of fungi up on Brown Clee at this time of year, from the mundane to the weird and wonderful. It’s a very pleasant afternoon to be out on the hill – barely a breeze at first, with a blue sky and white fluffy clouds. Later, the sunshine becomes rather watery, but it stays dry, and the light’s just right for those monster mushrooms as we return to the car.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=358940&Y=285446&A=Y&Z=120