Category: Shropshire hills

Monkhopton Highlands

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It’ll be wet underfoot – we’ll have a walk along some quiet lanes in the high ground south of Monkhopton. It’s not especially scenic, but it’s easy walking, and there are some fairly extensive views. By the time we’ve completed about 2/3 of the route, the gaps between the clouds have gone, and with them the light for photography, though it’s only just 4pm when we get back to the car. This time next month, the nights will be getting lighter again.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=363415&Y=292071&A=Y&Z=120

Cold Clee

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Friday 24 November: It’s cold up here today – the frost is lingering in the hollows – but the sunshine (wall-to-wall!) is warm, and a picnic lunch on the rocks near the summit of Clee Burf will be just the thing. We’ve got to get there first, and we’re trying a new route, up the edge of the access land near Stoke Enclosure. It’s a good route too – until we reach the summit plateau. We have to cross deeply tussocky grassland, and there’s no path – and the gaps between the tussocks are very wet… Lunch over, we’re not going to hang around – it’s too cold, but not too cold for a chocolate stop at the well-placed wooden seat. It’s downhill from here…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=358635&Y=284841&A=Y&Z=120

A Willey circuit

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

We’re circling the Willey estate (have to circle it – can’t go through it. Private. Keep out) on a fine, still November afternoon. There’s some bright sunshine early on, lighting the remaining leaves and the odd bit of bracken. Later, as we pass the medieval old hall and head up through the woods, the sun is dimming, and we’re into the gloom of late afternoon.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=366255&Y=299041&A=Y&Z=120

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