We’re walking from the National Trust car park at Presthope, through the fields to Easthope and back along the old railway track. There was a “halt” at Easthope, just by the bridge – but we never had a chance to ride on this line. It closed to passengers in the early 1950s; freight from Longville ended in 1964.
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The sky may be uninspiring, but it’s a fresh-feeling afternoon, and the weather forecast thinks it should stay dry. A track follows the contours around the northern part of Brown Clee – we’ll join it at its northernmost point and follow it round to the west, then walk over the top of the hill and down the other side. We can then use the eastern arm of the track to get back to the start. A red kite is overhead briefly; sheep are everywhere, but there’s no-one else to be seen today. Do they know something we don’t, or is it the other way round?
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The wild rose is in bloom now, and very attractive it is, with almost-white and decidedly pink specimens. I’m wandering near Benthall Hall on a fine June afternoon. There’s woody nightshade beside the pool, and several orchids (common spotted) in the grass nearby. In the meadow beyond, there are several more amongst the buttercups and daisies. Then, in the scrubby grassland beyond, there are many more – a clump of several large heads catches my eye – and finally there’s a patch of maybe a hundred flower heads. Quite a sight!
The fields here are in the care of the National Trust, part of the Benthall Hall estate.
“If we go to Wenlock on the bus, we can take a Shrewsbury – Bridgnorth bus as far as Morville, and walk back”… True, though the bus from Shrewsbury was more than 20 minutes late – we nearly gave up (I blame the ongoing road works in Shrewsbury – no fun at all). We’ve walked most of the constituent parts of this route on previous occasions, but never joined them together. It’s very pleasant wandering on this warm 1st June afternoon, and once we’re away from the main road at Morville, it’s very quiet too. Most enjoyable!
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Weds. 24 May: the month seems to have passed by rather quickly. We’ve usually been up to the Wenlock Edge by now, to see how the orchids are doing. But we’ve left it late – they’re not doing, they’re done, more-or-less. There are usually lots on the hillside amongst the bluebells, which are history now, though there are still one or two orchid stragglers – late early purple, perhaps. Orchids or not, it’s a perfect May afternoon.
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The beginning of April marks an eagerly-awaited turning point in the South Shropshire calendar – the Bog Centre opens up for the season. That fact (with its implied prospect of excellent cakes, scones etc.) was the clincher when I asked my friend where he thought we might go for today’s walk.
Before we can enjoy those refreshments, of course, we have to earn them, and we haven’t even had lunch yet. Black Rhadley, overlooking the river West Onny as it winds through the Linley Hall estates, should be a suitable spot. It was, too – extensive views in all directions, and wonderfully quiet – just the birds, and there’s that curlew again. Lunch over, we head northwards along the Stiperstones ridge, as far as the head of Perkins Beach, where we turn back toward The Bog for tea and Stiperscones.
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Cool, too, in the wind. The east side of the hill is in the lee, and the walk is very pleasant through the parkland, warm in the sunshine with views improving as we gain height. Boyne Water is twinkling as the breeze lifts wavelets; a little further on, we’re out on the ridge. Now we have extensive views to the west, but we’re in the wind, and we need to keep going. It buffets the camera as we stand at the highest point. Moments later, as we begin to descend, we’re sheltered and it’s a warm spring afternoon once more.
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Friday afternoon: a walk on the Wenlock edge. Starting from the car park by the Hughley turn, we’ll walk towards Wenlock along the very pleasant woodland path, below the edge, and return along the crest, above the woods and the old quarry workings. The weather’s getting warmer, and the butterflies are sunning themselves.
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We’ve walked to Ironbridge (easy – downhill!) for lunch. Now we have to pay for it – with a most enjoyable walk back up through the woods and across the fields. It was supposed to be overcast today, but the weather wasn’t paying attention to any forecasts.
It’s bright and sunny, and though the wind’s cold, it’s far too good to stay in. We’ll wander – see where we get to – perhaps check how the bluebell wood is developing? Spring is really moving along now, with the blackthorn blossom taking centre stage.
