It’s still quite warm when I leave the car, just after 7.30pm, but the route up through the woods, from Lower Pool to Shirlett Lane, is on an east-facing hillside – pleasantly cool. By the time I’ve dropped back down Round Hill, the sun is much lower and it’s very pleasant walking. I’m surprised to find, on returning to the start, that it’s just after 9pm. Although it’s still early July, I’ve seen the year’s first blackberry, and the wild damson trees are heavily laden with promise for the autumn…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367160&Y=298021&A=Y&Z=120

Monday evening: once again, it’s somewhat cooler, there’s a pleasant light breeze, and the sun’s behind the clouds. I’ll head for Hurst Farm and Aldenham – the path across the field should be walkable, as should the edge of Shore Pool. “Walkable” is debatable, I suppose – the farmer has cleared a the path through the beans, but they’re tall and the path is weed-strewn (tickly!). At least there’s no mud anywhere. And like Sunday evening, it’s quiet – no-one else around. An enjoyable outing!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=366905&Y=295705&A=Y&Z=120

Sunday evening: The visitors have all gone – and so have the household authorities (temporarily). It’s quiet here, and it seems even quieter up at Shirlett. There’s a faint hum of distant traffic on the Bridgnorth to Wenlock road, but other than that, it’s just birdsong*. In the woods, the helleborines are looking good and will be flowering soon. Back in the open, I spot a deer – then it spots me and springs away, back into the woods. Looks like a roe – they’re more common a little further south, in Mortimer Forest, but usually we see fallow deer here (and the occasional muntjac)
* Merlin says it could hear a blackbird, a blackcap, a robin, a linnet and a treecreeper:

View OS map on Streetmap http://streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365790&Y=298180&A=Y&Z=120

The family are visiting – but they’ve gone away for a couple of days (did someone mention Legoland?), leaving us to a little r&r. What could be better than a stroll around the Willey lanes?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367465&Y=298391&A=Y&Z=120

That’s orchids, orchids and a slow worm… The pyramid orchids were expected, the bee orchid was hoped-for (a friend said she’d found one) and the slow worm was completely unexpected. A very pleasant and interesting afternoon on the Wenlock Edge…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=359325&Y=298221&A=Y&Z=120

A clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds, a steady breeze, pleasantly warm air – a perfect afternoon for a wander. Some favourite places – Round Hill, Ned’s Lane, the lane through the Smithies, and across Nordley Common. I’ve got it all to myself too (apart from lots of sheep, that is, and a poser squirrel)

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367690&Y=297465&A=Y&Z=120

The wild rose is in flower! We’ve driven a long way in the last couple of days – now we need a leg stretch close to home. Willey (inevitably)! The world is colourful at this time of year.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367465&Y=298391&A=Y&Z=120

Usually, at this time of year, we can be sure of seeing some early purple orchids on the Wenlock Edge, but this afternoon, along the ridge path from Presthope towards Wenlock, there were none. Not a trace of them! Are they late this year, or is it us? There will be others later – pyramids and common spotted (dozens of the latter coming up in the grass in our back garden). We’ll be back! There’s plenty of other interest along the way, close at hand and in the more distant landscape, on this watercolour day.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=359325&Y=298221&A=Y&Z=120

There’s no shortage of woodland around here, not all of it noticeably managed. Away from the paths, it’s pretty-well impenetrable jungle. Stay on the paths, and it’s still a different world from the houses, roads and traffic just a few yards away. We’re heading for the river, and we’ll walk down to Coalport, crossing over to the youth hostel…
…whose cafe is closed today! Oh no! It’s a good thing that we brought some chocolate.
The return, uphill all the way, is via “The Dingle”, a most attractive rocky-sided wooded gorge. Exit from the woodland at the top of the hill and look around – buttercup meadows, and little to suggest the other world we’ve left behind amongst the trees.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=368560&Y=302061&A=Y&Z=120

Oilseed rape – looks like the sun’s shining, even when it isn’t. It’s shining this evening – can’t help it, there’s not a cloud in the sky, but with a stiff breeze from the east, it’s not warm. Keep moving!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=364800&Y=299250&A=Y&Z=120