Friday: it’s not warm – 18C or thereabouts – but the humidity soon makes it feel warm. It’s hazy too – the hills are watercolour shades on the horizon. After the recent dry hot weather, today’s rain was very welcome. It’s dry now, but is there more on the way? In the last quarter-mile, it’s starting again – we won’t hang around…
The air’s still quite cool when we start out, heading up Round Hill. It’s shady here, and in Ned’s Lane. By the time we’re looking over to the dead tree from Bould Lane, the sun’s starting to feel quite warm. We’ve timed it nicely for this little outing.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367105&Y=297810&A=Y&Z=120
Starting and finishing through the shady Chestnut Coppice, we’re walking down the old Severn valley railway track as far as Bridgnorth golf course, then back along the riverside path. The latter follows the riverbank pretty closely, but the river is only occasionally visible through the jungle of vegetation on the bank, through the fishing access points. It’s a pleasant afternoon with a light cooling breeze; the cool air of the coppice is very welcome too.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=371965&Y=296470&A=Y&Z=120
It’s not long after 9am, and already warm. We’re having a short wander in the Benthall Edge woods, where it will be cooler in the shade. It will be much too hot later today.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=366015&Y=302740&A=Y&Z=120
Thursday, Saturday and today: an afternoon, an evening and a morning – three short outings. It’s getting warmer – a morning walk may be the best bet for a day or two…
We’re walking from Wenlock to the deserted farm at Perkley. There are fields of ripening barley, wheat and oilseed rape, and – at the start – a field of beans with hundreds of poppies.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=361430&Y=298891&A=Y&Z=120
There are a dozen or more in the lane – then a few more beside the path along the Edge. After Stokes’ Barn, there are lots – count them! We’re into three figures, and then as the path opens into the field… ‘Hundreds’ will have to remain the grand total – no chance of counting them! A short, but colourful, leg-stretch on the Edge near Much Wenlock.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=360855&Y=299730&A=Y&Z=115
A Saturday evening shortie – from Bedlam car park, over the hill through Hodge Bower and down into Coalbrookdale. New Road in Ironbridge helps avoid the busy Wharfage, and leads to the churchyard, where there’s a seat with a view over the bridge (perfect place for a chocolate stop).
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367445&Y=304100&A=Y&Z=120
There’s no shortage of colour in the hedgerows now – the willowherb, mallow and thistles are especially eye-catching. And tonight there’s a bonus – a common blue damselfly posing very considerately. It’s the 1st of July today – the wheat and barley are ripening rapidly – by the end of the month, the harvest will have begun.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=370730&Y=296845&A=Y&Z=120
Could do – the clouds are threatening. We’re out for a morning wander – the forecast says thundery showers later, but do the showers know they’ve go to wait until after lunch? In the event they behaved themselves, providing us with some dramatic skies but no rain …
… until after lunch – here they come!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367515&Y=298310&A=Y&Z=120
geoffspages.blog 