After other duties earlier in the day, we’re making the most of the last hour or so of daylight. Wintry showers are forecast for later – some of them are already here, and we’re sprinkled with white flakes for a few minutes. Already there’s blue sky again beyond the clouds, and by the time we’re nearing home the sun’s going down behind the Shirlett forest.
It rained heavily last night – anything away from a surfaced road or track will be seriously muddy. So, having been dropped off in Wenlock’s Barrow Street, I’m walking down beside the main road towards Buildwas, then up the narrow (grass in the middle) lane to Wyke. Just past Newhouse Farm, the road has become a canal – deep water for perhaps 50-60 yards. After a false start, the verge sees me past, but it’s touch and go. My usual companion would have fallen in. After that, the lane from Wyke to Posenhall is pleasant but lacking in excitement…
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A wander around the lanes on a remarkably mild day – and some very welcome sunshine after the dullest December since 1956… Happy New Year everyone!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=356010&Y=304045&A=Y&Z=120
…and once again, I’m enjoying a point-to-point walk. A lift gets me to Linley Green – I’ll walk down past Linley church, and along the track that eventually (after a particularly muddy stretch) takes me down to the old railway trackbed. It’s then a good walk to the foot of Caughley Road, the rough track that will take me back home again.
Last post of 2021: instead of expressing similar thoughts to everyone else, here’s a new one: why don’t we adjust the calendar, so that the old year ends with the winter solstice, and the first day of the new year marks the start of lengthening days? (I know, it’s only true in the northern hemisphere, but…)
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=369405&Y=299765&A=Y&Z=120
After a rainy morning, the sky is clearing and the sun’s coming out. I’m starting out from home today – “ring when you’d like me to pick you up”. The western end of Shirlett Lane is as good as anywhere to pull in; I’ll get there via Darley, Scots Lane, Willey and Ned’s Lane. It’s very pleasant country for a mild but breezy afternoon.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=366810&Y=299005&A=Y&Z=120
… I had a lift down to the end of Britons Lane, and walked home again via Linley Brook and Willey, then over the ridge and down past Deancorner. The weather’s better – brighter, with a little sunshine now and then, dry, mild and calm. And there’s no-one else about – didn’t pass a single soul on my way home again (the two or three in cars don’t count)
Where has the sun gone? We’re walking along Shirlett Lane, taking the right-hand branch through to Hawthorn Bank where, if it wasn’t so murky, we’d have a good view to the Shropshire hills. Brown Clee is cloud-capped, and Titterstone is nowhere to be seen. Colours are warm but subdued on this dull December day. Nevertheless it’s very pleasant here in these quiet woods.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365150&Y=298415&A=Y&Z=120
… though not quite as good as the photos suggest. The plentiful sunny intervals were brief and well-spaced – too often, the sun would go as I raised the camera to my eye. That’s still better than the forecast – sunshine and showers. If there were any showers, they missed us completely.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367662&Y=298184&A=Y&Z=120
The afternoons are even shorter. It’s mild, still and quiet for this pleasant wander through fields and woods on the west bank of the Severn. There’s been no sunshine to speak of, and the light’s gone by the time we’re back at the car. It’s barely half past three!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=370900&Y=297140&A=Y&Z=120
We can’t go far today – the car’s at the local garage (MOT), and we need to visit the greengrocer – but the morning’s too good to waste, so we’ll walk from home, and do our shopping on the way back. The phone rings as we leave the shop – “Car’s ready. It’s passed” – doubly-good news! We can collect it and drive home with the shopping.
* it was a local trade campaign a few years ago
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