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.

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… 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.

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… 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.

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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!

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After a few wet and windy days, it’s still and sunny after breakfast. The afternoon looks much less encouraging, and we’ve other plans – let’s make the most of the morning along Shirlett Lane.

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Broome barely exists! Just a few farm buildings, a little way from the single-track road. Plaish has its Hall, and Church Preen its Manor – and (obviously) church. Halls and manors notwithstanding, this is very quiet country, especially on a grey and breezy Sunday afternoon. Being December, the poor camera is struggling by the time (not long after 3pm) we’re completing our circuit, but it’s been very pleasant wandering around these lanes.

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…and the leaves have all gone. Well, most of them anyway. The morning looks like being a little better than the afternoon – a touch more sunshine, that’s all. It’s quite cold and there’s a stiff breeze, though the lanes (Scots, Britons, Bould et al) between Willey and Linley Brook are fairly sheltered. It’s good to be out on a day like this.

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We expected clear blue skies, but a bank of cirrocumulus drifted over for a time. However, we didn’t expect snow, and while there wasn’t much of it, a recent fall, lingering especially on the north-facing slopes, provided us with scenes we’ve not enjoyed for some time. The Hope Bowdler hills are no great height, but they make up for it by providing wonderful views, extensive to the south and south-west, where the mountains of south Wales form the skyline around 50 miles distant. It’s good up here in winter!

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