We had the mellow fruitfulness a couple of days ago. Today, after overnight rain, it’s misty. We ought to be able to look back from the (slightly) higher ground south of Cound to the Ironbridge gorge, sans power station chimney – a rural view again after 60 years or so. Not a hope! Someone’s hidden the Wrekin too.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=356010&Y=304045&A=Y&Z=120

No mists though… There are ripe blackberries in the hedgerows, and lots of damsons – some are sweet enough to eat now, but most need another week or so. (They’ll probably all have been picked by then, ripe or not.) In the woods down Ned’s Lane, there’s a different kind of fruitfulness, which we certainly won’t be sampling…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367945&Y=298230&A=Y&Z=120

On Friday morning (when we were otherwise engaged) the power station chimney was demolished. All that’s left is remnants of old offices – and the switchgear building, still in use. It’s a warm and sunny afternoon – the schools must have gone back…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365825&Y=302610&A=Y&Z=120

Aging solicitors in tweed suits? Or perhaps villages / hamlets in Shropshire, below Wenlock Edge… We mustn’t (can’t!) forget Wigwig – little more than a farm, it’s earned its place on the signpost at the main road. The latter is busy on a warm Sunday afternoon (now we’re in autumn, the weather is warmer and sunnier than it was throughout August), but once we’re away from the road, this is quiet and very pleasant country.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=360680&Y=302200&A=Y&Z=120

A pleasant wander on a fine, if rather grey, afternoon – round the loop near Willey, then across the fields and up past the ancient St Leonard’s church at Linley Green. Autumn is edging in gradually…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367820&Y=298400&A=Y&Z=120

If we’re quick we can manage a leg-stretch before the sun goes down… There won’t be too many more evening strolls this year – the nights are drawing in rapidly. In the woods on Hawthorn Bank, there’s hardly any light – the toadstools seem to like it here!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365185&Y=297905&A=Y&Z=120

Wandering on the west bank of the river on the last day of summer: out past Boldings Pools and up the lane from Astley Abbotts, through the fields from the old school and down through the Colemore Green woods to the riverbank. Yet another grey day (not very warm either) – we’ll concentrate mainly on the foreground interest.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=371100&Y=297200&A=Y&Z=120

A little way into this walk, there’s a field of wheat, edged with pale flax. Around the field’s perimeter are trees -the forest of Shirlett High Park, the wooded Barrow Dingle. Although the field and its crop are obviously there through human involvement in the land, there’s no-one else in sight, nor is anything else of human origin visible – no buildings, no pylons, no machinery. No roads run alongside. The only sounds are those of the birds, and the breeze (in the trees…). Deep fields!

Back to a kind of reality at Barrow, and just along the almost-impenetrable lane a little further on, the blackberries are ripe and ready for picking. Maybe not jam tomorrow, but soon, certainly…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365465&Y=299885&A=Y&Z=120

Bonnie blooming heather on Brown Clee: a walk to Clee Burf, the southern summit of the hill, via The Toot (yes, really!). It’s a fine bright afternoon – the clouds are beautiful white cauliflowers. Sadly, the sun always seems to be behind them when we’re amongst the heather. This is a bank holiday weekend, so it’s crowded – three other walkers, and a couple of young women on horses. And the sheep, of course. Hundreds of them.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=358955&Y=284060&A=Y&Z=120

It’s just an old iron spout, from which a stream of cold clear water flows, but it has its own lane (Spout Lane, of course, what else?) – quite a local landmark. It’s pleasant out in the sunshine today, and the cool air in the woods along Benthall Edge is most enjoyable too.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=366310&Y=302995&A=Y&Z=120