After a rainy start to the day, it’s a fine sunny afternoon. We start out down the hill, and at its foot we take the quiet road through Underton, then back up the lane in dank woods to reach the start of the ridge at Meadowley. From the track along that ridge, there’s a most pleasant panorama of the Clee hills, the sun behind them in mid-afternoon. November days don’t get much better!

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We’ve missed the best part of the day – the sun’s still shining but the clouds are gathering. It should stay dry though, and as ever it’s good to be out in the woods and quiet lanes.

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Walking from Cardington, along quiet lanes (and a diversion across the fields on our return down the lane from Willstone, as the road’s closed and blocked at the ford). It’s a fine day, with lots of blue sky, cold but hardly any wind – and there’s a dry and well-placed bench on Yell Bank, for a mini-lunch break with a wonderful view – perfect!

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Hurst Farm – along the lane. We’d thought of the route across the field, past Shore Pool, but there’s a new crop coming up and the path hasn’t been restored yet. Similarly, we could have kept going from the end of the track to make a circular walk via Shirlett Lane. Another day, perhaps – it’s looking gloomy and there’s rain on the way…

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It began that way – <5% chance of rain, they said. It’s cold, clear and breezy, lots of blue sky, hardly any cloud – at first. The sky’s still blue at Wyke, but twenty minutes later, at Posenhall, the cloud is building dramatically. The Wrekin begins to fade – will we make it back to the car? It holds off; for just a few moments, there’s a sunshine searchlight – then the first few drops fall. We’d better not hang around, though I’ll need to record the rapidly-changing scene… (“Come on, hurry up!”)

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The day’s showery, blustery rain should finish around 3pm, according to the Met. Office. Sure enough, the rain has stopped, the sky is clearing. A walk from Benthall Hall, along the road to Posenhall, then the lane to Wyke, should provide us with some late sunshine. If we then walk through the woods (it’s getting dark in here!) and along the farm track back to the hall, we should see a Stretton hills sunset? Sadly no – the sun’s gone behind a bank of cloud. Another time perhaps.

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Once again, we’re keeping to the surfaced lanes – they’re pretty quiet in these parts. Sadly, the morning’s sunshine is gone. There were going to be “sunny intervals” throughout the afternoon: we must have been in the wrong place. Similarly, <5% chance of rain. Hmm (it didn’t rain heavily, and only for about 10 minutes). Nevertheless, it’s very pleasant to be out and about.

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The afternoon will be cloudy – let’s get out while the going’s good, around the lanes from Willey.

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