The contrast could hardly be greater – this morning I was driving through busy Birmingham; this afternoon we were wandering on Wenlock Edge. Everything seems to be in flower now, and the early purple orchids should be in bloom.
Category: Walks
Short walks with photos and a Google map.
The Chase in May
It’s hard to believe that Tuesday, yesterday and today could have been consecutive days. After a day and a half of almost continuous rain, the skies are clear and blue, the sunshine warm and the breeze very pleasant – we need to be out somewhere… We’ll go for Cannock Chase – there are one or two wet places, but it’s mostly well-drained, with shingle and sand underfoot. It’s a great place to be on such a day, with plenty of bright green new growth everywhere. The bacon rolls at the visitor centre, conveniently half-way round our circular route, are pretty good too.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=398960&Y=316261&A=Y&Z=120
The Mynd and XXX
Another ideal afternoon for wandering on Shropshire’s hills. We’ve parked at Bridges (very handy for the Horseshoe Inn, which seems to be called the Bridges now), and we’re heading north-east beside Darnford Brook, to reach the skyline at Betchcott Hill. The last short ascent is by the aptly-named “Golden Valley”, lined with glowing gorse. This is a walk of four parts: part two now begins as we turn through 90 degrees and head south-east along the ridge of the grassy hill, following the ancient Port Way. Part three starts when we reach the heather-clad Long Mynd – another 90 degree turn, still on the Port Way, taking us to the Shooting Box. Now it’s downhill (almost) all the way, with heather giving way to grassland near the derelict ruin that bears the unlikely name of “Priory Cottage”, according to the map. From Coates Farm, a quiet road takes us back down to Bridges, and a most welcome pint of Three Tuns – a perfect pint in a perfect spot on a perfect afternoon – XXX
More on XXX here https://www.threetunsbrewery.co.uk/pages/our-beers
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=341105&Y=296796&A=Y&Z=120
Walking back…
…from Much Wenlock to Broseley, after a ride on the no.18 bus. The spring lambs are out and about, but there’s not much gambolling going on – it’s too cold, despite the warm (but intermittent) sunshine. It’s not very quiet either, especially between Wenlock and Benthall Hall. We passed more people than in our last half-dozen walks – mostly teenage schoolchildren on some kind of organised outing – and a dog near Wyke was noisily expressing its displeasure at being kept in a cage. I think I would too.
View OS map in Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=364895&Y=301456&A=Y&Z=120
Wall to wall
That’s what the forecast said about the sunshine – we had to go… Stiperstones in April – warm sunshine, cool air and a pleasant breeze, perfect conditions for a walk on this rocky ridge. We started at the Bog car park – so that we could end at the Bog Centre (tea and cakes again). If we walked to Snailbeach, along the hill-edge paths, we could come back up through the Hollies and follow the ridge. The now-obligatory red kite wheeled over the far hillside, and a little later, a rarer bird, so to speak: a red grouse stalked carefully along just yards from the path. We’ll sometimes hear them up here, gurgling comically and telling us to go back, but this one remained silent. Minutes earlier, we’d noted how quiet it was. He must have heard us…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=337095&Y=299856&A=Y&Z=120
Tea at the hall
An unexpectedly bright and sunny afternoon – we’ll walk to Benthall Hall for a cup of tea, and perhaps a cake – and check out the bluebell wood. The latter need another couple of weeks, perhaps, but the tea and cake are perfect – just what’s needed for the walk home again.
Forest paths
We’re in the Wyre Forest this afternoon. It’s very pleasant wandering through this woodland, often fairly open, with deciduous areas and grassy clearings. It’s not always pleasant underfoot – several of the streams resemble paths (or maybe vice versa), and there’s an unexpected ford where culverts are blocked (the new boots perform admirably). There’s plenty of water in the Dowles Brook too, though it’s rather muddy. The heron is watching intently – he’ll need patience as well if he hopes to see anything edible.
View OS map in Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=374430&Y=277401&A=Y&Z=120
Blooming spring!
That’s what it’s doing! We’re walking down to Coalport for tea and cakes, and everything is bursting into flower – the blackthorn, the bluebells, the garlic and the coltsfoot. As we drink our tea, a primrose flutters past – or perhaps it’s a brimstone butterfly.
Priors Holt to Black Knoll
The day changed: it was bright and sunny when we left Priors Holt (or “Witchend” to Malcolm Saville “Lone Pine” afficionadoes), but the forecast was right. It was windy too – we’d planned a different route from Black Knoll, but the wind was strong and bitter on the exposed south-eastern flank of the Mynd – much more so than on the ridge path – so we retraced our steps to the forest. A red kite wheeling nearby was never close enough for the camera, and the three deer in the woods, just yards away, were gone in seconds. No photos of them either…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=340535&Y=289336&A=Y&Z=120
Back to the Munslows
A pleasant five-mile stroll in a quiet part of the Wenlock Edge – and once we’re away from the road, it really is quiet. The birds are singing, but that doesn’t count as noise, and the only other sound, as we approach the highest parts, is the gentle rustling of a very light breeze in the trees. It’s clear too – the Black Mountains stand out to the south-west. At home, the grass needs cutting, but it will have to wait…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=351485&Y=287911&A=Y&Z=120
