Yesterday we were walking on Hergest Ridge – Kington’s hill. Today we’re much closer to home: Wellington, in Shropshire, has its own hill too – the Wrekin. It was busy – it’s half-term week – on this sunny, but very hazy, afternoon. Not a hill you’re ever likely to have to yourself, though taking a few steps away from the well-worn path to the summit is a good way of escaping the chatter of the crowds. Away in the haze, South Shropshire’s hill country looks inviting.

Residents of Kington, in Herefordshire’s border country, have their own hill – just the thing for a leg stretch on a fine Sunday afternoon – which it was, though the morning’s mist had only just cleared as we set off from the car. I have to admit that we (and several others) cheated, by parking near the top of Ridgebourne Road, saving a mile at either end of the walk. Put that another way – it’s an extra mile on the hill…

Music lovers of a certain age will, of course, associate Hergest Ridge (yes, it’s the same one) with Mike Oldfield, of Tubular Bells and Virgin Records fame. Released in 1973, It was Virgin’s first album, and a huge success. Who would be running our trains today, if it hadn’t been for Tubular Bells?

It’s a waterfall, a little way up the valley of the Afon Eiddew, one of the two rivers that feed the head of Lake Vyrnwy. At this time of year, the sunshine brings out the colours in the hillsides – but also casts shadow over the lower parts of the fall. We’ll perhaps have to go again – either later in the season, or earlier in the day, when the morning sun would be shining straight up the valley.

This would have been a pleasant walk on an airy ridge. There was some mist on the higher ground, though it didn’t look too bad. The sun was trying to break through – we even had some blue sky and sunshine as we approached the Gaer Stone. Then the mist came down… It was cold too – we were starting to ice up (yes, really) by the time we came down from the ridge.

It snowed quite heavily, for these parts, on Friday, rested on Saturday, then continued to snow yesterday. Today, there’s just the odd flake fluttering down in the still air, and a hint of brightness in  the west. We followed, as far as the hall, the route taken in the previous post, “Lingering Frost” – with some similar subjects for the camera, in somewhat different conditions.

A cold afternoon, with the frost lingering where the sun hadn’t shone – not one for standing around. We walked to Benthall Hall via Broseley’s “Fiery Fields” (an inappropriate name today). As promised, the sun became watery as the afternoon wore on – will we get some snow?

It was foggy at home – but the forecast said it would be clear just a little way to the south and west. It was right. The air was cool, but the sunshine was warm and the light was bright – one of the afternoons that should go on for ever.

We walked around the “Starboard Way” – the cutely-named alternative to the Port Way through the gliding field – and followed the fairly level path , along the western edge of the Long Mynd, southwards to Black Knoll, just over two miles distant. Here, the path descends to Plowden –  we would now retrace our steps (with a slight detour). The temperature began to dropping noticeably with the sun – until, as we arrived back at the car, it dipped into a bank of cloud. Perfect timing!

It was still foggy at home…

We walked much of this route, around and through Much Wenlock, a few weeks ago. It was even worse underfoot on this occasion (though we did manage to stay on our feet – a close-run thing). Enough said – at least the views are pleasant and, to the east, extensive.

A dry afternoon – brighter in the Marches than further east, according to the forecast. How about a walk over to Hurst Farm and Aldenham? The skies were certainly very promising, but there’s a certain inevitability about that bank of heavy cloud that rolls in from the north-west, outstaying its welcome on the still afternoon. Inevitable, too, is the sky clearing again as we arrive back at the car in the gathering dusk.

We’ve been here before – it’s a good place for an afternoon wander at this time of year, and generally good underfoot, apart from the lane below the hill on the way out. Hardly surprising after all the rain – we could see, away in the distance, the floods beside the Severn over near Melverley. There was a bit more cloud than the forecast had promised – even a brief unexpected shower. The rainbow was a bonus, I suppose.