Short walks with photos and a Google map.
A Salvation Army rock group perhaps? No, just a rock – an interesting clumpy outcrop on the northern edge of the Hope Bowdler hills near Church Stretton, which provides an airy viewpoint and a good objective for a short walk. With clear blue skies, bright sunshine and light winds, it was too good to stay at home.
A good day for exploring the dingle and the woodland beside the pools. There might be some interesting fungi under the trees. The path beside the Big Pool is closed, but the public footpath through the asparagus farm leads us across the road to Comer Wood. There’s a thin film of ice on Seggy pool, barely visible – but doing odd things to the reflections.
Brown Clee, that is, Shropshire’s highest. It wasn’t just a clear afternoon – there was plenty of blue sky around too – apart from over the hill. Occasionally a shaft of sunlight would break through like a spotlight, but most of the time we had to be content with the views of the sunlit distance. The Brecon Beacons are just visible – 55 miles to the south-west.
This route – just 3 miles in total – starts from the phone box. The box itself is redundant – not only do we all have mobiles now, but it’s been superseded by a modern al fresco alternative. Happily, the old red box lives on as the “Little Red Book Stop”. The sign on the door says
“Please…There’s a handy log beside the box…
30 Oct: Firstly, the trip into York – the local bus goes to the railway station, from where it’s a short walk to the NRM. I stayed long enough to record the gathering photographically, then walked back into York (via the Minster and the Shambles) to collect the household authorities at the agreed time. See Six A4s on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for more…
It wasn’t just the railway museum that was busy – so were the streets of York. It’s half-term week up here – perhaps that’s the reason. For the afternoon’s entertainment we chose a much quieter option – a walk to the deserted village of Wharram Percy, in the Wolds to the east of York. Other than some earthworks in the fields, little remains of the village, apart from the ruins of St Martin’s church. The English Heritage sign warned of the dangers of the site – somewhat over the top, I thought, before hitting my head on the “Wolds Way” guide post after taking the picture… In fact the afternoon was a chapter of minor accidents – I’d left the map behind (successfully relying on memory). The light had gone as we walked up beside Deep Dale – so had the camera battery. The spare was in the car…
English Heritage: Wharram Percy
27 Oct: We’re beside the firth again today, on an afternoon of bright sunshine, a stiff breeze and the threat of showers. The area around Gullane may be best known for its golf courses, but the beach is superb, a sweep of sand backed by dunes and invasive (but colourful) sea buckthorn bushes. At the west end of the bay are rocks, separated by sandy gaps, and more shells (mostly broken fragments) than we’ve seen anywhere recently. Looming clouds from the west caused us to curtail our explorations; a sharp shower followed our return to the car, free of all cobwebs… Must come here again one day.
We’re into the darkest four months – there’s little sunshine in the deep valleys of the Long Mynd, but it’s great on the top, given a decent day – and this was a decent day. In fact it was much better than that – bright (and directional) sunshine, clear air, a cool breeze – what more could one ask? The night’s rain was rushing down the valley below the Light Spout waterfall, but the paths on top were generally good – just the odd soggy corner…
I walked to the highest point of the Long Mynd, at Pole Bank, then headed back along the ridge south of Townbrook Valley to descend on easy grassy slopes. A bank of cloud had been sitting stubbornly over the Mynd for the last half-hour or so, clearing (inevitably) as I dropped into the shade of the hills.
A walk along the towpath of the Shropshire Union canal from Norbury Junction. Norbury is not far from Newport, Shropshire – but the walk is entirely in Staffordshire. It’s easy going along the canal bank, though it’s muddy in places. We left the canal at the second bridge, whence a public footpath connects with a very quiet lane (I suspect it would have been easier to walk a few yards further and leave the canal at the old railway bridge. Perhaps another time). For the last mile or so, we followed a track around the north side of Shelmore Wood – it’s even quieter here . The best walks end where refreshments are available…
“Roses Pop-up Vintage Tea Room”, to be precise. What a wonderful idea! (excellent cheese scones, with cream cheese and onion marmalade). We’ve been to Mortimer Forest many times, and walked the High Vinnals circuit more than once before, but always in winter – when there had been far fewer visitors and no sign of tea rooms, pop-up or otherwise. It’s a pleasant walk, about 3 miles, with great views from the higher parts of the route. Where the trees limit the views, the insect life and the ripe blackberries provide more local interest.
We did a very similar walk to this one almost exactly a year ago (Around Batch Valley) – today we walked anti-clockwise, attaining the plateau via Jonathan’s Hollow, returning past the golf course. At first cloudier than we’d expected, the weather brightened, but it was never particularly warm.
25 August: over the hill from Columba 1400 to the shore south of the slip. Great rocks – and some super little corners for sitting and watching the tide going out.
