Clockwise at Aldenham

On 01 Aug 202002 Aug 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

A familiar route which we follow more frequently in the other direction. The weather forecast suggested the the showers would clear (they did!) but the sky would be heavy with cloud (those little dark grey symbols). Yes, that was true too – but with little gaps to let the sun through, spotlighting little details in the surrounding countryside.
The dragonfly (a black-tailed skimmer) was very good at flying off, further up the path through the barley, whenever I got almost close enough for a half-decent photo. They know, don’t they?

Freshwater mussel shell (what a whopper!)

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Poppies and peacocks

On 29 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Taking a closer look beside the path from Barrow to Wyke and back. There are poppies in the wheat and barley, and more butterflies than we’ve seen for a long time. Most are nervous, taking flight before we’re aware of them, but others are prepared to pose, too interested in a spot of nectar to worry about passing snappers. Our walk is delayed by refreshments too – the blackberries are ripe and juicy!

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Harley and Homer

On 28 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Nothing to do with motorcycles or poets… Between the two, we’ll pass through the farm hamlet of Wigwig – where did that name come from? It’s a short walk (just over 4 miles) in mostly quiet* country below the Wenlock Edge, and very pleasant it is too!
* except the very last short stretch approaching the busy main road

...and a detail at the foot of the tower

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Convolvulus and cuckoo pint

On 22 Jul 202022 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Ned’s Lane, Willey and Linley Brook – four quiet miles on a quiet afternoon. The cuckoo pint berries are prominent low in the hedges near Lower Pool, and the pure white of the convolvulus catches the eye in the higher reaches of Bould Lane and beyond.

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Somewhere in Mynd?

On 21 Jul 202022 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Arranging a day’s walking: “where shall we go?” “I’ve got somewhere in mind…” Yes, a day on the Long Mynd. Haven’t been up there for ages.

Carding Mill Valley is horribly busy, but five minutes later we’ve left it all behind, and we’re enjoying a mostly-quiet and easy, if somewhat indirect ascent to the ridge. Predictably, from the top of Mott’s Road to the highest point at Pole Bank, there are others about (but only a very small proportion of those in the valley make it this far). Leaving Pole bank is to leave the crowds (I exaggerate. There were three others there), and our descent, by the Yearlet / Ashlet ridge, is comfortably quiet. A very enjoyable outing (but we won’t be hurrying back to Carding Mill Valley just yet…)

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Untrodden ways

On 20 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks2 Comments

We’re exploring today – quiet farm tracks which we’ve not trodden before, and paths through fields of ripe wheat. If the weather holds, they will very soon be stubble. As well as the usual enjoyable views, there are hundreds of butterflies, most of which are nervous, but one or two pose obligingly for the camera.

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The value of variety

On 19 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

We walked this way little more than two weeks ago, when the weather had been damp. Today’s dry and sunny – quite different. That sums up the route too – each short stretch is quite different from the others. We start beside, and through, fields of ripe wheat. The next field is sheepy, then there’s the leafy way to Barrow and its ancient little church. A march down the road is unavoidable, before we leave it for pine woods, to walk past Wildwoods and up the sunken lane, then descend beside the estate wall to Willey. Willey is certainly “different”, medieval in appearance. Next, a very quiet narrow road leads us to Lower Pool, then up Ned’s Lane we go, to finish along Shirlett Lane, with its wooded stretches and some open views to Brown Clee and the Wrekin. Most enjoyable – never a dull moment!

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Astley Abbots and Colemore Green

On 17 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It was an enjoyable afternoon wander, though the photography was somewhat limited. I’d remembered the camera, but its battery and memory card were still in the charger and card reader at home. Spare battery? It was flat. Spare memory card? In the other camera bag. I’ll have to use the phone camera. As expected, there were few other people around, and those we met were all on the old railway track or the riverside path.

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Flora and fauna

On 16 Jul 202016 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

We’re sitting in the chocolate seat, enjoying a couple of minutes rest. “Look, there’s a rabbit” “No, it’s a hare!” Inevitably, he’s long gone by the time the camera is pointing in the right direction. Some of the butterflies are more obliging, and there are electric-blue damselflies on a branch in Shore Pool. A few poppies in the wheat catch the eye – as does a huge toast-coloured toadstool. An enjoyable afternoon outing!

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The estate road and the terrace

On 14 Jul 202014 Jul 2020 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

A day on Brown Clee: the weather’s not great – gloomy, cold and just the occasional spot of drizzle – but it’s good to be out on Shropshire’s highest hill. Not a giant, Brown Clee is nevertheless a good viewpoint, and today the air is clear despite the gloom. Higher hills in Wales form a wonderful western panorama – and that summit away in the far south-west must be Carmarthen Fan, a full 100 km distant (just over 62 miles, but it sounds more impressive in metric). Our outward route has taken us along the estate road, then up the steep track to a bench beside Boyne Water. Later, after crossing the summit ridge, we drop down to the hillside terrace, with its views of Corvedale and the Wenlock Edge. A most enjoyable circuit!