It’s probably indicative of poor gardening – if we’d looked after the grass (I can’t describe it as a lawn) at the back of our house, this wouldn’t have happened, I’m sure. Once again, we have a crop of common spotted orchids – twenty flower heads in total, from perhaps seven or eight plants. The tallest are just-about past it, others are just coming into bloom. They’re welcome visitors (even if they are a b***** to mow around!).
We’re heading for Cannock Chase – the weather forecast says it should stay dry (it did), while showers would affect western Shropshire in the afternoon (they did). It’s not a great day, photographically – the clouds are heavy and ominous, and there’s no real sunshine – but it’s very enjoyable to explore the heathland, which varies in appearance and feel as we make our way around. A fairly long one today – just short of 10 miles – so we’ve earned our tea and cake at the visitor centre…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=399085&Y=317611&A=Y&Z=120
There are some possibly-heavy showers about: a visit to Stokesay Castle will be pleasant if it stays dry, and will provide welcome shelter if it rains (it didn’t!). The nearby church is worth a visit too.
Stokesay Castle (English Heritage)
Ironbridge? Coalbrookdale? Will there really be no more? Who knows? In the meantime, have a look at “Last steam from Coalbrookdale” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries – more pictures of yesterday’s two trips down – and up – the former power station line from Madeley Junction.
No. 7029 “Clun Castle” was in action today, on a couple of shuttles between Wellington and Coalbrookdale. It was advertised as the last steam to (or was it “from”?) Ironbridge – but that was over 50 years ago. We’re not complaining – it’s good to see a train of any kind on the line which used to serve the now-defunct power station. It was very dull for the first run, but the sun did its best for the second. Here’s a sample – more to come on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“…
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise…
That may be true, for the unsuspecting, but I must admit that I’d hoped we might find them… They’re in the trees beside the Long Mynd Hotel, and rather fine they are too. We’re taking a walk on the Mynd, from a different starting point – the little car park at the top of Cunnery Road, and making a small ursine detour before tackling the steep path up the Ashlet hillside. We’ll walk towards the Boiling Well, before cutting across to the top of the Light Spout valley, to return to the start past the waterfall, down the Carding Mill valley and through Rectory Woods. A very pleasant outing, perfect for this cold (is this really June?), windy but dry afternoon.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343480&Y=294411&A=Y&Z=120
It’s just two hours from Manchester – but we’ve got to get to Manchester first. With an early start, we’ll have the best part of five hours in Hull – and fascinating hours they are! After saying hello to Philip Larkin, who’s hurrying to catch a train (but he’s late), we find lunch near the old docks (now a marina). Later, we visit Corporation Pier station (which had ferries but no trains) and the walkway above Albert Dock, then walk alongside the river Hull as far as Drypool Bridge. Heading back through the old town, we find ourselves at the Streetlife Museum, a distraction which means we’ll have to walk briskly back to Paragon station. A great day out – must do it again!
For more rail-related photos from the trip, visit By TPE to Hull on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
An easy wander to the south-west of Wenlock, on the last day of (meteorological) spring. There are wild flower meadows, fields of wheat, barley, oats and potatoes (and oilseed rape, almost completely faded), and hidden ways between lines of trees. Other than the power station chimney and cooling towers (not for much longer) it’s a rural and unspoiled landscape.
View OD map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=361430&Y=298891&A=Y&Z=120
A short wander around Attingham Park, on an afternoon which improved. The deer – lots of young ones – are taking it easy. The walled garden is full of colour – and the scarecrows seem to be working as intended.
It’s become a favourite – a very enjoyable circular route from Much Wenlock, down through Traps Coppice and into Bannister’s Coppice, then beside Sheinton Brook and back up through Homer. There was a chance of rain earlier in the afternoon – this route is mostly in attractive woodland, but in the event we didn’t need shelter. By the time we’d topped the edge above Homer, the day had changed for the better.
View OS map on Streetmap http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=362175&Y=301916&A=Y&Z=120
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