Thousands of trees at Attingham – and today we’ve found the most ancient. It’s 800 years old, apparently. The deer are taking it easy on this fine afternoon, and we’re not hurrying either. The snowdrops are just about at their best now, truly like snowdrifts in the woods.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=355195&Y=310201&A=Y&Z=120
…and tea – and toasted teacake. The YHA cafe is open again for the year, just weekends for now – it’s a good reason for a walk down to Coalport. It’s an enjoyable leg-stretch too, and there may be some signs of spring.
…we’re stretching our legs, trying to make the most of the sunshine – though as ever, the clouds are being uncooperative. A kingfisher is busy in the Teme – for a few moments, he’s tantalisingly close (but not close enough…) – then he’s away downstream and out of sight.
After 45231 (see previous post) – a visit to Blists Hill, making the most of a pleasant, bright afternoon. It’s very quiet here at this time of year – apart from the school parties, and they’re well-behaved. Must be the Victorian discipline…
Steam on the main line – Black 5 45231 is on test, prior to working passenger-carrying specials. There aren’t too many other people around, and the winter sunlight is doing its best…
For more photos, visit “Testing Times” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
Scenic? I exaggerate… Monday 4 February: a day out, using a “Cheshire Day Ranger”. There were one or two stretches of track we wanted to travel along, and somewhere for lunch would be good. We began our travels just inside Cheshire on a Carmarthen to Manchester (aka “Manceinion” – it’s a Transport for Wales service) Piccadilly train. A northbound train from Piccadilly took us to Victoria, using the (almost) brand new “rusty bridge” Ordsall chord. At Victoria, we switched to a Liverpool-bound train, and from the low-level station at Lime Street we caught a New Brighton service …
… for a brief stroll beside the sea, and lunch (at the Floral Pavilion – wow!) …
…and now we’re heading for Chester, where our train of choice is the loco-hauled (propelled…) service to Piccadilly. Things are getting busy now – our train back to Crewe is packed (the two-coach – crazy! – 16.31 to Milford Haven). Lastly, the short hop home is on the “stopper”. I’ve lost count of all the different – very different – trains we’ve been on, but it’s been a great day out!
A stroll beside the Severn in Shrewsbury. The photos needed some sunshine, but the clouds were being awkward, so I’ve converted to monochrome (apart from the crocuses – it would have been a shame to take their colour away.
We’ll catch the bus and walk back… It should have been wall-to-wall sunshine, but clouds are blowing across from the north-east – we’ll have to be selective with the photos. We’re certainly not going to stand and wait until the sun shines – it’s much too cold, barely above freezing. Nevertheless, it’s pleasant when the sun’s out, and there are one or two reminders that spring isn’t too far away.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=364840&Y=301361&A=Y&Z=120
Last winter, the (literally) heavy snowfall in December broke many branches off the lovely Lebanese cedars at Attingham Park. They will recover some of their former glory, I’m sure, given time. Elsewhere in the park, the snowdrops are coming out, and the squirrels are scurrying about trying to remember where they buried their nuts. It’s one of the floodlit days – when the sun shines, that is – it’s rather hit and miss…
Not as much as we’d hoped for. We were anticipating snow too – there was a light cover at home, but hardly any here. Road closures delayed us, and by the time we’d reached the top of Hope Bowdler Hill, a bank of cloud from the west was stealing the sunshine. It’s good up here, especially when the sun is out, but now it’s gone – so has the light, and the wind’s cold. Let’s omit the Battlestones (just this once!) – we’ll cut our losses and head for home.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=347617&Y=293618&A=Y&Z=120
