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.
…but there’s still plenty of muddy water flowing down the Severn, and the flood barriers are still up. One or two snaps from a wander around Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale
…it rained some more. The forecast suggested a reasonably clear and bright – and dry – afternoon. It was, eventually, but the showers persisted longer than we expected, interspersed by sunshine here and there. Not a great afternoon for walking, but some dramatic lighting for a few photos.
The iron bridge, that is, at Ironbridge. The river’s high – the flood barriers were up, though it wasn’t quite up to the Wharfage. Perhaps the level had dropped a little. A leg stretch and a breath of fresh air were needed, making the most of what was left of the afternoon after a reasonably prompt Christmas lunch.
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.
The world didn’t end today (there are those who said it would) – and the nights are getting lighter again. That’s two good things in one day. To celebrate (!)), here’s a short wander around Bridgnorth, making limited use of the light…
No words needed…
It was certainly too cold to hang around… The almost-clear blue sky – just the odd little puff of white – soon disappeared, to be replaced by more cloud than expected (or forecast), but with some good breaks of sunshine here and there. It was even colder when the sun went in. This was not so much a very short walk (which it was), more a quick trip to the summit – not the highest point around here, at 1506′, but a great viewpoint.
We’ve done this walk a couple of times before – today, with plenty of sunshine and little streaks of cirrus, we did it anti-clockwise. It’s a bit squelchy underfoot between the lanes, and the path here is non-existent (though it is a right of way). But it’s very pleasant, quiet country, and the lane back towards Hurst Farm and its pools, high above the valley of the Mor brook to the south, has some extensive views towards Shropshire’s highest point on Brown Clee. There’s no time to dawdle at this end of the year though – the sun set as we dropped down past the pools and back to the car.
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