Return to Rubha Hunish

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Skye, WalksLeave a comment

Wednesday 18 September: It’s the northernmost tip of Skye, accessible only by a very steep and exposed “path” down the cliff face. Lots of people park at the end of the Shulista road and walk along the excellent path to the cliff top, look down and decide to visit the ex-coastguard bothy on top of Meall Tuath instead.  I’ve been to the bothy three times this year, on longer walks where the visit to Rubha Hunish would be too much for a short outing. Today I’m descending! It’s barely a mile from the cliff top to the tip of the island, but a full two hours have elapsed by the time I’m back at the top (I’d have been walking in total darkness on my January and February visits). Skye’s roads are very busy with visitors, but for those two hours, I have the little Hunish peninsula to myself – paradise! That monster cruise liner can hold over 4,000 passengers. I know where I’d rather be on this beautiful sunny day!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=141439&Y=875598&A=Y&Z=120

Flying things

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Comer and Mose – a walk through the woods and along the very quiet lane past the farm. There are butterflies, there’s a small dragonfly (a common darter, I believe) and, at the other end of the scale, a family of swans in Wall Pool. The NT car park is busy, but beyond a 15 minutes radius from the car, there’s no-one else around.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=375070&Y=289900&A=Y&Z=120

Hobbits and men: Stourport

On By geoffspagesIn PhotographyLeave a comment

The Prancing Pony at Bree had separate facilities for the differently-sized peoples of Middle Earth. Stourport basin is a bit like that. It connects the narrowboat canals of the West Midlands with the Severn and, well above the river, also provides facilities for medium-sized riverboats (which cannot, of course, travel any further up the waterway along the canals). Between the river and the basin are two sets of locks – full-width barge locks for the riverboats, and hobbit-sized for the narrowboats. It’s a fascinating place.

Cheek-by-jowl with the canal-age calm of the basin, overlooked by the elegant Georgian buildings of Stourport, is a brash, noisy, colourful funfair (it’s probably much noisier at the weekend), and the high street shops, particularly those nearer the river, appear to cater for its visitors – especially the hungier ones. The contrast between the shopfronts and the floors above is almost as great as that between the basin and the funfair. I’ll say it again – it’s a fascinating place!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=380903&Y=271058&A=Y&Z=115

Lasp gasp…

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

… of summer? It’s certainly warm today, in the mid-2os, though it probably won’t last. Sunny too – it would be a crime to stay indoors. Away from the car park, there’s hardly anyone else about, and I don’t think the path from Posenhall to Arlescott has been walked much recently – it’s almost blocked by scratchy brambles and stinging nettles (I can still feel them in my left hand). The blackberries beyond that short stretch make it all worthwhile – several brief stops for refreshment…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365360&Y=301865&A=Y&Z=120

Early autumn around Cound

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

The first two days were rather wet; today, the 3rd of September, is a better day. Grey in the morning but sunny intervals from around 2pm, the forecast suggested, and it was pretty accurate. Blackberries abound, but they’re rather soggy after the rain – however, there’s a reliable wild apple tree that will help to kick-start the jam-making season.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=355695&Y=304040&A=Y&Z=120

Westhope woodlands

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

…on Wenlock Edge. From the car park at the top of the Ticklerton – Westhope road, it’s a pleasant walk down that road to the hamlet of Westhope. The Hope Dale road then ascends very gently to the col below Callow Hill’s tower. A short lane then leads to the Edge, for a very pleasant walk through deciduous woodland, almost dead straight back to the start.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=346770&Y=286545&A=Y&Z=120