A sunny morning (and rain forecast for later) – let’s get out while the going’s good.

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….at Benthall. It’s the northern tip of the Wenlock Edge, its steep wooded slopes high above the Severn as it flows towards Ironbridge. Near Benthall Hall, there are one or two others out and about, but I have the woods to myself, and very pleasant they are too on such a fine afternoon.

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We didn’t get very wet! That’s all they were, short light showers, though they can be unpredictable. We’re walking the lanes from Baucott, past Broncroft Castle to Tugford and back by a circular route, and when it isn’t raining, it’s very pleasant out. The sunshine, when it comes, is like a spotlight, highlight the details in the landscape, and really picking out the autumn leaves.

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A fine sunny morning – it’ll be cloudier later, so let’s stretch our legs a little now. Trying to avoid the worst of the mud (our usual route, through the fields behind the old school, will be very wet in places), we follow quiet lanes as far as the Boldings. We return past the fishing pools, along the edge of the fields (yes, a bit sticky underfoot, but we’ll survive) and back up the lane to the start.

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Sorry. This blog has nothing to do with pumpkins, ghouls, tricks or treats. It just happens to be 31 October, and it rhymes with (Church) Preen. Whatever the date, it’s a fine and pleasant afternoon in this quiet part of the county below Wenlock Edge, and it looks as though it will rain for the first few days of November, so we’re trying to make the most of it…

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There are some obvious attractions in the area around Hope Bowdler – today we’re finding some of the less obvious pleasures in the lanes and tracks to the south of the village just a couple of miles from Church Stretton. There’s more sunshine and blue sky than we expected, though there are some obvious showers here and there. “I hope my washing isn’t getting wet”. The consolation is simple – if we’d decided to walk nearer home, we’d have been soaked too…

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Making the most of a little sunshine in the lanes around Willey, and enjoying the autumn colours. Can’t remember ever seeing so many berries on the holly! There are just a few spots of very light rain in the air as we return to the start. Willey is somewhere under the rainbow!

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The clocks go back tonight. The only good thing about it is the extra hour in bed tomorrow morning (let’s have a party!). At least it’s a fine afternoon – I’d better make the most of the daylight. Haven’t been to Aldenham for a little while…

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