Wednesday 13 January 2010

alfie's snow walk




Come on dad i said move them old bones, and get that toy thingy that ya carry everytime we go on a walk
So pulling on my walking boots, and dressing like a eskimo i picked up my camera and took the little sod for a walk, well with a little luck i may loose him in all this white stuff... some chance.
So jumping into our car with Harvey our older lab, we set off for our local wood for a nice 1-2 mile walk in the nice winter wonderland... well on the main roads the car was ok and driveable but getting up the country lane was a differance thing together.

At last we got there and pulled up in the layby near the Hall, i got outta the car and let the dogs out to much barking from the little devil, he does love his walks...
We started our walk by walking up the lane to our left passing the old graveyard towards Benthall Edge Farm, this farm was in fact out nearist neighbour when we lived around the corner in spout lane during the 60's - early 70's and indeed the farm became our play ground during them long hot summers we used to have at the time, summers only a person of a certain age would remember.
Passing the farm we containue to walk on up the lane and we get our first view across the fields toward the Shropshire Hills in the distance 30 miles away. This is a view i did see very morning when i woke up and draw the certains from my bedroom window when i was a young kid growing up in Broseley wood, but enought of that now.....

Moving on we follow the lane as its sweeps down toward Benthall edge wood themself, theses woods are as old as the nearby Ironbridge if not older and is home to a wide range of wildlife from the large Roe Deer to the tiny Dormouse, if ya happen to know when and where to look you will find it...

Moving through the gate we continue along the path passing the white Game keepers Cottage, what a place to live this cottage is, 3/4 mile away from anyone right on the edge of the woods with only the wildlife as ya neighbour boy would i love it

Turning left we walk along old country pathways that are as old as the woods themself, the very same paths used 100's of years ago by the limeklin men and boys who would work the nearby workings and transport the limestone alond theses pathways down to the nearby River Steven from where it would be shipped down River to the bigger citys.
The woods are mostly made up of Oak, Ash, and beech trees, but other trees can be found mainly Hawthorn,Hazelnut, and birch and is managed by the (shropshire wildlife trust) who carries out a planned cropping of theses trees in the wood to allow wildflowers to grow like the bluebells , and wood animone in the spring and a vest collection of summer flowers such as orchids and ferns. Stepping over the gate hung across the path we carry on along the path between rolling fields where during summer kestrals, Swallows and skylark fly over wildflowers meadows grazed by horses and sheep and where the lone Barn owl hunts on warm balmy evenings towards the kissing gate where we turn right to cross fields sown of wheat under the ever watchful eyes of the buzzard looking down on us from atop the old elm tree.
walking on we pass in front of the beauiful Benthall Hall and the church of St Barlowmews the Hall stands over looking the Ironbridge Gorge and is home to Edward and Sally Benthall as we return

( This is an earlier picture)

through the gateway to the lane and our car.
ho by the way anyone seen a white Highland Terrier Dog answers to name Alfie last seen playing in the snow in Shropshire
i hope that you have enjoyed my walk and that you will return to read of my others walks in the country of shropshire... Please feel free to leave comments on any of my walks and ask for more information and advice if needed be..