Attingham Park

I had a lovely morning walk in Attingham Park with members of the Shropshire #walk1000miles group. It was lovely to catch up with old friends and meet others for the first time. Walking and talking meant I didn’t stop to take photos along the way. I will walk the route again soon with my camera in hand.

Rum Truffle

After the walk we gathered for lunch (I opted for a sandwich rather than cake) and a chat. Rather than spend more time in Attingham Park I returned home with a plan to tempt Mr C out for the afternoon in search of a ‘Naughty Cake’. He liked my plan and decided on Whitchurch, where just before the first lockdown we had enjoyed lunch in a tearoom above a bakery. I chose what looked like the rum truffles we make for Christmas. It was a rum truffle and similar but not exactly the same as our Christmas recipe.

St Alkmund's Church

After ’sweet’ temptations we enjoyed a short walk around the town where I was pleased to find that St Alkmund’s church was open, it had been closed on our previous visit to Whitchurch.

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

St Alkmund's Church

Much later Mr C and I enjoyed ‘Fine Dining’ at Chez Nous.

Skinny Honey & Lemon Pork

4 Comments CherryPie on Mar 6th 2022

King of the Castle

St David’s Day was the perfect opportunity to visit Powis Castle for lunch before a walk round the house and gardens. Later there was an opportunity for a naughty cake (almond slice) in the café next to the Ludlow food centre.

On Display

On Display

Welcome to My Castle

Nature Notes

Yew Pathway

Castle View

A Picnic with Nature

12 Comments CherryPie on Mar 1st 2022

Bridgnorth from above

We finished our weekend shop and dropped off a few items for mum before setting off for some fun in the sun. We thought we might lunch in Apley Farm shop on our way to Bridgnorth. When we arrived the café was full, with only outdoor seating available. It was lovely and sunny but far too windy to enjoy eating lunch outside so we continued our journey to Bridgnorth where we enjoyed lunch ‘with a view’ in Violets Tea Room.

I chose a a warmed lemon scone with butter and my lunchtime drink of choice, Elderflower Presse. After our order had been taken Mr C received a message from a friend. “I know it is short notice but I am available for a board game tonight”. Mr C replied that we were available. What game would I choose…

Bridgnorth from above

St Mary Magdelene

After lunch, it was lovely to step away from Bridgnorth’s  busy streets and enjoy a quiet walk around the perimeter of the Castle Gardens, taking in panoramic views over Bridgnorth, including the rugby pitch which looked more like a swimming pool after the recent rainfalls and flooding.

Bridnorth Castle

Bridnorth Castle

Bridnorth Castle

After walking around the perimeter I stepped Inside the tranquil Castle Gardens and I wondered how the tower keep (all that remains of the Castle), defying the laws of gravity, is still standing!

We returned to the town centre where Mr C and I had a separate random encounter with one of his friends. The street was rather crowded  with people bustling everywhere. I ploughed my way through to a quiet area beyond the market stall, thinking Mr C was behind me. When I turned round I realised that it was a couple following in my footsteps rather than Mr C.

I looked back down the street and couldn’t see him anywhere even when the street was clear of people. I reached for my phone to call him when suddenly I heard a voice next to me saying ‘he is down there’. When I looked to see who had spoken I realised it was that friend of Mr C, we had a brief chat and a hug before he had to rush off.

Herby Spring Chicken Pot Pie

Herby Spring Chicken Pot Pie

After our Bridgnorth excursion we enjoyed ‘Fine Dining’ followed by a lovely evening that included the aforementioned board gaming with our friend. We played Alhambra followed by Exploding Kittens!

4 Comments CherryPie on Feb 28th 2022

To get or not get what we desire can be equally disappointing.

Epicterus

Reflection

4 Comments CherryPie on Feb 27th 2022

Ready to Emerge

I had a lovely brisk local walk before it was time to do the weekly shop. The shopping experience turned out to be as much of a palaver as trying to park for my recent walk in the Town Park, culminating with a broken bottle of beer in the boot of Mr C’s car!

Ready to Bloom

Apley Plunge Pool

Apley Plunge Pool

New Growth

Back home with bags unpacked it was time for ‘Fine Dining’ before visiting my mum for the evening. We arrived with her weekly shopping as she is unable to shop at the moment due to spraining her ankle. I will not comment on how well we did in the Shropshire Star Quiz!

Tuna Nicoise Ratatouille Stack

Comments Off CherryPie on Feb 25th 2022

Silver Fish

The ideal choice for a walk after dropping Mr C off for a lunchtime ‘retirement do’ at the Golden Ball would have been around Ironbridge and Coalport.  The flooding caused by recent storms Franklin, Dudley and Eunice meant those locations were off limits. My choice of walk needed a lunch option…

I briefly considered Attingham Park as an option but the flooding there meant I would have to take a long way round to get back home after my walk. I decided the best option was to pick up lunch from M&S before a walk in Telford Town Park.

My first choice of car park was full, cars were queuing to enter. My Second choice of car park, the one I use on my rare visits the Town Centre was closed. I made my way to the cinema car park which I could see was empty only to find  when I arrived at the barrier there was a note to say ‘we can only accept cash, no credit cards’. I didn’t know how long I would be, so I wasn’t sure I would have enough cash, so I started to reverse as another car pulled up behind me. The lady behind me was puzzled, I could see that in her face, she didn’t reverse so I had to get out of the car and explain what the problem was.

Eventually I was able to park in the adjacent Council car park. WOW, it is cheap! I think that will be my first choice of car park for Telford Town Centre, lunch and Town Park walks in the future.

I purchased my lunch in M&S and made my way to the Town Park, thinking I would have lunch overlooking the pool before entering the park. As I arrived the wind whipped up, I had a perfect ‘Plan B’ that would be sheltered from the wind. I found that the gates to ‘Plan B’, the Maxell Gardens were shut. I walked the short distance to the Chelsea Gardens, through the gardens to the Pagoda in the Maxell gardens. By this time I had worked up an appetite and I was pleased to find my chosen seat was vacant. I enjoyed my lunch with a view of the fish statue. Whilst I was lunching there was a lovely interlude of a child splashing her hand so hard in the bird bath she almost drowned herself in water… she then came back for more :-)

Spring

Insect Hotel

New Growth

My walk took me along pathways I had not walked before, I got a little lost along the way. I felt slightly uncomfortable but I know all my local pathways lead to familiar ground in the end ;-)

Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom

Wonderland

Stirchley Chimney

Diamond Jubilee

Fields in Trust

Memorial

8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 24th 2022

The Hacket Window

This window is dedicated to Bishop Hacket, who spent energy and money restoring the Cathedral  after damage caused during the Civil War. It shows the ruined Cathedral in the process of repair.*

*Information from a Church leaflet “A walk through Lichfield Cathedral”

8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 21st 2022

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »