6.73 mile walk

Posted on February 27, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, 6.73 miles, Aching, Life, lyme Park, lyme valley park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

Walk along the Lyme Valley Park in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

It would have been muddy if it hadn’t been so dry over the last few days.

The sun was setting as we walked. We called in a couple of shops for essentials so I was out for three and a half hours. Note to self, get shopping from somewhere closer to home or take two bags instead of one so you can spread the load.

That was going to be a short walk, but I ended up doing over two miles more. Me and my friend seem to egg each other on. (if we go that way we can do a few more steps?).

I Will have a short walk tomorrow. I need a rest!

Trees in winter

Posted on February 26, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Life, muddy, Photo, Photo director, river Bank, River Trent, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trees, Trent, WetLeave a comment

Reflections again, this time of trees along the river Trent a few weeks ago. Walking in the rain, trying to avoid the fifty yard long puddles on the paths. Stepping through muddy grass with shoes sinking into the earth. It was wet! Subtle hints of green in the bushes that was knocked back when the temperatures dropped and the snow fell. A whole section of the newly restored river bank washed away and the new housing estate on the flood plain is threatened. Why build on the flood plain anyway? Money!

Today’s walk

Posted on February 26, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, day 26, longer than expected, Shelton, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

don’t know why the doors are halfway up these bottle ovens. They are on a small estate of apartments by the Trent and Mersey canal in Shelton Stoke-on-Trent. Today I managed to walk 4.6 miles, which is far enough. I will probably post some more photos later…

Posted on February 25, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, Canal, Cauldon canal, Etruria, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trent and mersey canal, WalkingLeave a comment

Walked to Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent and back today. 25th day of the #100daywalkingchallenge. A quarter of the way… If I was walking in a straight line I think I’d be in Birmingham… My daily mileage is going up from about 3 miles a day to 4. Getting very tired!

Nature reserve walk

Posted on February 22, 2021February 22, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, catkins, Fenton, Life, nature reserve, River, Spring, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

I’ve never been to this nature reserve, and yet it’s only about a mile away behind the local University. My friend showed it me today. It takes in some hills, a lake and the River Trent. We walked quickly so I feel really tired out. Its somewhere to visit as the spring progresses. We might even have a picnic. X

Views include the river Trent, near Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent,

Mow Cop limerick

Posted on February 22, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Cheshire, Drawing, folly, Fun, Life, Limerick, mow cop castle, mow cop hill, Poem, Poetry, Sketch, Staffordshire, ViewsLeave a comment

There is a prompt set by Esther Chilton to write a limerick using a particular word. This week it was Mop, which was good because I’d just drawn Mow Cop at Five am this morning.

Mow Cop is a folly of a castle near Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, and stands above the Cheshire plain with views of Jodrell Bank Observatory and beyond.

Today’s walk…

Posted on February 12, 2021February 12, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, B'arts, bright day, Cold, Sculpture, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Sunny, Walk, woodenLeave a comment

Took in wooden heads in Stoke that are part of an art project by bArts to bring art to the town centre. There were also banners but sadly the festival that was planned was cancelled because of covid. I wish I knew who the artist was but all I can say is they are interesting and very noticeable on a sparkling sunny day.

Big City Dreams

Posted on February 8, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, big city dreams, Graffiti, Heart, Photos, Staffordshire, stencils, Stoke-on trent, Text, Words5 Comments

I keep seeing this stencil around our city. I think it’s a work by a local artist called ‘stokesy’? Whoever it is they are emulating Banksy.

I like these, it feels like they care about the city. There is a neatness and confidence about them. They are representative of the creative spirit of the city of the Potteries. The home of Clarice Cliff and Suzie Cooper, Emma Bridgewater, Wedgewood, and all the potteries and makers in the area. I ❤️ this city, I ♥️ Stoke-on-Trent.

Falcon works

Posted on December 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Black Country museum, Dudley, Falcon works, Gladstone pottery museum, Longport, Painting, portmeirion, Pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-TrentLeave a comment

A couple of paintings I did two years ago? They were on display in the waiting room gallery at Longport. These are paintings of the Falcon Works behind Portmeirion pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. A lot of these buildings are either falling down or just sitting empty. I wish some of them could be restored. There is a wonderful place called the Black Country Museum in Dudley I think in Central England. They have rebuilt many old buildings on the site so you can visit and see the history of industry and businesses in England. There are some museums in Stoke-on-Trent which are smaller versions. For example the Gladstone pottery museum. It’s a real shame that so many old buildings are being allowed to fall into rack and ruin.

Tree by river

Posted on December 13, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cold, December, Flood, Photo, Rain, River, River Trent, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Tree, Trees, Walk, Water, WinterLeave a comment

Tree or trees? One limb broken. The grey path reflects the grey sky. Water rushes down the river, brown and muddy. In speight, almost overcoming the banks. The rain is trapped on the pathways, the grass sodden and squelchy. I walked along there this afternoon as part of a long walk. I can feel the wet mud between my toes overtopping my shoes, pulling at their soles. Water is like glue. Stronger than gravity. My feet lift out of the shoes as they lift from the ground. My feet still feel cold and are aching hours afterwards. Perhaps I need a bowl of hot water to soak them in. I wish I’d got some bathsalts! Time to rest.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Staffordshire