Tree views

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged bund, Day out, lakes, Life, Photo, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trees, Visit, Walk, Westport lake, wildlife centreLeave a comment

Trees on our walk today. (somehow I seem to have posted the same thing twice so I’m editing this into a new post). Anyway this was at the far end of the big Westport Lake where a large plot of land has had tons of hardcore rubble placed on it I don’t know if its an industrial site or housing, but they have builf a huge bund (piled up slope) hopefully to hide it from the lake. Previously it was a muddy rocky mess adjacent to the nature reserve and the main train line that runs to one side of the reserve. I’m glad these trees have been left to screen off the area.

Today’s amble

Posted on February 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Day out, lakes, Photo, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Visit, Walk, Westport lake, wildlife centreLeave a comment

Two lakes, the smaller in front. One is a quarter of a mile to walk round, the other a mile. Its at Westport in Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire. A bit of a haven for water birds. It’s also a reservoir for the Trent and Mersey canal I think. It’s a flooded area of old coal workings or marl pits I think? Sorry not to have better information, I shall have to check. Its run by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. There’s a cafe there and wildlife csntre. The only thing is the local council have bought in car parking charges (it used to be free). Its sad because in this day and age people might be put off coming because of the cost of living crisis.

Canal boats

Posted on February 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Boats, Canal, Painting, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Traditional, Trent and mersey canal, Walk, Westport lake2 Comments

On our walk today round Westport Lake we incorporated a bit of the Trent and Mersey canal. We saw a few canal barges as we walked along the towpath. It made me think of a song we sing at choir which goes ‘fifteen miles on the Erie canal’. Most of the boats were painted dull blues and greys but there was a more traditionally painted cafe boat in primarily green and red but with yellow and white details too. It made me smile to see it.

Went for a walk

Posted on January 30, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Escape, Exercise, Legs, local area, Relaxation, starting out, Streets, Time, Tired, Walk, Walking3 Comments

We went for a short walk today, just round the local streets, back past an avenue of trees. It was only about a mile but I came back aching, cold and a bit breathless so it was far enough. After months of illnesses and problems I was pleased to drag my hubby out into the cold air. No rain today, no chance of slipping, just the chance to stretch my legs and think I can start again. I hope we can extend our steps a little bit each day. I didn’t measure them because I forgot to take my phone. Now I’m just trying to relax the aches out of my leg and back. But it’s good to feel able to exercise again.

Green man at Rudyard

Posted on January 8, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged @ivans_uk_tours, Green man, Leek, North Staffordshire, Rudyard Kipling, Rudyard lake, Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire moorlands, WalkLeave a comment

Hubby went for a walk yesterday and his friend Ivan who runs Ivans UK Tours (@ivans_uk_tours) took this photo. Ivan had arranged a walk round Rudyard Lake in North Staffordshire. It’s a canal reservoir near Leek. I pinched this photo off his Facebook page because it is so lovely and I love the Green man design. They walked all the way round the lake starting off at the Rudyard Lake Hotel around the east side of the lake along the lanes because you can’t walk along the shoreline. Then up into the woods to the north end of the lake up steep pathways and along muddy tracks. They came back along the path of the old railway line that runs from the lake up towards Rushton Spencer. However they were walking South to the dam at the south end of the lake. From there you can walk back across to the hotel car park. Approximately 7miles.

I think Rudyard Kipling was named after Rudyard Lake I think…..?

I’ve not been well enough to go and when my hubby described the route I don’t think I could have managed it even if I was well!

Cornwall

Posted on December 27, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cliffs, Cornwall, Dusk, fields, hedgerows, Life, Poem, Poetry, Sea, shore, stiles, WalkLeave a comment

A glow in the sky

Memory of an evening walk

Across grassy fields

And over stony stiles

Only a few days

By the sea

But I remember

The hues and colours

The sights and river sounds

Blousy hedgerows

Full of blossoms

Fruits and seedheads

Mild and breezy

Candyfloss clouds

Cornwall, County of coastlines

Beautiful beaches

High cliffs and moors

I want to return.

Minature train

Posted on August 16, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Backache, minature train, Train, Trentham Gardens, Trentham Lake, Walk, woman train driverLeave a comment

Good to see a woman driver on the minature train at Trentham Gardens. We went there today because our neighbours are having some work done and had mini diggers rumbling all morning so I couldn’t open my windows because of the noise.

We decided to walk round the lake which was lovely because there was a cool breeze, but then we caught the minature train down half the length of the lake to make life easier. I still had a twinge in my back so had to get my hubby to help me get back off the train!

We walked round the rest of the lake and I took some photos of flowers around the lake which are still looking lovely. I might try and look at doing some small paintings of them.

Proper Job

Posted on July 10, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged beer, Cornwall, Countryside, Drink, pale ale, proper job, St Austell, WalkLeave a comment

A pint of Proper Job Pale Ale brewed in St Austell in Cornwall. Tasty and hoppy, cool after a long walk through the countryside. Climbing over tall stone stiles. Listening to the lowing of cattle. Walking under massive trees that started growing three or four hundred years ago. A pleasant refreshment after a tiring day.

Walk that road

Posted on June 10, 2022June 10, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Alone, Empty, Lonely, Mind, Poem, Poetry, Rhyme, Sad, Thought, WalkLeave a comment

Walk that lonely road,

Carry a heavy load

Head down with your thoughts

Tangled up and caught.

Never look around

Don’t listen to the sound

Of singing birds

Or spoken words…

They are hidden

And are unbidden

From you world

Mind unstirred

Alone.

Overflow

Posted on June 10, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged cartwheel, Life, Nature, overflow, Photo, Picture, Spring, WalkLeave a comment

Overflow to a lake or pond. I was stuck by how it was constructed with something that looked like a cartwheel to stop people or things falling in? A bit flimsy. Perhaps it needs a grating or lid on top. Still the moss on the spokes was very natural. The water must be quite clean x

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Walk