Summer in Shropshire

The summer has only just arrived here, as we have had a few weeks of floods. Actually the flooding in our part of the world has not been too bad - the problems came as the river waters moved down the Severn to Worcester, Tewkesbury and Gloucester. We did have some excitement a few weeks ago when about a month's rainfall fell in a day, and there was a fear at one stage that the Upper Furnace Dam at Coalbrookdale would burst. I am quite glad to have sold the low-lying house in Worcester (which did actually flood in 2004) and to be living on the hill in Madeley.

The river still quite high at Ironbridge on 21st July - although in 2000 it would have been over my head in this photo.


Last weekend we had a lovely time away from the pressures of work, which are particularly stressful at present. On Saturday we went to Ludlow - itself the victim of major flooding three or four weeks ago but now happily back to normal. Cheese and books for sale in the market place, so a happy day was had. We then went to little-known Richard's Castle, a few miles to the south. This is a very spectacular (disused) church and associated early medieval castle - largely surviving as earthworks.

Intrepid explorer on top of the castle - in fact standing on the buried masonry structure of the keep.

View from the castle, looking south-east over the Shropshire - Hereford- shire border.

Interior of the church, still with its original box-pews.

Still here!

Still here but of late somewhat busy and there were technical problems. Lots to report from April, May and June...

...hopefully I will have time to post a bit more later in the week!