Now that the site has now re-opened we spent a few days in Herefordshire last week.
Timothy glad to back!
The Herefordshire Oak - still bare but I think a slight suggestion in the colour of leaf buds to come. First photograph taken in March as in 2020 the park couldn't open until July and last year it was April (due to lockdowns).
We arrived Tuesday lunchtime and in the afternoon did the usual click and collect for shopping at Morrisons in Leominster. Sadly, Wednesday it rained all day so we didn't bother going anywhere.
Thursday the weather was fine and as B didn't want to visit any villages (and of course he doesn't like visiting churches) I finally suggested a trip to Titterstone Clee Hill which we had seen in the distance from both Ludlow and Tenbury Wells. There is a car park quite near the summit which saves walking all the way up which was just as well as it was SO windy and I nearly got blown away just taking photos.
Titterstone Clee Hills is 533 metres above sea-level and the third highest hill in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Most of the top of the hill is common land used for grazing sheep, air traffic control and disused and working quarries.
Clee Hill is one of the few hills to feature on the Mappa Mundi map in Hereford Cathedral.
As you can see the views were just stunning although sadly it was quite a hazy day.
There is evidence everywhere of mining and quarrying for a dolerite, known locally as "dhustone", which is used in road building. Many of the industrial buildings still remain including early examples using reinforced concrete.
Also on the summit of the hill are two radar stations (not visible from the car park) The first radar station was constructed in September 1941 and used by the RAF during World War 2. The station was disbanded and closed in September 1957 and is now part of National Air Traffic Services Radar Network. The smaller radar station is used by the Met Office. Also out of sight on the summit is an Iron Age Hill Fort and Bronze Age Cairn which I would dearly love to see. Finally there is a mound of boulders formed during cold intervals of the Devensian Ice Age and called the Giant's Chair. Hopefully we will return on a less windy day and explore further.
We stopped off also at the view point in Clee Hill village which is located 395 metres above sea level. The Kremlin pub in the village, now closed I think, was the highest pub in Shropshire.
On the way back we stopped off in Tenbury Wells as B wanted to try and buy in Tesco a hose attachment for the kitchen tap in. They didn't sell them but he did buy some pansies to plant up in a tub.
We had a quick walk round the town centre.
A rubbish photo taken from the car but if you peer through the railings in the centre of the picture you can see what is known as Tenbury Wells Castle or Burford Castle or Castle Tump.
It may have been built before the Norman Conquest probably by Richard Le Scrope (who also built Richard's Castle which we have visited a few times). He was a Norman invited to England by King Edward the Confessor in the late 1040's.
What was a motte and bailey castle controlled a crossing point on the nearby River Teme. Today there is no sign of any ditches and all that remains is a mound less than 4 metres high. When we next go to Tenbury Wells I will see if I can access it.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
11 comments:
Some lovely views there!!! and lovely to see Timothy :)
Sorry it rained, but you probably had plenty of reading to do, and it's just good sometimes for a change of scenery. Speaking of scenery, despite the haze, the views from Titterstone Clee Hill are still spectacular. Tenbury Wells is a charming town, looks most interesting to wander about. I love the oak tree, as I love seeing the structure without leaves. Lovely to see Young Master Timothy again!
The Quacks of Life - Thanks so much. Have you been up Clee Hill Pete? Well worth it if you go back to that area again. I nearly took Benedict as well until I saw Timothy's face - lol! :)
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. Weather wise this week would have been better but I had reading and knitting and of course the laptop :) They are spectacular aren't they? On a clear clear day they must be stupendous :) Apart from Ludlow I like Tenbury Wells the best as a town to wander round. Something quite genteel about it! So glad I started to "watch" that tree ) Timothy says thank you :)
That's a fascinating hill with great views
Such a lovely post. It must have been wonderful to be able to go back to the site again. The views from your hill walk are spectacular and Tenbury Wells looks an interesting town with lots of post boxes to spot. Glad the weather cleared up for your stay:)
I thought of you and wondered if you were back in Herefs. yet when I was driving past the (Kilvert!) Museum in Llandod on Monday. I hope you get to visit it this year. Also check out Llanigon church, just outside of Hay-on-Wye as that is where Kilvert's first love "Daisy" is buried, with the rest of her family. I intend to go and visit this week. (Her given name was Frances Eleanor Jane Thomas). John Toman's book "Kilvert, The Homeless Heart" tells about the Rev. Thomas spending his daughter's dowries on lavish living at Llanthomas (which was later knocked down after WWII). No wonder he chased off all suitors - one of his daughters ended up having a complete breakdown when her beau was chased away.
You have better legs and lungs than me climbing up Titterstone Clee Hill but gosh, what wonderful views from the top.
Simon Douglas Thompson - Thanks so much - lovely to hear from you and hope you are keeping well.
Rosie - Thanks so much. Yes it was good to be back especially as I couldn't go the week before when B and E went due to a hospital phone appt!! I wasn't happy then!
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much -Thank so much to for all that information - will write it down and take it to caraan. The book "The Homeless Heart" sounds rather good too!!! and tempting purhase wise!!!!!
Oh heck no we didn't climb it. With my asthma I would never have got up there!!! The road goes almost to the summit where there is a car park. A lazy way to get such a reward but my days of massive hill climbing are behind me I fear. If its less windy on another visit would like to continue along road which does carry on a while longer to see if I can see hill fort and radar stations.
I'm so glad you could get back to your caravan! That means that winter is over. :-) Wow the hills are fabulous in Shropshire, I bet those views are amazing on a clear day. I enjoyed the photos from the little town, but really wondered how much energy must be expended putting all those things outside the florists back in every night and brought back outside again each day! Rather them than me!
I also read the next post about the church - the architecture, particularly the bricked up doorways, is so interesting.
Timothy must be a very excited little bear to be travelling again! I'm so glad, RR, that you were able to see so many things ... Clee Hill looks amazing. It's wonderful to see proper hills; we really only get undulations here ... though they sometimes seem like hills to me!
Your trip to Titterstone Clee sound interesting. I love your photos of the views.
Millymollymandy - Thanks so much and lol! It was good to be back. Never thought about that with the florists - a big job!!!
I like St Leonard's a lot - its only about half a mile away from the site - I did take the car though - steep hill up to the church!!
Caroline Gill - Thanks so much. Timothy is happy to be able to return. I was going to take Benedict too until I saw T's face!!
CherryPie - Thanks so much. Well worth a visit.
Post a Comment