Love for Ludlow

It's May 1st and still the bothersome weather and frosts continue.  Yet again, our young plants are covered in white fleece.  

The birds continue to ignore the unseasonal weather and are carrying on regardless.  The pond remains host to a lone pond skater, wasps and birds taking a drink.  We're constantly scanning the pond for other signs of life, but, aside from the plants putting on a growth spurt and the marsh marigold flowering (pictured), there's nothing doing.

This blackbird may be handsome, but he's also a thief.  According to him, anything is up for grabs, including our newly laid mind your own business.  He's repeatedly tried (and failed) to carry off great segments of it, only to drop it elsewhere in the garden.  The mind your own business has, as a consequence, finished its business here on earth.

I have plans to sow sweet peas and wild flower seeds, but they remain on hold for now.  I also want to create a herb garden.  Our last herb garden - housed in an old half barrel - finally collapsed when the barrel rotted through.  Most of the herbs had been dwarfed by a particularly vigorous Thyme anyway.  I understand that Monty Don gave a masterclass in growing Mediterranean herbs last night, so I will have to catch up on that later.  

Last week we invested four hours of our life into watching Viewpoint, only to discover on Thursday evening, a media storm following the Guardian's investigation into the numerous unsavoury allegations levelled at its leading actor, Noel Clarke.  The final episode was cancelled, but it was available for a limited time on ITV Hub, so we were able to see the conclusion.  The allegations make for disturbing reading, but talking with my old legal head on, I'm fearful that such powerful perpetrators will ultimately get off the hook if the details are given an airing in the media first.

Speaking of law, I headed to my former stomping ground where I spent my last days as a Legal Executive - Ludlow.   Once the capital of Wales, but now an isolated, but bustling (and quite artistic) market town in Shropshire, Ludlow was an hour long commute for me, taking me up and over the Clee Hills.  It offers the most incredible views on clear days, but also the densest of pea soup fogs in winter.  I clearly remember having to stop my car at the summit and just watch as the fog drifted, in impenetrable clouds, across the road, until it was safe to move forwards.

Photo from my archives from Clee summit

I parked in Corve Street, a particularly handsome street don't you think?  

Corve Street, Ludlow, photographed with my trusty 50mm lens

Many of the properties in Ludlow are contained within long, narrow "burgage" plots laid out in the 12th century.  Some buildings were destroyed in the English Civil War and so whilst they retain their atmospheric medieval cellars, the properties above have early Georgian facades.  Beyond, lie buildings and courtyards ranging in date from from Medieval to Victorian.

This quirky sign, showcasing featured artists by Valentine Fine Art on Corve Street, also caught my eye.  As a child of the late 70s/1980's, no prizes for guessing why.

This photo, of the famous and historic Feathers Hotel, has had more likes than any other in recent months.  It's such an exquisitely detailed building and very cinematic, so it's not hard to see why.  We stayed here some years ago after seeing Rob Newman (of The Mary Whitehouse Experience fame) at the Assembly Rooms.  We later saw him drinking at the same pub as us and then he turned up at breakfast the next morning.  There are no hiding places in Ludlow!

I did notice more people wearing masks in the street in Ludlow.  Understandably, due to its relative isolation and small population, the residents are even more cautious now that there is an influx of visitors.

Here's a glimpse of Broad Street (and the obligatory masked up pedestrian), upon which stands my old office, viewed from the doorway of Ludlow's Buttercross (the rooms above house the town's museum).

That said, the sight of the market in the aptly named Market Square and the sounds of street performers, made life feel something like normal.

I had an al fresco lunch (Tesco Prawn Salad) by the castle walls with this Edgar Allan Poe view.

There's a path that runs adjacent to the castle, which winds down to Dinham Wier.  It's another favourite spot, with the castle dominating the horizon and is transformed into a paddling paradise in the summer months.  By mid June it will be alive with children (and adults) carrying fishing nets and donning rolled up trousers - all very Swallows and Amazons.

Photo from my archives

Ludlow Love, photo from my archives

Inspired by Vix (Vintage Vixen) and Lulu (Long Mizzle Garden), I did visit the town's numerous charity shops, but aside from a beautiful black Labrador guide dog shaking my hand sanitiser-slicked hand, I left empty handed.  It was a day for picking things up, doing a tour of the shop with them and then returning them to the rails.  I wasn't disappointed though.  After months of restrictions, it felt so freeing to just get in the car and drive.  Little old Ludlow may as well have been Las Vegas, such was the level of excitement.  I hope it never wears off.

See you soon!