Close to the Edge

Our town, Kingswinford, is part of the Black Country (falling in the Dudley Borough).  Many people pass through this part of the world en route to somewhere else in the country, perhaps assuming that the area - encompassing Birmingham and the Black Country - is all heavy industry, motorways and Peaky Blinders.  In reality, it is much more than that.  

Walk through our garden gate for example and you are immediately in woodland.  Behind you will be the glittering lights of the West Midlands conurbation.  Ahead will be principally countryside until you eventually arrive in Wales.  

The very next town you will encounter is the ancient parish of Kinver, another favoured photo location.

Kinver is best known for the stunning National Trust controlled Kinver Edge and Holy Austin Rock Houses.  

Holy Austin Rock Houses, photographed last summer

Kinver Edge is a high heath and woodland escarpment.  It is a beautiful place to roam with its many vantage points, sandstone caves and wooded areas.  

Long Horn cattle, Autumn 2020

The heath is home to long horn cattle - to keep at bay unwanted undergrowth - and many species of rare wildlife.

The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal runs through Kinver, as does the River Stour and so yesterday, we stayed waterside.  After Monday night's bloody adventure, I thought it best to stay on level ground as there was a greater chance of me staying upright!

There were signs of spring everywhere and the Canadian Geese were out in force and totally unbothered by me and my camera.  

Once off the canal, we took a different path leading to the back streets of Kinver and past an impressive and noisy Rookery.

"Ye Olde Grammar School" is a late 16th Century building restored in the 1970s.  The building and its Staffordshire knot garden are beautiful and I'm hoping that a) the owners didn't see me poking my camera through the railings to capture it and b) they see sense and hand over to me the keys to the property.  

I love discovering a new footpath and guessing where it might emerge.  

Yesterday, I was rewarded with this view of the richly historic, Grade I listed, St Peter's Church (the Saxons, Normans and Victorians all put their stamp on it).  It's imposing up there on the hill and really should be featured in Midsomer Murders (Is this still going?  I've only ever seen one episode.  I know most of the villagers have been murdered, so maybe not).

St Peter's Church, Kinver

Editing this photo (using a texture of my own creation) set the tone for the remains of the day.  I ended Wednesday with episode three of Ridley Scott's The Terror and a couple of chapters of my latest read, "The Silent Companions" a gothic creepy chiller from my new favourite author, Laura Purcell.  I told you we're close to "The Edge!"  Despite this, sleep came easy.