Thursday 23 November 2017

176.Severn Way- Shepperdine

 6/10

Parking at  BS35 1QA 

Download Map Google Earth or GPX


Carrying on with the Severn Way this week and starting at Oldbury On Severn. Weather was awful with dark overcast skies almost black, very windy along the coastal bit and some rain but i suppose it can't be sunshine all the time!
Here's a few images of the day.

Both severn crossings, gotta walk over M48 Bridge soon !


This is Oldbury Power Station, Opened in 1967, enough electricity on a typical day to serve an urban area twice the size of Bristol. 
It stopped producing power on 29 February 2012.



The skies above shows the days weather perfectly.


Not much to see along the coast, was hoping for a few birds but high tide and wind put pay to that.


On O/s maps it shows a lighthouse i thought this would be a nice end to coast bit and turn in land unfortunately this was the lighthouse not very impressive !


Chapel house on Left and Severn crossings also the point i turnned inland.


Walked on up through Shepperdine village and lots of Redwing and Mistle Thrushes flying from the many Orchards. 
Not alot happening in village apart from a hold up from around 40 Cows which were being herded from a field, i waited and cows charged of at top speed up lane a disappeared , followed by a farmer on trike doing around 30 mph to keep up with cows! 
The horse was amazed as me, probably wishing he could run that fast !


The wind got stronger and rain started, i dropped into to the Lakes that once surrounded Oldbury Power station but mostley overgrown now with the bird hide little more than a small shed overlooking tall grass. 


30 mins away was Slimbridge i left and drove there for 2 hours.

A beautiful Pintail duck, plenty of these there.


Plus 2 Cattle Egret, 10 years ago a rare bird in UK now almost common.


I left to drive home but not before seeing the Curlews take to the air, great birds. Slimbridge always worth a visit.


That's all for this week, join me again next week  :)

Wednesday 1 November 2017

175.Severn Way M48 (8 miles)

7/10

Parking - Aust, Bristol BS35 4BA

Download map  KMZ  or GPX


Another week, another walk, today blue skies greeted me and decided to start at Aust close to the Severn estuary. The noise from the motorway started quite loud but as the walk left the M48 behind it became a distant hum. 


Muddy fields and the towers of the M48 or Severn bridge almost always in view.


Oldbury Power station, this is what i was heading towards.


The span of the Severn bridge is 1.03 miles from shore to shore with Beachley making up another 0.16 of a mile.
 It took three-and-a-half years to construct at a cost of £8 million.
The bridge was opened on 8 September 1966, by Queen Elizabeth II.


St. Arilda's Church at Oldbury on Severn.


Oldbury Pill with Wales in distance.


Oldbury Nuclear Power Station now closed, it closed in 2012.




Oldbury was used as a filming location for  Doctor Who, The Hand of Fear. 
The rock band Slade recorded a performance for Top of the Pops inside one of the reactor buildings.Also the power station appeared in several episodes of Blake's 7 . WIKi



Had a sandwich and sit down for 10 mins here.


Following on the Severn Way the first hill of the day heading towards the Motorway service station.


From here i got the best views of the bridge.



The small white house is the old  Beachley ferry terminal see here


Still a few Red Admirals about feeding on Ivy flower.


Made a slight detour from my planned route crossing over the top of the toll booths, the toll stands at £6.70 as of 2017.


I shall be driving underneath tomorrow morning on my way to Forest of Dean! Always good to get another perspective.


Followed on and soon back into Aust and where i parked, 
I met these 2, it's halloween after all.

That's all folks a pleasant walk was some interesting points, next time .......watch this space

That's all for this week, join me again next week  :)