A short walk up an ancient track-way in Halesowen.

11th May 2018. After one of the dreariest winters for nearly 10 years, what better than a short walk? We often saunter along the Lapal canal for the short distance from Hawne basin to the Gosty Hill tunnel & back. We also go fishing along this stretch, so we have walked past the recent (1990s) Coombes Bridge dozens of times. This is an old canal, circa 1790, and there was a traditional brick bridge at this point, until it was demolished during WWII, in case it was used by the enemy. It only took about 50 years to re-instate the bridge, but it restored a break in what is believed to be a very ancient track-way or drove road; one that might have even have stretched from central Wales, right across the Midlands. This information was vouchsafed by a nearby sign-board which, for some reason, I had neglected to read before. Indeed, I had never crossed the bridge as the tow-path is on this side, so it was at once necessary to walk up the path, which can just be seen on the right.

The canal is following a contour along the wall of the Stour Valley, and we are on the up-side. A number of Orange-tip butterflies were disporting themselves on this verdant slope, and some were frequently settling on the plants. Happily we had our camera with us.

This is not the world’s best image of a male Anthocharis cardamines, but it will do, as it is a ‘first’ for us. In fact, probably the first butterfly image we have taken for a couple of years. Tsk, tsk. Only the males have the orange tips, so the females, as they fly by, might be mistaken for a small white; however, when settled and the underside is visible, the green patterning on the hind-wing is unmistakable. Of course, the expert can probably identify a female Orange-tip by its mode of flight, which is quite possibly distinct from that of the small white. Once, a few years ago, I popped into a local nature reserve where there is a colony of the Marbled White butterfly. It was quite late in their season, and only a few were left. I met a group of people with a volunteer guide. We said hello, and they were looking for distinctive plants – the guide was principally on the botanical side – but one member of the group said they were hoping to see the Marbled Whites, of which none had so far appeared unto them. I said yes, I had seen two or three, down on the lower levels of the hilly site; then, glancing around, I pointed and said: ‘Look – there’s one!’, indicating a whitish butterfly about 100 yards away. ‘How on earth can you tell it from that distance?’ they asked, impressed. ‘By its flight.’ was my reply; for the Marbled White is actually a member of the ‘Browns’ – the best known of which is the Meadow Brown, and the Browns only fly short distances, and have a ‘jinking’ sort of flight, unlike small and large Whites, and come to that, the Orange-tip. Those do much longer flights in an altogether more ‘confident’ manner. Still, I soon received my comeuppance, because the guide told be that the re-introduction of the Yellow Rattle was going very well. ‘What’s a Yellow Rattle?’ I asked in genuine innocence – and we all had a good laugh!

The path slowly climbs the valley wall. If you’ve ever driven up Mucklow Hill out of Halesowen towards Brum, you’re going up the same valley side. The bluebells contrast with some of last year’s dried leaves.

We are surrounded closely by industry and housing, but this pocket of old land doesn’t seem to have changed much.

The yellow dot shows where we are at the moment.

A very ‘Tolkienish’ spot! An ancient hollow way. Surely this must be an ancient track-way? The signboard told that some of the hedges in this enclave of land were thought, possibly, to be a thousand years old… It would be a shame indeed if this magic environment turned out to have been made by 19th century industry. No; I won’t have that for a moment!

So here we are on the way back down; there are some quite good views across to the Clent Hills and beyond, but I’m sorry, was fiddling the the camera settings and those shots didn’t turn out. And to make matters worse…

This, I solemnly swear, is a female Orange tip. I definitely saw the pattern on the lower hind-wing, but had still got the camera set wrong – damn! Even the stem of the plant is in focus, but the shot is over-exposed. 3/10 – Must do better.