Shrawley Woods near Astley Burf

Many Dudley people have been to Astley Burf school camp over the years: even before WW2 there was a camp on the site for school children 

I went last week with the children from Jesson's C.E.Primary - my former school.

On the Sunday before, I went to hide some things for a treasure hunt

This is starting off over the pony field

Getting 40plus children over a double stile takes forever, so it was nice to be there on my own!

 The fields were freshly ploughed. That's Shrawley Woods on the right

The trees that stand out above the other are four giant redwood trees

The old stepping stones have been modernised after floods. I liked it better with the wobbly rope handrail

Himalayan balsam, or policemen's helmets. There's always lots on the route. If you squeeze the seed pods, they explode.

 The giant redwoods 

Back in Astley village - a show of colour

 I had never noticed before that the back of this house was half-timbered

 My attempt at a selfie