 | | What a view... |
At 5.27pm on the 21 November 2004, the flash of a camera cuts into the still evening sky that shrouds the village of Glazeley. Stood on the verge, next to a bent road sign, is the man who has just posed for the photograph. Me. The Shropshire Quest had begun. One year, four seasons, 8,000 miles, and 1,195 places later my curious odyssey ended underneath the Town Hall in High Town, Bridgnorth. I’d done it. I had been to every town, village and hamlet in Shropshire, as listed in the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain. I’ve spent time in Chemistry; stood on The Corner; seen hundreds of sheep in Lubberland, not to mention a Badger, some Foxholes and a Catstree, and I’ve even stopped at The Waterwheel before a quick visit to The Bog. AND, I’ve been to Brockton, Brockton, Brockton, Brockton and Brockton.  | | Pont=bridge, Faen=stone |
From Shifnal to Hifnal, Crackleybank to Conquermoor Heath, I’ve covered the county. The weather, the views, and the people – they’ve all made this quest memorable. I’ve seen more rain, snow and sun in a year than I’ve seen in my lifetime, and more jaw dropping views than my brain could comprehend at times. Just see the sunrise I enjoyed near Duxmoor below. This quest has changed my view on Shropshire. I thought it was great before I started, I don’t any more. It's way better than that… So what next? Well my car needs a clean, and I should probably get stuck into that pile of ironing I left myself last year. Will I miss the Quest? Yes, but in time. Right now I’m enjoying driving on roads that don’t have grass growing in the middle of them, and from what I’ve heard about the weather we can expect this winter, I reckon I finished my bet just in time. The longest year of my life is over, but the next challenge will be just round the corner. Come to think of it, there must be a fair number of places in Staffordshire…now where did I put that Gazetteer? | 
