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An October morning in the lane from the B4368 east of Craven Arms to the hamlet of Lower Dinchope. Starting to climb at the hamlet of Halford on the east bank of the River Onny this roadway passes, sitting on the 195 metre contour, Ireland Cottage, the name locally shortened to just Ireland. On this occasion I was making the trek to Callow Hill where stands the tower of Flounders Folly, known to my mother's family and other locals as the Monument in those quite far off days. Making my first visit for many years, I was very impressed with the high standard of renovation by the owners, the Flounders Folly Trust. The tower is open on some days each year, dates on the website, subject to weather conditions and the availability of volunteer stewards and when open a flag of St George is flown from the mast. Built by Yorkshireman and local landowner Benjamin Flounders, the 80 feet high tower bears a datestone - BF 1838 - though some have said that 'BF' stands not for his initials but for 'Bloody Fool'. There are other photos on this site and searching [[SO4685]] will find them. As an aside, his daughter's intended husband was a man that Mr Flounders disliked intensely, an Army officer Captain Arthur Lowe - remember Dad's Army. It does seem a little-visited spot being high up and subject to all the winds that blow - and as far as I'm aware at the time of writing this, the nearest facilities are in Craven Arms. This photo is an accompaniment to one taken by my fellow Geographer Row 17 only a couple of months later on 6th December 2008 [[1073081]].