Geocaches - 5 Found, 2 not so found
Walk Inspiration - Walk 24 - Discovery Walks in Birmingham
The great thing about my hobby is that it doesn't matter which part of the country I am in, I can always find entertainment. Sonia is taking her mother to Manchester to see Ellie and having checked out the rail transport system, decided it would be easier if I can drop them off in Stafford.
But what does that offer the walker?
A quick check in one of my few guidebooks reveals a norman castle. A quick check on Geocaching.com reveals 7 caches. I just need the sun to be shining after yesterday's storms.
We head off early. Sonia likes to be punctual and I hope that British Rail appreciate that she is there 45 minutes early. I drop them off at the station and then go and find somewhere to park in Castletown. If Warwickshire is the home of the bard, Staffordshire has a more functional outlook on descriptions.
Slow start through a housing estate but soon pick up a decent path splitting a golf course. No golfers are out today, so it allows me to hunt for the first three for quite a while, even if I only have success with one. I have to take a detour to the Castle Church (said they were good with names around here)to get it back to 2-2 on caches.
The highlight of the walk is easily the castle, even if it is a modern rebuild of the Norman stronghold. It's still played its part in British History, having been sacked in the Civil War and has some excellent views from its lofty elevation.
Our first glimpse between the trees
There is a vistor centre here and a good path to traipse around the castle grounds and find another cache. I can see the M6 from here and next time I drive up north, I'll check out and see if I can see the castle. Never noticed it before.
I have a scramble over the ramparts to get closer to the castle.
A proper castle.
Molly ignoring the views
After a tour of the castle, which seems to be very popular with dog walkers, we head pick up a couple more caches as we head to our next destination.... doxey marshes.
Molly has a last look at the castle
at cache GZ
Now heading to marshland after yesterday's rain was always going to be a brave choice. We head through some industrial land and rows of two up-two downs and reach a cycle track that takes me into the heart of the wetlands. I was meant to reach the stream and head into town.
God had other ideas.
That's enough of that then.
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