14/07/26 - Rail Trail - Smethwick Galton Bridge to The Hawthorns

Quadruple Inspiration to Find "Sand Well"

A lot going on for a simple walk between two West Midlands Railway Stations.

History West Midlands Podcasts

My monthly listen is the opening podcast about the Black Country, focusing on the post WWII glory years. Full employment, workers rights, massive house building. Setting the boomers up for a life of good luck unavailable to the future generations. 

There is nothing specifically mentioned in terms of people or places to base a walk on. The Bentley Estate in Darlaston a possibility but I doubt it offers much in the way of walking or pubs. The GKN factory in Heath Street long gone. Inspiration was found from the former mining works in Sandwell Valley Country Park. A walk - the Miner's Trail - was found and adapted into the walk.

Sandwell Country Park - a pond hiding former mine works

The real interest here is from a much older age. Three information boards tell all you need to know about the spring that gave the area its name, a priory and a later hall. Only some foundations - and the unattractive, sandbagged spring remain.

Tucked away in Sandwell Valley are the remains of Sandwell Priory, a small Benedictine monastery founded in the late 12th century beside the Sand Well, a natural spring believed to possess healing qualities that gave both the priory and the modern borough their name. Following the priory's closure in 1525, the site later became home to Sandwell Hall, a grand country house built by the Dartmouth family in the early 18th century. Although the hall was demolished in 1928, archaeological excavations have since revealed the foundations of both the medieval priory and the later mansion, allowing visitors to trace more than 700 years of history in a single peaceful corner of the valley.

Priory and Hall Remains

Sandwell, bubbling up

Pub Walks in the Black Country

My next walk from this book is in Sandwell Country Park. Only two miles, and covering the afore-photographed pond, Swan Pond and the priory remains. Two miles cannot justify the public transport costs for a separate visit, so I simply add most of the loop into the walk. And the pub? The Churchfield Tavern, Little Lane is recommended for Banks Bitter and Mild.

Demolished in 2013

From the photo, it looks a mishmash of extensions, with a rather oddly positioned chimney. Research shows that somewhere there was a both a bowling green and a petting zoo for goats, horses and rabbits.

High in the list of google results was Alan Winfield's epic (aren't they always) 1988 pub crawl of West Bromwich. Added to my to-do list to see if anything still remains in this fast changing pub ticking world. 13 pubs are listed, my betting is there are no more than four remaining. 

I will report back.

Dudley Geosites

Sandwell Valley Country Park and Smethwick Galton Bridge are both Dudley Geosite locations. 2 more knocked off.

Rail Trails

Of course, there is no official route from Smethwick Galton Bridge to The Hawthorns. An unofficial one from Railwalks.co.uk is only 1.2 miles (but the next stage is perfect, downloaded and ready to go). It's down to me to work out how to cross the bridge and get to Sandwell Country Park. A decent enough urban walk on properly marked walking/cycling paths. I learn just how close the Vine is to SGB station, which I am sure will come in useful. Handy twirly footbridges allow for safe crossings of dual carriageways and an interesting way to access Dartmouth Park.

SGB, 1829 and once the highest single span bridge in the world. Looks better from the canal below.

A view of Turner's Hill from a twirly footbridge

Dartmouth Park leads to Sandwell Country Park, where Park Lane can be avoided by a parallel, unmarked footpath that avoids death-by-hatchback. Into Handsworth Cemetery, where a handily placed exit leaves you opposite the Hawthorns, stadium, not station.

Proving just how much of a community club West Bromwich Albion are, they offer a lovely Garden of Remembrance. Loved ones' ashes can be left looking at the stadium. It has been my dad's home for the last 11 years.

Of course, I popped in. 

"Gone for a shout"

Walk Details

Distance - 6 miles

Geocaches - 2

Previous Stages on the Wyre Valley Line - Worcester to Droitwich, Droitwich to Hartlebury, Hartlebury to Kidderminster, Kidderminster to Hagley, Hagley to Stourbridge, Stourbridge to Cradley Heath, Cradley Heath to Old Hill, Old Hill to Langley Green, Langley Green to Smethwick Galton Bridge

10/07/26 - Uplyme to Lyme Regis

Borderland

I am guessing the river Lim marks the boundary of Dorset and Devon. Not that there is any condiment faux pas to be made regarding baked goods.

Being 100% honest, I wasn't necessarily up for this walk. We had completed an hour with the dog before the heatwave really struck home and the thought of going on a march in the midday sun was only appealing to mad dogs.

Yet Mrs M was right. She also found Gyros for lunch. So hats off to Mrs M for the encouragement.

The walk was meant to start in one of the Lyme Regis car parks - but in a bid to save £8, I notice a big blue cup of joy at the village of Uplyme - en route. This is the Talbot Arms and it has a large car park. It is only on our return that an A-board has been placed saying "Parking only whilst using the pub". We did use the pub and there was plenty of space.

The walk creator was really keen to show the Cannington Viaduct. Footpaths were available that would have avoided a there and back walk under it. An impressive architectural feat, especially when you consider it was only in operation for 62 years. It would take modern Britain longer than that to build it today.

Mrs M lightening the mood by commenting it's a fine place for suicides

Lanes, woodland and fields take us to the SWCP on Ware Cliffs, via a steep and perilous descent at Chimney Rock. 

Chimney Rock

On the SWCP, looking towards Golden Cap

Downhill all the way to the Cobb end of Lyme Regis. The conditions today making it impossible to ask Mrs M to channel her inner French Lieutenant's Woman.

View from the Cobb

An endless choice of refreshment options in Lyme Regis. Personally, we're never going to walk past a sign at the Royal Standard offering Gyros. It's been long enough that we've forgotten how tricky a pitta bread stuffed with sauce, chicken, salad and chips can be to eat. 

Our sauce covered beard (me), shins and walking papoose (Mrs M) are soon hidden away from the crowds as we follow yesterday's discovered River Lim Path all the way to the pub to pay for parking.

The Talbot Arms, Uplyme

A pleasant enough single roomer that could only be improved with air-conditioning. Three of the Otter Family of beers were available but it was far too 'ot to risk cask. I need to work on my pronunciation, but this Spanish Lout really hit the spot.

The blog is due a change of direction.

The Mahous are on me

Walk Details

Distance - 6 miles

Geocaches - 4

Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, April 2022, Walk 2

09/07/26 - Charmouth to Lyme Regis, for the Brewery Tap

Diversion but Destination Remains the Same

Today's route was downloaded from the Cicerone book "Walking the Jurassic Coast". The good thing about the Cicerone books is that they publish regular online updates. As you would expect - this area has a lot more updates than others. The most unstable cliffs in the country.

Leading a group walk for five, it was a good job I made a visual inspection from Charmouth beach of the short route to Lyme Regis. The cliffs are now terraces, collapsing in stages. The footpath that would have crossed Black Ven and the Spittles is no more.

The SWCP - which we eventually followed - has been routed further inland. It requires more road walking than we would like but there is a pavement. And annoying golfers at Lyme Regis Golf Club is always to be encouraged.

Off the road and into the woods, next to Lyme Regis Golf Course

Eventually, the SWCP crosses the fairways

There's a stretch of path that is labelled on the OS Map as the Wessex Ridgeway. On the ground, it also has roundels for the East Devon Way - for which this stretch is either the end or the beginning. It's a wonderful path that hugs the river Lim, right into town. Past the pretty houses and if you look carefully, you may see decent sized trout bobbing around in the more still parts.

The hidden River Lim path through town

It also leads to the town's best drinking spot. Lyme Regis Brewery Tap (the brewery is actually in Axminster now) is in a converted mill, right on the water. 

Last time I was here, it was a paddleboard of three thirds. One of our party wanted to repeat the experience with a paddleboard of pints - a bitter, a New England IPA and a South Coast IPA.

I'm taking the photo - can you guess the inventor of the "pint tester board"?

The walk back to Charmouth could have been along the beach - but not at high tide. I think that we were all glad that a) 2:50pm was high tide and b) the 2:53pm bus was bang on time. That on time, gentle jogging to the bus stop was required.

Walk Details

Distance - 3.25 miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration 

07/07/2026 - The Royal Oak, Charmouth

Golden Cap Views

Charmouth becomes the base of our latest dog sit. 5 days in heatwave number 3 of 2026. We are unsure how many of the planned walks we will manage to execute but we start with the shortest.

Charmouth is a picturesque coastal village in west Dorset, located on the Jurassic Coast between Lyme Regis and Bridport, where the River Char meets the sea. Famous for its fossil-rich cliffs and dramatic scenery, the village has a fascinating history, including visits from royalty. Catherine of Aragon is said to have stayed here in 1501 before her marriage to Prince Arthur, while the most famous visitor was the future Charles II, who hid in Charmouth in 1651 after defeat at the Battle of Worcester while attempting to escape to France. An Adventure Lab Cache points us to the Abbot's House, which has provided accommodation for both of these royal guests. And considering one was Charles II, it's no wonder the Monarch's Way LDP runs through it.

Royal Patronage at the Abbot's House

We've walked Golden Cap several times but never from this direction. Alas, due to the heat and the dog we are in charge of being 70 (dog years) we decide to shorten the walk a mile from the summit. There are plenty of escape routes to make this possible. The walk follows the Monarchs Way over cliffs before walking back to town via Stonebarrow Hill.

The footbridge across the river Char, where it meets the sea

Looking back from the Monarch's Way, over Lyme Regis

Mrs M and Bluebell agreeing Golden Cap is just too far.

Back into town, for a choice of refreshments. Charmouth hosts two pubs, the Royal Oak and George, one cafe and one chipper.

We were told the Royal Oak is the posher of the two. This is probably due to the prices, as it is a Palmers tied house. Less than two weeks since I paid the most for cask at another one of their outlets, the Ferry Inn, Salcombe.

Not quite needing a mortgage for a round today

Legendary pub crawler Alan Winfield declared this the best pub in Charmouth, and I intended to discover whether his judgement still held true before the end of the week. Admittedly, his review was from 2000, when Charmouth could probably boast another six other pubs. I only have the George to visit.

The Palmers 200 was certainly in good enough shape to earn an early vote of confidence. A happy blend of locals and visitors created the right atmosphere, with tourists doing what tourists do best: loudly debating the cost of car parking (a conversation I was so desperate to join with). Add in the friendly staff, and the signs were already pointing towards Alan having got this one right.

Walk Details

Distance - 4.5 miles

Geocaches - 5

Inspiration - 100 Walks In Dorset, Walk 16