Geocaches - 4
Start - Coleshill Parkway
Finish - Marston Green Station
Brummie Ring Phase 8
Brummie Ring Phase 8 at EveryTrail
Happy New Year Blogfans. Plans have been made but before I get started on new adventures, I've got to finish off what I committed to last year.
The first walk of 2014 will be Phase 8 of the Brummie Ring. 3 to go after this stage. Despite the remnants of the worst storm of 20 years still hanging around, Sonia wants to come as well.
So we head off for Marston Green Station. Free parking for rail users, but I have completed my Internet based homework and I know that a single to Coleshill Parkway (5ish miles away) is £7.50. Each.
We think about getting a Cab, but despite Sonia's iPhone saying there is a cab firm in Station Road, it seems to be well hiddden.
Train it is. Not to worry, the train change over provides opportunity for a coffee and a sausage sarnie at New Street.
I knew the walking at first would be a bit dodgy. We have to get out of the business park that has sprung up since the OS Map was produced. These means that some of the footpaths have disappeared but we do manage to get out to the countryside at the A446 / M42.
Once squeezed through the checkpoint, all paths are in order |
Didn't have time to digest it all, but assume its bad news for this path |
Love Is - declarations on trees |
After crossing the M6, and another dual carriageway, we pick up what is marked on the OS Map as the Solihull Way. It is still marked with the badges of three Long Distance Paths, but the Solihull Way is no longer maintained.
Strange LDPs |
I drop down the bank for my first cache of 2014 whilst Sonia uses Google Maps to determine when she can expect to get out of the rain. Back up the bank and along the roads to the Cole Bank Nature Reserve.
Cache 2 just the other side of this fence. |
Yesterday's Fears Confirmed |
A couple of enforced detours because of the conditions, but we more or less follow the planned route along Kinghurst Brook, finding Chelmsley Wood and a last couple of caches.
Youths with chips pass us and Sonia, who didn't want sausage based snacks on the train, is reminded of her hunger.
There is a cafe at Marston Green Station. Closed on a Saturday. We head into the small town and the only pub available.
44, Great Big Menu and she orders a Fish Finger Sandwich |
Those kind of notices are written in incomprehensible leagalese (on purpose I suspect).
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