08/03/15 - In Search of Middle England

Distance - 9.3 Miles
Geocaches - 10
Walk Inspiration - Stage 22 of the Millennium Way





Time for the monthly outing in the Millennium Way.  Stage 22 out of 44, so I am now officially half way through.

And I have been looking forward to this, as it starts in the Centre of England - Meriden.  I've not been here before and interest was piqued by Stuart Maconies excellent book "Adventures on the High Teas; In Search of Middle England".  Naturally enough, Chapter 1 is set here.

There are two memorials on the Village Green and I park up next to the one commemorating the fallen cyclists of WWI.  This does seem very specific.

Will get the Medieval Memorial at the end of the Walk

Start the walk proper.  And this really is a walk of two halves.  The first half is superb.  And then it all goes quite wrong.

Head East, passing a cache inhabited war memorial and out into the fields.  The walk heads towards Church Farm.  The church is interesting enough but the icing on the cake is the ancient Moat House Farmstead.  Looks like there's not a straight line to be found in the building.  I am enjoying the unexpected history around this part of the Midlands.

The approach to Church Farm

Stairway to Nowhere

Moat House Farm

Nothing much to report as I make my way on fine paths towards Berkswell.  I enjoyed this village on the last leg of the Millennium Way, taking plenty of photos of the Saxon Church and well.  This time, I find the pub.  As its 11:30am, I will have to wait till the next leg before entering.

Investigation of Berkswell is now complete

Since the last visit, a new cache trail has been setup.  So, although I am on familiar paths, I have the added interest of finding tupperware.  Things are made slightly difficult by the high number of muggles around.  Things reach a frustrating nadir when there is a couple having a picnic at GZ of number 4.  I leave some, but it looks like I will be back on these paths again on the next stage.

Just as I leave the Heart of England Way, things start taking a turn for the worse.  A photo of the excellent path renders the camera battery flat.

Phone Camera from now on.

Then, for the first time in a long time, the weather forecasters have it hopelessly wrong.  They promised nothing more than light showers for the Birmingham area today.  I complete the last three miles in a rainstorm.

Finally, there is the real problem.  The landscape around Mercote Mill has changed completely since the OS map was produced.  It looked like a nice meander through gravel pits and lakes but big time quarrying has taken place.  The lakes have been drained and amusingly, there are a number of "no swimming" signs next to great big holes in the ground.

Danger of Drowning

These signs were serious - old paths have gone

The planned route is diverted completely, but I only determine this when I arrive at a quarry edge.  I am forced to retrace my steps and pick up the diversion.

Its a bit of an industrial slog in the rain back to the centre of the known universe.

England's Centre