10/05/18 - Heart of England Way - Stage 14 - Berkswell

Distance - 6 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13


8 hours in an Office based Workshop and the unenviable prospect of the M42 at 6pm rush hour.

I know a way I can improve the day.  The Heart of England Way is now dangerously close to my place of work, so a beautiful late spring evening is the perfect moment to tick off the latest monthly leg.

I've made it to Berkswell - a place that needs no introduction if you have completed the Millennium Way.  I kind of got bogged down, with four of the Circular walks starting from here.

So I'm used to this Domesday mentioned village, with its impressive church and er... Well.

Berkswell

The 16ft Well.  The Dots are flies - the place is infested.

The walk is agricultural West Midlands at its finest.  The mud has dried, the colours are abundant.  The paths may look dull to those who don't walk but I couldn't be happier.

Bliss

We reach the Queens Head, fine refreshment stop at the end of the last leg, and investigate Church Farm.   Some Heart of England branding teaches me that the Way is also part of the European E2 Long Distance Path - running from Galway to the French Mediterranean.  Options for an extension to this walk for when I reach Bourton on the Water.

Church Peeping at Church Farm

HOEW - Note the E2 logo bottom right

More of the same on the way back.  All the Geocaches found when doing the Millennium Way, apart from 1.

More of the Same - No Compaints

Berkswell has an ancient boozer, the Bear.  Its been run as a Chef and Brewer, so you now its mainly catering for diners.  However, amongst the Greene King IPAs and other associated dull beers was a Theakstons Old Peculiar - table served to my garden patio, as my Eastern European bartender declared it "Rather Lively".

It was as gorgeous as the walk.

The Bear - Chef and Brewer delivering Old Peculiar