Distance - 7 Miles
Walk Inspiration - AA 50 Walks in Warwickshire and the West Midlands
Geocaches - 1
Other Walks from
Bathams Pubs
You'd not normally associate Dudley with rambling but this is a surprisingly rural walk that is jam packed with interest, history and good beer. I haven't got space in the blog to tell you everything that I learned but if you do some research, you will know all about a man called Dud Dudley (from Dudley), coal mining, the English Civil War and a trilobite that is part of the Town's Coat of Arms.
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| The Dudley Bug |
I'm making a night of it, so the starting point is Tipton Railway Station. Straight away the Birmingham Canal is picked up for a short walk to Victoria Park.
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| We've all seen canals, but here's the Birmingham Canal |
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| Through Victoria Park, Tipton |
Right out of the park and head down Baker Street to pick up another canal - but make sure you cross the bridge before heading right to the Black Country Museum.
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| You could spend the day here - Fish and Chips are the best in the world (says my daughter) |
Turning left past the museum, the first bit of wild rambling is encountered. Proper rural footpaths run alongside the zoo and castle before dumping you in the centre of Dudley - and this, on the day of its most famous son's birthday. Not Dud, Lenny Henry.
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| Proper Rambling in the Black Country |
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| And a Proper Castle to boot |
The town centre needs to be traversed... if you are really brave and/or thirsty, there are a number of watering holes to stop off at but I suggest looking at the monuments and plowing on for the Bathams.
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| Dudley Duncan Edwards |
Half way point of the walk and a reward is deserved. The Lamp Tavern is another superb Bathams pub. It's a multi roomed, where you can find peace and tranquility in a little alcove or join in with the story telling in a packed bar. I missed the start of a very long joke about a talking dog but the punch line was "he was an effing liar". It took 10 minutes for the regulars to stop laughing.
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| Midway Reward |
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| Also offers B&B, should you want to make a night of it |
The walk back to the station has some unexpected discoveries. First, there are the remains of a priory, founded in 1160 and later destroyed by Henry VIII.
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| Dudley Priory |
Then there is Wrens Nest Nature Reserve. More wild walking right in the town centre. And who knew the most abundant fossil site in the British Isles wasn't in Dorset? The route is through limestone quarry workings, providing tunnel like walking.
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| More Wild Walking through Wrens Nest |
Now, this may come as a shock to Batham's Fans but there are other pubs and beers available. For those who dispute this fact - abandon the blog now and head for Tipton Station - straight down the A457.
I always planned on exploring more tonight. I had intentions of finding the Tipton Slasher but right where I emerge from Wren's Nest I find this...
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| A new series? Walks from Holden's Pubs? |
I'd done my research and the Lamp Tavern was the only Good Beer Guide Pub in Dudley. Yet this place proudly displays the blue 2018 sticker on the window. It transpires that I am now in Woodsetton and right before Wordsley, in the West Midlands section of the bible, is the entry for the Park Inn.
A bonus tick!
As you can see, its the brewery tap for Holdens Beer. I once asked what beer was available in a Worcestershire Chef and Brewer and the barman said "Abbot, Speckled Hen and Holden's Golden Shower". I passed on that but here I found a wonderful Golden Glow.
Please observe carefully the photo. A local couldn't believe I was taking a photo of it and took great delight in telling everyone (individually, I add) that "the beer's that bostin ees tekking a photo ov it".
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| Surely I'm not the first photo taker? |
I was looking for somewhere to eat but I hadn't taken into account how popular pies were in this part of the country. An abortive attempt was made at Mad O' Rourkes Pie Factory. They were queuing out the rear door.
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| Interesting - but a beyond mental human carnival of pie eating inside |
Back to the original plan of finding the Slasher. First the monument and then his "HQ", another GBG entry but from 2017, The Fountain.
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| Put up your Dukes |
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| William Perry's HQ - Blue Plaque and Info Board on the Front. |
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| All you need to know |
The pub's an old school classic - central bar, proper pub furniture, unrecognised European Football game on quietly enough not to dampen the conversation. The Wadworth 6x was not LocALE but in superb condition.
What a walk! And for those worried about my lack of solid sustenance - the Express and Star's Chippy of the Year is just over the road.
With no Mrs M to hold me back, tea was taken in a Tipton bus stop.
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