26/05/21 - Centenary Way - Stage 3 - Furnace End

 Distance - 8 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Pub - The Griffin (Indoors), Furnace End

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2

There's little to recommend this walk unless you are a massive fan of Warwickshire Field Edges.

• There are no geocaches
• The pub that was formally known as the Boars Head is now the Bubble Inn
• And is a Gastropub
• But fear not, you cannot get there - as the rape is blocking the footpath
• The walk follows a stream valley
• And they couldn't even be arsed to name the stream

I start at Birchley Heath - where council estates meet the countryside - work my way nearly to Furnace End, returning with a thirst.

Using Rape Fields to avoid going Gastro

When the only highlight on the walk is a Chimney Stack - left incongruously in a Cow field since about the C17th, you know you will have blogging problems.

Worth the 8 Mile Walk.  The Cow was lovely.

Bright skies on the return, suggesting that Spring may have finally arrived in time for Summer.  

First signs of Spring.  26/5/21.

Time to try and improve the day.

A look at Google Maps suggests the Centenary Way will get into its Stride on the next leg.  For the first time since starting, I am excited to go exploring - on a Thursday to Sunday.

If you know, you know.  Goat's Milk all round.

But I need something more immediate than June Joy.  I ponder rushing home for the Europa League Final (I bloody love a Pen Shoot Out till the early hours) but settle on a return visit to The Griffin Inn.

Not now, locksmith.

The dubious ticks panel met and stated that being as I only went outside this Good Beer Guide Pub on the Stage 2 Walk, I had to declare my tick void.   Unless you can report on the status of the bogs, its doesn't count.

Its a Tick Now OK

First sip of a Thornbridge Lord Marples and I decide that random wanderings in Warwickshire are indeed a fine way to spend an evening.

What a joy, the Griffin is.  6 real ales on and friendliness that extends beyond the barstaff.  In these days of unsplendid isolation, how lovely it is to have a maskless man plonk himself on my bench made for two and then ask me if its OK if he sits here. For this is the Church Parish Councillor on his second visit of the day, who then proceeds to whisper in my ear that he always gets on the Church meeting agenda first, so he can sneak off for a pint before the end.

Jesus Protects.  Hopefully.  And the pandemic gives the regulars a perfect excuse to reclaim their favourite seat from interlopers.