26/08/21 - Centenary Way - Stage 4 - Birchley Heath

 Distance - 7 Miles

Geocaches - 2

Pub - The Lord Nelson, Ansley (Good Beer Guide Tick #580)

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3

Fourth time on the Centenary Way and early in the walk, we have a my feelings to the route in a microcosm.

Less than a mile gone when we arrive at Lady Wood Farm. The farmer has removed all the way markings signs.  My GPS is pointing to the left of the barns.  The guide book says to enter a gate to the side of the barns.  The farmer has built a mountain of cow shite in front of the barns.  Must be 20ft high.

The run off from shite has formed a river.  To the far extreme, the river looks like it has baked solid.  It hasn't.  A tentative test akin to Princess Margaret scalding both feet in the bathtub has me up to my calves in slurry.  Attempting to reverse out has it trying to suck off my walking shoes, teetering on the egde of a full length dunking.  

Mrs M would have helped me but was too busy trying to live stream it to Facebook.

As you can tell, I am not getting on too well with the Centenary Way.  It's been a battle of dull terrain, overgrown paths with the only redemption coming from the very occasional Good Beer Guide Pub - which fortunately, we have again.  The Lord Nelson awaits at Ansley.

If they let people in with shite up their lower halves.

The walking improves when we reach Hartshill Hayes Country Park - offering views over Nuneaton.

There's a sentence I never thought I would write.  

And at least the farmers have left a path through the wheat at Ansley Common.

Nuneaton Ahoy!

Making like Theresa May

Following a man made hill from mine workings spoils, we arrive at the Lord Nelson.  A decision needs to be made.  We have about 80 minutes of good light left but need to have a meal.

The original plan was to stop now and then continue the last three miles of our walk.  Mrs M has a better idea.  Why don't I go and fetch the car whilst she waits here is her cunning plan.  Bizarrely, bumping into teenage friends 50 miles from home seals the deal.

I am off to battle the triffids, solo.

Just the three miles of this

All this misery deserves a reward and the Lord Nelson was full of surprises.

Unusual

Here's the notes from the Guide - 27th consecutive listing.  Run by the Sperrin family since 1974.  It has their own brewery attached and I now rue not trying one of them. In my defence, the first beer noticed was a 6.8% Stout called the Thick as Thieves.  I panicked and ordered a far more sensible Salopian Shropshire Gold.

My observations.  Well, what can you say about a pub that has a back wall setup to look like a cabin in a C19th Warship?   And an effigy of man who's dying words were "Kiss Me, Hardy".

You'd probably think you had gone on holiday to the seaside

It's quite bonkers.

Possibly worthy of a second visit - and as I still have the Church End Tap Room to investigate, I will be back for Stage 5.

Wish me luck.