Resurrecting a 45 Year Old Guide Book
Constable Guides - same publisher that released The London Countryway - have a book closer to home.
Written in 1979, its a long distance walk around the Midlands. I'm deliberately not looking at the overall route, saving surprises for the planning days.
Stage 1 takes me from the Centre of England - Meriden - to Kenilworth. Uh Oh..... I'm getting Centenary Way vibes of HS2 style disasters here. Still, if HS2 is not progressing North of Birmingham, I'm only going to have to deal with this issue once.
An easy two bus, one train journey out and I am alighting the 82 bus at Meriden Village Green. Lots of monuments - to cyclists and its geographical significance. Adventure Lab Caches before I get going.
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| Centre of England |
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| Cyclists Memorial |
Familiar paths, previously walked. Today's route is completed on the Heart of England Way and the Millennium Way. It's not hardship walking this ancient and unchanging part of the West Midlands. Good paths through crops, with the only signs of the modern world the distant City views and planes coming in to land at Birmingham Airport.
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| St Laurence's, Meriden |
As expected, Berkswell is where it goes wrong. A last chance of normal walking and history, as I explore the church, preaching cross and well but I can hear pile hammers and the beeps of trucks reversing.
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| Berkswell Church and Preaching Cross |
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| Doors open |
Berkswell Station and my planned route is fenced off. A half helpful sign states that the red marked paths are inaccessible and the alternative route is in orange. As about enough use as an ashtray on a motorcycle, as the signs have faded and no colour remains at all.
I'm on my own. I successfully cross the new line but my first alternative path out is blocked initially by heavy vegetation and then an unexpected bog. Reverse, reverse, reverse. Pub over the road - lets get a pint and re-plan.
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| The Railway - Closed, awaiting new owners... how's your day going? |
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| Hurrah! - An alternative just up the road - Bricklayers Arms |
Planning completed - reasonable walking through the housing estate extremities of Balsall Common, picking up the originally planned Hob Lane. Soon back into the Countryside.
I always find arriving in a town after a long ramble rather heroic, but when its got a castle, triply so.
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| Into Kenilworth |
Only a couple of years since my last Kenilworth visit and nothing has changed on the beer front. Same Good Beer Guide Ticks of much variety. The Ale Rooms Micropub is on the way to the station and I see no reason to divert anywhere else.
Dark Star Hop Head - the first real ale on the West Midlands Way.
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| Hottest day of 2024 |
A three train, one bus journey home but despite HS2, I am filing under a successful day out.
Walk Details
Distance - 11.5 Miles
Geocaches - 1 and 4 Adventure Lab Caches
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