A Walk of Two Halves
A bit of a weird one this. The route from Hartlebury Station to Kidderminster runs along the disused railway spur to Stourport and then along the canal. My house is pretty much at the half way stage. The easiest way to be a completist is to walk it over two days.
Bank Holiday Monday saw me get the hiking umbrella out for the first time this year to plod along the disused railway, now called Leapgate Country Park.
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| Walking, mainly like this |
Some new paths through Hartlebury to take me to the station. The Hartlebury Tap Room could not be ignored, even if I did have to wait for the scrape of the midday bolt. Butty Bach in as fine condition as I remember it from the end of the Droitwich leg.
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| Open up, its a Bank Holiday. |
The trains running and on time for the £1 per minute journey to Kidderminster. Where, of course, I was going to use the King and Castle for a Bathams. Yet something is amiss. A high police presence and bouncers on the door asking which football team I support. The answer was meant to be Kiddy or Hereford and not West Bromwich Albion but the mention of serial underachievers who get their manager the sack by the end of the day gains me entrance.
It didn't take me long to hot-foot it out of there. I love Bathams but not in plastic glasses. Rather go without.
The following Friday saw me complete the walk - one that I used to do for my one man Christmas Party. The loneliness of a WFH'er meaning that every December I would walk up the canal and make sure the pubs of Kidderminster hadn't completely disappeared. It was never the same once the Beer Emporium closed and the night couldn't be rounded off with a St Bernardus XMAS ale.
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| Friday, under the Falling Sands Viaduct |
The Bear and Wolf Micro pub was chosen for a change. Alas, the range of beers on this visit all met the same criteria - all casks was sub 4% and with the exception of a single porter, all pale ales. Overhearing that the Big Trip Brewery Loose Fit was freshest on, I chose this Manc Brewery for a pint that would never set the world on fire.
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| Micro pub classic |
Back to the King and Castle it was. Where the Bathams was lovely. And served in a glass.
Walk Details
Distance - 7 Miles
Geocaches - 0
Previous Stage on the Wyre Valley Line - Worcester to Droitwich, Droitwich to Hartlebury
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