21/04/26 - The West Midlands Way Summary

 

The West Midland Way is a 50 year old walking route. Starting at Meriden, rumoured centre of England, it charts a circular route through Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Hand drawn maps are always a challenge, but it was simple enough to plot, with many of the paths incorporated into established Long Distance Paths. The North Worcestershire Way and Heart of England Way were frequently visited.

Highlights

The route started with well connected by public transport locations. 

Stage 4 offered superb walking - the first time I have walked the Lickey Hills, Clent Hills and Waseley Hills on the same route - utilising the North Worcestershire Path.

Plenty of new and interesting discoveries - not least arriving at Rugeley to follow an Adventure Lab Cache detailing the life of the "Prince of Poisoners".

My adaption of the route included some fine drinking towns. Bridgnorth, Lichfield and Tamworth for the three times winner of CAMRA Pub of the Year. Bathams at the Three Horsehoes in Alverley, was possibly the best way I have ever waited for a bus. The bus stop right outside.

Lowlights

I will never understand why the route designers, Ron and Eric, missed out Lichfield. Looked like they did this on purpose, as the route detoured around it. Of course, I had to include it for public transportation. 

Seeing one man bring the entire North/South Railway network to a standstill by smoking cigarettes on the bridge just outside Penkridge Station was a lesson in woke policing.

Warwickshire is the most boring county to walk in - so the ending was not particularly fitting. Boring fields gave way to two miles of road walking, which could only be avoided by adding serious miles to an already long route. 

Meriden hides its only pub away from the town centre - which meant delayed celebration.

The Stages

Stage 1 - Meriden to Kenilworth

Stage 2 - Kenilworth to Henley-in-Arden

Stage 3 - Henley-in-Arden to Alvechurch

Stage 4 - Alvechurch to Hagley

Stage 5 - Hagley to Kinver

Stage 6 Part 1 - Kinver to Alverley

Stage 6 Part 2 - Alverley to Bridgnorth

Stage 7 - Bridgnorth to Shifnal

Stage 8 - Shifnal to Penkridge

Stage 9 - Penkridge to Rugeley

Stage 10 - Rugeley to Lichfield

Stage 11 - Lichfield to Tamworth

Stage 12 - Kingsbury to Meriden