02/03/14 - The Brummie Ring Summary

Distance - 74 Miles
Start and End Point - Alvechurch Station
Start Date - 05/10/13
End Date - 01/03/14
Geocaches Found - 58

The BrummieRing Summary at EveryTrail

As is customary after completing a Long Distance Path, a summary blog is required;

Inspired by the Capital Ring, I aimed to create something similar for myself in the country's second city. Armed with little else than an OS map and a sense of adventure, in one night, I plotted a round route and setup the website to track progress.  The original plans and aim held and over four months, I worked my way around the City on a variety of good footpaths and canals, with as little road walking as possible.

The Best Section - There were a number of highlights.  For pure walking, Stage 1 and Stage 11 had some excellent countryside and great views.

The Worst Section - You would have to stretch the imagination to get much joy from Stage 5.  It started in Wednesbury.  It past the West Midlands Bull Terrier appreciation Society.  It then followed a canal all the way to its destination in Hamstead.

The Phases - (Click on Phase Hyperlink for Walk Details)

05/10/13 - Alvechurch - Phase 1
12/10/13 - Longbridge - Phase 2
19/10/13 - Old Hill - Phase 3 
09/11/13 - Tipton - Phase 4
24/11/13 - Wednesbury - Phase 5
06/12/13 - Hamstead - Phase 6
19/12/13 - Sutton Coldfield - Phase 7
04/01/14 - Coleshill - Phase 8
25/01/14 - Marston Green - Phase 9
08/02/14 - Solihull - Phase 10
01/03/14 - Earlswood - Phase 11

01/03/14 - Mission Accomplished

Start - Earlswood Station
Finish - Alvechurch Station
Distance - 6 Miles
Caches - 2 Found, 1 DNF

Stage 11 of the Brummie Ring

BrummieLoopPhase11 at EveryTrail


The last piece of a plan that was hatched back in September 2013 has been completed.  Phase 11, the final stage of the Brummie Ring, has been completed.  Five months after setting off from Alvechuch Station, I return.

This sounds more heroic than it really is.  I did a couple of legs every other weekend.

And this was a fitting end to the odyssey.  We had sunshine.  We had glorious countryside, including a trig point adorned hilltop.  We had two pub stops and an exceptional lunch at the Coach and Horses on Wetheroak Hill.  Even Sonia came, to join in the celebration nosh up.

The infrequency of the trains to Earlswood meant that a 5 mile journey would have taken a connection at the City Centre and 90 minutes.  So we ordered a taxi.  He was bang on the dot of 9:30, as arranged, and expressed mild interest in the finale of our challenge.

A nice little hut to put on our waling wear

Dropped off at Earlswood Station, we gaiter up and head off down lanes.  A shame that the first mile or so was along lanes, but our patience is eventually rewarded with some stunning walking.

Cache number one is found in the tunnel under the M42.  We are in good conversation, which means a couple of detours as I am not really looking at the Sat Nav.  It didn't help that the footpaths have been rerouted around Newlands Farm since my OS Map was printed.

Once in Newlands Farm, we had great views

We work our way to the trig point at Hob Hill.  There is a cache here, but we will add to the previous DNF.  Not to worry, the views over the M42, Longbridge and the Lickey Hills are stunning.

One of the best parts of the Brummie Ring

Which provides these views

We can see Alvechurch in the distance, and we walk along great paths to reach our destination.

Time to reflect on what we have learned and discovered on our circumvention of the 2nd City.

1. Canals.  Lots of Canals
2. An Abbey
3. Taking the dog on the train
1. To Tipton
4. Tramps.  Lots of Tramps.
5. Eating sausage sandwiches under a canal bridge near Wednesbury to shelter from the rain
1. With Tramps
6. 3 pubs in Solihull
1. Sonia was driving that day
7. The sense of achievement of completing a project
8. And this is where we walked

The BrummieRing Summary at EveryTrail

On arrival at Alvechuch, we take a tour of the town.

Alvechurch.  In Spring

 
I wanted to eat a big slap up meal at the Red Lion.  Sonia is nothing but diligent in her research and the slaggings that this pub had taken on tripadvisor meant that he had a quick drink only.  We couldn't stay for much longer, as the smoke from the real fire was billowing into the lounge.

Bad Reviews on Trip Advisor.  And their Lion isn't Red.

But I can celebrate anywhere

So we drive on for a much better experience at the Coach and Horses.  What a find.  A brewery and a choice of three different menus.  This will not be the last time I come here.

With this long distance path ticked off, I can get back to more regular walks.  And dream up my next challenge.

23/02/14 - Asking Questions of Myself

Distance - 8 Miles
Geocaches - 13 Found, 4 DNF

Cutnall Green at EveryTrail



Now, I am the sort of person that does not like losing things.  This has been borne out today by a lost magazine before I got going on the day and then only being able to find one shoe when I got home and had to de-mud both myself and the trusty geohound.

The magazine was found.  The other shoe remains elusive.

So why do I spend my weekends out in the great outdoors looking for treasure that has been deliberately lost?

Initially, this was to be a rare walk free weekend.  I had too much on.  However, a change of plan caused mainly by old age, meant that I am free and available for a Sunday walk.  Initially, I was planning a trip over to Warwickshire but the planned walk had zero caches.  Not one.  And I couldn't bare what would be 14 days without recording a smiley.

So instead of the walking books, I look at the geomap and see that there are a few around Cutnall Green that have not been explored.  Hastily assemble them into some sort of walk and head out, finding parking around the back of the village store shop.

Pub Car park totally empty, but not in the mood for post walk pint today.

Short walk down the lane to pick up the Monarch's Way.  Cache one of the day is here.  I have my head in various bushes as the wind picks up in this exposed part of Worcestershire.  Its always the first of the day that causes the most problem and as I am passing this way on my way back, I decide to leave it for when my cacher's eye is in.

This part of the walk is as good as it gets.  The Monarch's way is a long distance path that follows the route that Charles II was meant to have taken on his escape during the English Civil War.  I am constantly bumping into it, including the part where it meets the tree that he hid in.  Today's stretch weaves through woodland, past fishing pools and strangely through peoples' back gardens.

Feeling like a trespasser but signs give me confidence

Find my first cache of the day but fail at the next.  1-2.  Worse than the Albion.  Things pick up where I find an amusing one in Lunnon Lane, that is worthy of both a TB drop off and a Fav point.

Make my way towards Rushock Church, famous as the burial place of John Bonham, Led Zep's drummer.

Head for a Rock and Roll Shrine.  Grave always adorned with drumsticks

It's at the point, the walk take a turn for the worse, even if the caches take a turn for the better.

The wind has been picking up all walk.  Then it starts to rain.  The terrain goes from slippy to gloopy on the mud Richter scale.  The stiles, which are frequent, are worthy of an olympic event.  Its bad enough for me, but almost impossible for a dog.  Especially an 11 year old one.  She valiantly plods on, requires only occasional assistance, but the unspoken words between hound and master are "We could be reading the paper and eating bacon sarnies".

At least the caches have shown plenty of imagination and the series is a challenge.

After nothing but farmhouses - some drama.  Its also a GZ for one of the best of the day.

I don't know if it was the misery of the stiles, mud and weather or just that the caches were getting harder but it seems strangely apt that the last three of the day, including a repeat of number one, are all DNFs.

As we slop back to the car, our bottom 30% covered in mud, I fail to find the answer as to why I cache. 

I just know that I will be back again next week.

15/02/14 - #UKStorm

Miles - 10.3 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Time Out - London Walks - Volume 2
Geocaches - 8

Putney at EveryTrail

Monthly London Loop Time.  To get cheap rail tickets, these plans need to be put into place long before additional information - such as end of the world weather fronts - are available.

On the Friday night, I am glued to Sky News, checking the rail web sites and searching Twitter for the hashtag UKSTORMS.  By god it's rough.  32 valentines days diners are evacuated from a beach side restaurant.  Somehow, I think this would have drama if it had been 33.  Cornwall is underwater.  South East Trains have cancelled all services until 10am at the earliest. 

I am meant to be on the 8:15am from London Bridge to Hayes.  Hasty re-planning is required and I look to complete one of those long distance walks from the Time Out books that I would have no chance of completing on a week night.  My rail tickets might have been cheap, but they are not going to be wasted.

And besides, I have always wanted to go to Putney.

A futile attempt at sleeping - too worried about the trains running at all and it sounds like the roof is being ripped off.  Up before the alarm at 5am and postive tweets back from Virgin and National Rail suggest my 6:40am from Birmingham International is running.

And it is, with a minor delay because of congestion around Milton Keynes.  Tube is all good, so at 9 am, I looking for my first cache on a drainpipe in Putney.

No signs of the flood here.

Looking Eastbound from Putney Bridge

The first part of the walk is uphill, through the town.  Some incredibly good looking pubs in this part of the world.  I have a strong feeling I will be back sometime on a future evening.

Perhaps the best of the lot - cache site two

I leave the tarmac behind and enter Putney Heath.  This is part of Wimbledon Common, a wild heathland.  The only noise is the aircraft overhead and the squelch of my boots through the mud.

King's Mere - Bench provides a good opportunity to gaiter up.  And a sarnie.

I complete a winding walk across the common, attempting to pick up the caches that it contains.  It's amazing to think that I have only travelled to Zone 2 on the underground and I literally in the middle of nowhere.

You've seen King's Mere - Might as well see Queen's Mere

I exit the common at the memorial next to the University playing grounds.  This is where we have the first of two intense downpours.  I would call them showers, but that does not do them justice.  I take shelter by the side of a huge oak to get the waterproof trousers over the top of the waterproof gaiters.  I might as well walk in a wet suit.

By the time I have them on, the clouds have blown away.  I cross into Richmond Park at Robin Hood's Gate.  Think this looks familiar but then I cannot understand why I missed the cache.

Hello Capital Ring - I finished you and then started on the London Loop

Richmond Park is a joy to walk through.  Hunting ground created by Charles I.  Acres and acres to explore.  Today, I am in a new stretch, taking me to White Lodge.

You could explore for a long time

White Lodge.  Subject to Noise Pollution

The walk takes a turn for the strange now.  Having walked through some real wilderness - the walk author, Nigel Williams - takes us back through the seemingly endless high rise estate of Roehampton.  Nothing but tower blocks.  And me, in gaiters, waterproof everything and a dainty little goretex mountain cap, cutting a curious figure for the locals.

There is no logical reason for this stretch, other than for the author to recount a tale of how he saw his own volvo being driven by a thief in this area.

Most interesting thing in Roehampton

To make up for the tower blocks, I am rewarded with another muddy blast across Putney Heath.  Caching gets interrupted by a man on a horse - who just nips into the bushes at GZ and waits.  For a long time.  Not sure what the definition for cottaging on horseback is, but rest assured, there will be one.

Second deluge of the day comes, so I hide in a bus shelter at the top Tibbet's Ride.  Who is Tibbet you ask - a local highwayman, I can inform.  The book has a lot of information. 

A bus comes, emblazoned with "Warren Street".  This would have done me, getting me back to Euston, but after a 10 miler, I have beer in mind.  And my second guide book of the day, fancyapint, has some recommendations.

First, I have to walk back down Putney High Street, taking a diversion through suburbia.  The clouds go again and I am rewarded with a superb rainbow.

In front of some spooky trees

An interesting meander through the streets and I am delivered to where I want to be.

Just look at those accolades

My book suggests this is a little piece of Yorkshire in SW15, containing the full range of that my favourite brewer and best friend - Timothy Taylor - has to offer.  A nice central bar area is adorned with TT beer mats and bar towels. 

"What would like?", offers the friendly landlord and I ask for a pint of Landlord.

"We don't have it" was not the answer I was expecting.

I borrow the wi-fi password to tell the world.

Not Landlord but nicely monogrammed

All pleasant enough though but I cannot spend all day here.  I need to get back to the trains.  I need to find the final piece of a multi cache near Victoria Station that I worked out a month ago.

But First - A different perspective of Putney Bridge

Stage 4 of the London Loop put back a few weeks.  I will finish this and order the tickets.  Let's hope our storm factory has finally blown itself out.