Get Ready

Sarah of Stafford writes:
Long Walk Training Begins

As not all members of the Long Walk group are used to long-distance walking, we have decided that we need to train for our challenge. Our aim is to increase the distance we are used to walking in a day, and we also hope to tackle a shorter and easier long-distance walk before we set out on the Staffordshire Way itself. For logistical reasons, members in the middle of the county (Stafford) and those further north (Trentham and Moorlands) are organising their training separately.

On Saturday 21st April, three Stafford members walked a circular route over Cannock Chase, which is very close to home for them. They walked 9 and a quarter miles, with a short stop at the Springslade Lodge cafe, well-timed to coincide with a heavy rain shower, and a lunch break in the Sherbrook Valley, also well-timed, as they ate bathed in sunshine. Their route briefly followed a short section of the Staffordshire Way.

The next walk will be longer!

At the Glacial Boulder

Spring comes to Cannock Chase

Walking down the Oldacre Valley

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

On Friday 13 April, seven members of Staffordshire Moorlands NWR (Maggie, Tessa, Liz, Jenny, Yvonne, Pauline & Jane) set off to walk 10.1miles from Mow Cop to Ryecroft Gate.

It's 10.00 am and we're on our way!

Dogs straight on, Slightly Confused Women to the left!

One man went to Mow, went to mow a meadow

Tess comments how misty it is

Are you sure this is the path?

Of course it is!

Mud glorious mud

"Nick i' the Hill"

Free range Shetland Ponies

What's up duck?

Onwards and Upwards

Does it explain here what "gay oil" is?

Primroses

Wood anemones

and soon the bluebells will be blooming

Get your kicks on Route 55

Hawthorn and Holly

Deep down into the woods

There was total agreement

Tessa's looking for her contact lens

Up and over

Ahhhh, baaa!

I can see clearly now......... it's this way

Still in total agreement

Footpath diversion

Mellow Yellow

Keep right on to the end of the road

Tessa still looking for her contact lens. There's a telescopic lens on the horizon

We'll lend you our map if you take our photo

Hey, you, get offa my cloud!



Fantastic view

Oh what  a shame.....

Looking back, over my shoulder

 

Nearly there!

Does this signal the end?

Two happy taxi drivers

And at the end of all that, two superfit members, Liz and Yvonne, walked an extra seven miles all the way to Deep Hayes.

Well done girls!

Best laid plans…

or – All’s well that ends well!

Trentham group have been given eleven miles to walk – from Alton to Hobbs Lane. Rather than try to do it all in one go we have split it into three shorter sections on different days therefore allowing more members the opportunity to take part.

Friday 13^th seemed a good date to start and it was all planned with military precision – we wouldn’t rely on husbands or public transport, we would do it ourselves by leaving a car at each end of the walk. Over the stile in Back Lane, Alton and we were on The Staffordshire Way, to the distant sounds of squeals of delight (or terror) drifting over the valley from Alton Towers. We crossed the fields and entered woodland where we saw bluebells, wood anemones and banks of primroses. The sun shone and we made good time to Denstone where we were booked to have lunch at the award winning Denstone Hall Farm Shop. We were not disappointed, lunch was freshly prepared and delicious and so, with batteries fully charged and bladders emptied we were soon back on our walk.

The next stretch across fields was more complicated, the farmer had decided to plough a field that the book told us to walk across so, being resourceful, we circumnavigated said field, located the necessary stiles and plank bridges and then walked beside the river Churnet towards Rocester. This is George Eliot country and Rocester was her model for Rosseter in Adam Bede.

Our route for the day was to end in Abbey Road, (not a Beatle in sight!) where Marilyn had left her car, only one problem at this stage but it was quite a major one, Marilyn could not find her car keys and we therefore concluded they must be still in the car parked in Alton. On checking bus timetables we found no bus due for over an hour and a phone call to a Uttoxeter taxi firm quoted £18 for the trip to Alton. There was no alternative – we had to telephone a husband! Fortunately there was one in our party with a husband who knew where Rocester was and he was, thankfully, at home doing nothing so he sped to our rescue, picked us up in Rocester 40 minutes later and returned us to Alton. The car was still where we left it, Marilyn’s keys were inside so all ended well and it was only on the drive back to Trentham that it started to rain.  According to the pedometer we walked 6.8km today which, I am told, translates as just over 4  miles. Next walk is Rocester to Uttoxeter on May 6th.

Tips:-
Make sure you follow the Staffordshire Way markers which have the Staffordshire Knot on the yellow arrow. There are other yellow arrows without the knot.

Some stiles are broken, some fences have been replaced by gates and some fields are ploughed.
It might be helpful to have a husband standing by for emergencies!

Just Walking the Dog

Sarah from Trentham has written the following post about her preparation for 'The Walk'.

Better weather this morning so Rosie and I have walked a part of the Staffordshire Way and done a bit of a recce.
I parked in Uttoxeter near the station as that is where the path comes into the town. From there we walked north across fields, over stiles, under fences (Rosie) to the A50.
We negotiated the cycle track, crossed the bridge and found the tunnel underneath. Once north of the noisy road we walked across fields that were not at all waterlogged and got as far as Sidford Wood.

The path is very poorly maintained, some stiles are overgrown and there are places where Rosie struggled to get through but we did it.
We turned around before we got to the north end of the wood as we had been walking for almost an hour and had to retrace our steps.
Once back in the car I drove up to Rocester to check out Abbey Rd car park, just as well I did as it doesn't seem to exist any more! No matter as there is plenty of on street parking. From there up to Denstone to look at The Tavern pub (this had been recommended but I was not convinced). Pub was closed but just nearby is a fantastic farm shop and cafe, Denstone Hall (click here). I had coffee there and asked them about a large group arriving next Friday, no problem but we will need to book, its very popular. Looks ideal, they do sandwiches or hot meals and its only around 200yds off our path.
From there I drove up to Alton and checked if there is anywhere to park where the Staffs Way leaves the village, again we can park on the street where its wide enough. All we need now is a dry day.
Fingers crossed for next Friday and our first walk.

Thanks Sarah. Staffs Moorlands are walking their section of The Way on the same day, so let's hope the sun shines on us all.