Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud...

Seven members of Trentham NWR [Sarah, Pat, Chris, Anne, Alison, Jan and Marilyn] walked the second section of their Staffs Way stage on Sunday 6 May.  This was from Rocester to Uttoxeter, a distance of 5 miles.  After a pretty wet week, with some concerns about flooding, we set off in bright sunshine.

First stop was Richard Arkwright's Tutbury Cotton Mill built in 1781 and now an Academy for workers from the nearby JCB factory.

Already lost! All maps required to locate the beginning of the walk.

This looks like it...we are on our way on The Way!

When all at once we saw a crowd, a host, of golden dandelions...

We seem to have strayed over the border into Derbyshire!

Along the banks of the River Dove, no flooding here.

Handsome sheep with crinkly fleece.  Lincolnshire Longwools?

Crack Willow?

We're definitely on the right track, but are we coming or going?

The next section of the walk was punctuated by the loud retorts of clay pigeon shooting, but luckily  clay fragments did not keep falling on our heads.

Dandelion clock telling us it's time for lunch.

Picnic time.

Off again with our knapsacks on our backs.

It was all going so well, when we encountered a boggy bit.  One member, who shall be nameless, missed her footing and fell full length into the mire and emerged like the creature from the Black Lagoon. We formed a human shield while she stripped to the waist and dressed in various borrowed tops, but she had to soldier on for the last couple of miles with drenched jeans.  Alison rang her husband to bring fresh clothes to Uttoxeter and meet us at Tescos.

A satyrical statue in Uttoxeter?

We've reached our destination, but need to check the map to find our way back to the car.

Sunny weather, lovely country side, good conversation and the Creature from the Black Lagoon...what more could you want from a walk?