Super Trooper(s)

THE LONG WALK - DAY TWO

Through Tempest, Flood and Fire (Engines)

Day 2's walk was one we won't soon forget!

Anne and Chris (Trentham), Pauline (Moorlands), Maria - joining us for the day, Jane, Jane  & Sarah - photographer (all Stafford) set off again up Shop Lane, Trescott, believing that light showers were forecast for the middle of the day. However, once we had left the end of the lane to follow a field path, fat raindrops began to fall, and as we pulled on our raincoats, we noticed that the sky over to the west had become threateningly dark.

A torrential thunderstorm began, and it rapidly became too dark for photography.

There was nowhere to shelter as we went on over the fields and began to climb the footpath to Nurton. Did I say footpath? I should have said rushing torrent. As we went up, the water came down, faster and faster.

Eventually we emerged into Nurton where we had to cross the road. This turned out to be flooded, but we found the water was shallower down the centre of the road!

Now we had to follow a path along the side of Perton Golf Club. The water was so deep on the path that we thought the golf course itself might be be drier, but, as you can see, this was not so.

Eventually, however, when the path turned a corner, the water had become so deep, as Anne found by testing it with her walking pole, that we had to return and take to the golf course -taking care not to cross the greens.

As you can see, the rain had by now dripped into my camera.

As we walked on to Wrottessley Park, my fellow walkers suddenly asked me if I knew I was carrying a gallon of water in my rain cover. Although I hadn't been aware that my rucksack was getting heavier and heavier, it did feel much lighter once they'd emptied out the water. By now the rain had slackened off,

 and once it stopped, we decided it was time for elevenses on the edge of Wrottesley Golf Club .

This was the cue for the rain to start again, so off we squelched once more. After wading down the footpath a while, we decided to make for the golf course again and walk down the drive. A good idea -until we got to the Lodge gates...

Athough the van that drove in did wait so we didn't get splashed, the driver refused a request from one of us to reverse and give her a lift out to the road. From the main road we took a minor road Oaken. This sign is not a joke!

We walked down through a field towards Codsall, crossing a swollen stream,

and emerged into the village, only to find the road to the railway bridge closed due to flooding.

A young man shouted across that we could walk round to another gate, but we failed to find it until we got directions from a female walker.

After a detour through the streets of Codsall, we reached the other side of the flood

and as the road under the railway bridge was, of course, flooded,

we had to go into the station to cross by the footbridge. By now we were hearing lots of stories about the local and regional flooding, and hearing lot of fire engines, but our next surprise was a pleasant one! Codsall Railway Station turned out to house a cosy pub, complete with railway memorabilia - recommended.

Although the landlord told us another storm was on the way, we decided to strike out for Brewood. Already the floodwaters were draining away,

although as we walked on to Gunstone, we crossed a very swollen brook.

And as we walked towards Chillington, some of us were almost lost in the sodden crops.

At last a dryish field!

and a glimpse of Chillington Hall as we crossed the Upper Avenue.

Not far now to Brewood

but another detour here as the footpath the Way takes into the village was uninviting even for NWR (Notably Weather Resistant) members.

So down by the bridge

and along the towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal, which the Way follows for a couple of miles. Unbelievably, the sun was now shining.

Crossing the A5 on Thomas Telford's aqueduct,

 we made good time towards Lapley, and leaving the canal at Lapley Wood Farm,

 we walked up the farm road and through one last muddy field

to reach Lapley churchyard.

Lapley will be our rendezvous tomorrow morning. We didn't make it to Mitton today - too many detours and searchings for drier land! Are we still up for the Challenge? Of course! Maria was so pleased she'd joined our adventures, and another walker summed it up as 'A great day!'


Submitted by Sarah