Way Down South

On Saturday 21 July, five members of Stafford group walked the most southerly leg of the Staffordshire Way from Kinver to Enville. After some delayed journeys due to an abnormal load travelling along the A449, Sarah, Kay, Trish, Jane and Lois met at Kinver Rock Houses, having left cars at the Cat Inn at Enville.

At holy Austin Rock

First we looked around the Rock Houses which have been restored by the National Trust to show life there in the 1930s and 50s. They were inhabited until the 1960s and we were amused to hear that if a family needed more room the Victorian father got out his sledgehammer and excavated further into the sandstone rock.

Inside a house

Looking at artefacts

Chatting on the Rock

It was warm enough to have our picnic near the tea room before setting out on our walk.

Picnic at Holy Austin Rock

This part of the way is very pleasant with well-defined tracks and paths, and old-established woods.

It was a bit squelchy underfoot at times where bikes had churned up the ground.

There has to be mud

We particularly liked one path which had been cut out of the red sandstone rock.

Sandstone worn away by walkers' feet

Nearing Enville we passed Enville Hall which has a beautiful herbaceous border and a ha-ha separating it from parkland.

The ha-ha at Enville

Then we came across a game of cricket being played on the pitch next to the walled garden. It was a very English scene.

Cricket at Enville

After a cold drink at the Cat Inn, we took walkers back to cars at Kinver. All in all, an excellent day in the country - and completed without waterproofs!

At the Cat Inn

Written by Lois with photos by Sarah and Trish

Keep Your Sunny Side Up

11th July Oakmeadow to Alton

Wolstanton walkers (Karen, Barbara, Eileen, Lesley, Chris J and Chris O) near the beginning of the walk, before crossing over footbridge near Black Lion Pub. Water really foaming here by weir! The sun was peeking out, though it had drizzled a bit, meaning waterproof jackets on for the start of walk – it didn’t look very promising at this stage!!

Reached bridge 53 which is called Cherry Eye Bridge – apparently limestone workers in the area used to get sore (red) eyes from their work, hence its name.

This was a time to take off our jackets, to the accompaniment of birdsong and sunshine.

From the bottom of the valley we had views up towards our planned coffee stop – Kingsley Bird and Falconry Centre. The ‘reward’ kept us going up the steep slope, through lots of ferns – bit slippery – walking poles were really appreciated!

One of our drivers, Mavis, drove to meet us here (at the Centre) for morning coffee.

After our exertions to get to the Bird Centre, we found that there was another climb coming up next, Lesley warned us!!

We were refreshed by tea, coffee, bananas and snacks, and Christine J had brought some Cadbury fudge bars, which brought a spontaneous chorus of “,,, a finger of fudge is just enough, to give your kids a treat…” . Barbara and Lesley bought free-range eggs, as our kindly driver offered to put them in the car for later.

We made it through the mud and past the overgrown prickly holly where the stile was (!) – we’re near Kingsley churchyard here– but the horse was a bit more interested in the smell of our lunch than some of us would have liked – Chris J thought he was after her apple (“go AWAY!”…she told him, to no avail).

We picnicked in a field in the sunshine before continuing downwards and crossing over a stream.

Here is Eileen climbing over a stile at the end of the bridge before getting into more MUD!

We reached Hawksmoor after a break in the sun by a lovely clear pool, where Barbara said “I’m never doing this walk again in my life!”… but “… I liked the canals bit”.

Picture shows us at National Trust Hawksmoor, having another break for (choice of): yoghurt/coffee/ water.

On the way to Ramblers’ Retreat tea rooms, with leader’s estimate of only 20 more minutes to tea rooms (phew!). Sky is now almost completely blue – such a welcome change from when we first set off.

We had various snacks including toasted tea-cakes – but the buzzer to go and collect hers really made Karen jump when it went off, as we were all busy chatting.

Driver Mavis met us here and took a group photo. She then took some of the rucksacks in the car but Karen decided to plod on with hers to the end!

Another steep climb up through Toothill Wood (National Trust again) and we came out at the top! Lesley saw a tyre hanging from a tree and couldn’t resist a swing on it!

5.17pm… near the end now – we’re quite high up here though you maybe can’t tell from the photo – steep drop behind us - and the Tower of Alton Towers in the background.

From here it was just a short walk downwards past the “Royal Oak” pub to the end of the walk. We were all keen to get home after an enjoyable, but long, day’s walking; (we did all our 3 sections in 1 day).

Submitted by Karen

Here Comes the Sun...

More about the location of celebration picnic...

Come rain or shine, the NWR picnic to mark the end of our Walking the Staffordshire Way Challenge is being held on Saturday 15 September at The Tree House, Birches Valley Forest Centre on Cannock Chase.

To whet your appetite, here are some photos of the venue and surrounding area...

The Tree House

Picnic tables at the ready

I can see for miles and miles

Art Trail starts here

Fish out of water

Started early, took my dog!

What becomes of the broken hearted?

If the boot fits...

Walking in the air!

Don't miss the opportunity to relive the highs and lows of the last few months along the Staffordshire Way and to ask questions of the Rights of Way and Footpaths Officer in a fine location.  Booking form on the website http://www.nwr.org.uk/events/.

Good Day Sunshine

Disappointed that events reduced the turn-out on the first walk, another five members, using the well-tested transport arrangements, set forth from Colwich on 7 July.

As there is no need to repeat the scenic description I thought you might appreciate a photographic report.

Sam points out trouble by the chicken coop

 at Colwich Lock.

Just adding to the beauty of Shugborough.

An energy top-up at the start of Cannock Chase.

Stepping out again

and over The Chase.

Ladies, could you just move that boulder a little to the right!

Idyllic countryside around Bednall.

The final stretch

to The Boat at Penkridge.

Again we were fortunate to have a day of fine weather and I think Stage 6 of the Staffordshire Way has now been well walked and thoroughly enjoyed by members of our group.


Submitted by Mary.

Rainy Day Women

Codsall and Wolverhampton Branch are walking stage 8 of the Staffordshire way over two days.  We undertook our first walk, the shorter section, on 2^nd July.  This walk followed the pathway from Brewood to Codsall.  The weather was wild and wet but we really enjoyed our ramble through the countryside. We spotted a grey heron, geese and goslings, lots of ducks, horses and sheep along the way. We battled with weeds up to our shoulders and mud up to our ankles but in the true spirit of NWR we pressed on and achieved our target. We all agreed it was a good afternoon with good company and are looking forward to completing our walk on Monday 30^th July and hopefully the weather will have improved by that time!

Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of Stage 8.  The sign post in Market Square Brewood.

On the journey between Brewood and Codsall.

 Hard to get lost with a signpost like this!

We made it to the end! Codsall Village Church.

Submitted by Angela

Bring Me Sunshine

Miles and Miles of Stiles and Smiles

On Wednesday 4 July seven Shenstone NWR ladies caught the bus from Lichfield to travel to Abbotts Bromley for the second and third leg of our section of the Staffordshire Way. Waterproofs were donned as soon as we arrrived outside the Goats Head

then we headed for the Church yard where we made our first and only mistake of the day.
The first of many, many stiles, all of which were pretty slippery and some rather difficult for our shorter legged friends.

Polly, the dog wasn't with us this time so the "Neospora" sign didn't apply to us.

One and a half hours into our walk and we were very wet, had climbed numerous stiles but were still smiling.

The vegetation was very green and over grown but also very pretty and wet!

We'd seen Rugeley Power Station in the distance and looked over Blithfield Reservoir then came upon a very large herd of cows including these very pretty ones.

At Colton we found some benches and sheltered under the Weeping willows for our lunch, still wet, still smiling.

Then the sun came out and it was really warm. We'd completed the second stage of our section and after lunch we began the third and final stage.

We skirted the duck pond

and made our way through the pretty village of Colton and followed the signpost for Rugeley.

Naturally we found a few more stiles

but as we were going to be following the canal towpath for 2.25 miles we knew we were near the end of climbing, much to everyone's relief.

Rugeley Power station didn't seem very far away, many times along the walk we could see it in the distance, not very picturesque but quite a land mark.

After going through a field of barley we passed Rugeley Lodge,

crossed over the railway bridge then the canal bridge and finally we were on the towpath (no more stiles).

Along the towpath we saw sheep sheltering under the trees,

a pair of swans and their six signets,

 more sheep,

numerous canal boats

and when we reached Wolseley Bridge the over trousers came off.

Just a few more steps and we arrived at bridge 71 and Colwich Lock.

We were nearly at our journey's end, just a bus journey to Lichfield (we missed a real downpour while in Rugeley bus station)  and then the train back to Shenstone.

Another good day out but glad we didn't have to do double the distance and do it for seven days on the trot. Well done you Long Walkers, I don't know how you managed it but you did.


Submitted by Joy