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