Stafford and the calf that went PING! (14th April 2014)

Woke up, had a shower and waited for my friend to come home before heading out and on the road to Uttoxeter, where I'd be catching the train home in the evening. Left my friend at her workplace and 2 miles up the road, my calf decides its had enough and goes ping! Ouch...

So, I have to take the decision to call it quits and head on back into Stafford and see if I can catch an earlier train home. In a way, it's probably worked out for the best. When I return back to the trail, it would be easier to come back to Stafford the night before, stay with my friend and then head out up to Edale via Uttoxeter, Leek and Buxton.

This trip has been very hard going, primarily because I tried to pack in too many miles. Over the course of the last 6 days, I have done nearly 140 miles! I have to justify this because I've so little money/time, that I have to do as much as I can in the time I have. The further I go North, the more expensive train journeys become, etc. 

But I'm nearly at Edale now, and there the next phase of this end2end I'm doing will begin...

Way of the Millennium - Ironbridge to Stafford: 13th April 2014

Today opened onto a beautiful day, blue skies, not a cloud to be seen! Had breakfast early and headed out towards Telford on the main road out of Ironbridge, knowing that today's hike is the last long-distance march of this trip. First up is a long slog up the valley wall's hill on the road to Telford! Saw seven magpies as I left Ironbridge, but there are no stories never to be told on this blog! 

View down into Ironbridge

Soon I found the Silkin Way, walking through woods, passing a very nice hotel and then onto Telford's large park walks, which emerges onto Telford's very large shopping centre! Stopped for a coffee and a biscuit, stocked up on liquids and a choccy bar and then headed onwards to Newport, where I would find the Way of the Millennium trail, which would then take me all the way to Stafford.

The Silkin Way

The route to Newport was all main roads and grass verges, 8 miles of mind-numbing tedium! So much so, I didn't realise I'd passed Lilleshall, one of the National Sports Centres and where England sometimes train. Camera ran low on charge again, so plugged it into phone's spare battery charger for an hour, just so I can take a few pictures later on. Plod on and finally arrive in Newport.

Selfie

Don't ask why this pic turned out weird! Near Lilleshall village.

St Nicholas Church, Newport

Stopped for some refreshments, had a quick look around and found that the Way of the Millennium starts some miles outside of Newport, off the busy A518. While we're talking of main roads, I really hate people who park their cars on pavements. Not drives, or just two wheels, I'm talking the WHOLE damned car, forcing pedestrians onto the road. No. Just. No. Next time I'll be less forgiving...

Eventually after a hairy hour on the A518, I find the beginnings of the Way of the Millennium. This route will take me all the way to Stafford where I will be staying with an old school friend. First though is the matter of 13 miles...

I'm going to have to count up all the counties I've walked through!

A518 - hairy!

Turn off, another half a mile to the Way

Up onto the old railway bridge and there the Way starts! 

The Way of the Millennium is based on old railway lines, a Roman road and woods, meaning for the most part, it is almost dead straight, a boon for a marcher like me and I make very good time through Gnossall, past Haughton and Derrington, before I get a message just before I go under the M6. It tells me to come off the way and to head for Stafford Castle! Just as I come off the Way though, my left calf decides to throw a bit of a tantrum, becoming very sore...

Getting to the castle is a bit of a faff, trying to work out which fields are safe to walk on and hopping along on my injured calf! But eventually I work my way up the steep hill and there in the shade of the castle is my welcoming committee! 

Stafford Castle

Showing my appreciation! 

It's been a long, hard slog today! It can get very lonely while walking so it's lovely to be greeted by two beaming smiles! It's also very nice to be fed and waited on! ;o)

Tomorrow I head home, but not until after I've done a 12-miler to Uttoxeter...

The Severn Way: Bewdley to Ironbridge; 12th April 2014

Well, today started with a short trek up to Bewdley Station, which is part of the vintage Severn Valley Railway. Now, you're probably wondering why I'm thinking of catching a steam train to Bridgnorth when I should be walking! Here's my justification, I just hope you all agree with it! 

When I've been walking all these trails during this long end2end, I have to catch trains to and from where I stop in order to return home. Some of the trail connections are a mile or two from the train station, so I thought in order to make up for this, I'd catch the steam train to cover the first fifteen miles of today's trek to Ironbridge. Call it a well deserved reward if you will after the last few days of hard walking! 

GWR 4900 Class 4936 Kinlet Hall

The little station is a delight with various items and buildings harking back to the golden age of steam! The train pulls in, lovely British Rail green and steam billowing out! (GWR 4900-Class 4936 Kinlet Hall). I board the train and sink into the lovely, plush cushions, feeling like Harry Potter onboard the Hogwarts Express! 

The line follows the Severn Way closely all the way to Bridgnorth and some of the scenery from above is very pretty. And my god, the steam whistle is DEAFENING! 

Ticket

We soon arrive at Bridgnorth where there was a whole host of trainspotters waiting! I heartily recommend a visit to the Severn Valley Railway! (http://www.svr.co.uk) Bridgnorth is a very strange town, consisting of a high town on the cliffs and a low town down below straddling the river. A funicular railway connects the two, along with lots of hidden steps and alleys! After a brief look around, it's ever onwards towards our destination for the night.

Argh! What can I tell you?! First we have to go through a golf course, which is always a ruiner of a good walk and then through some of the toughest terrain I've walked on so far on this end2end. Half of the Severn Way trail was on farmland where the farmer hasn't maintained/respected the track/public right of way, letting it become overgrown, ploughed over, or simply removed stiles and left fences/gates instead. The other half was bog, landslips and water! The trail has just been slowly eroded by the winter rains and obviously the high Severn waters.

So it is slow going and agony on my feet, ankles and knees, due to the uneven ground, slipping on mud and the constant change in hard/soft surfaces. But we gradually make our way through, passing places such as Apley Forge with its white bridge, various coppices and Telford's bridge near Coalport.

Golf course

This was one of the better fields... 

Bridge at Apley Forge

No stile and tied to oblivion

path gone...

Coalport bridge

Mercian Way marker

From Coalport, we are diverted onto the Severn Valley Way, through some blasted landscapes (a victim of the rains?) and finally we arrive in Ironbridge, a place I've visited before. I'm staying at the same hotel I stayed at with my grandfather and Dad 25 years previously! It brings back a few memories for sure, and I have my supper by the bridge! A hard day's walking beckons tomorrow with some old friends to see! 

blasted landscape

Tile works 

Furnaces

The Iron Bridge