LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I drove to Stockwell Heath in lovely early morning sunshine until I reached Rugeley Power Station, then the weather became dull. At first I thought it was the shadow of the Cooling Tower cloud, but it became more and more misty until it was definitely foggy. I parked the car in Newlands Lane, Stockwell Heath, on an appropriate piece of grass away from the houses by the village pond. I cycled along Moor Lane in the fog to Bishton via, B5013, Bellamour Lane, Bishton Hall to the Trent & Mersey Canal bridge number 70 on the A51 road. I locked my bike to the railings on the road of the canal bridge and started the day's walk by descending the slope/steps onto the canal towpath, part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Walk and the Staffordshire Way. I had a short chat with two cyclists studying an information board inviting all by-passers to visit the nearby area of Wolseley Bridge. The board was very detailed but confusing to me at first because the direction of north was not marked. I always like to see north at the top of the map, which enables me to get my bearings. I walked under the bridge, east towards Rugeley as the fog began to lift. The weather forecast for the day's walk was excellent so I was surprised to find the foggy conditions as I approached the area of the walk. A very attractive and well converted Narrow Boat called Enseabee soon passed me, so I congratulated the driver as he cruised past. This up-lifted my spirits and put a bounce in my step as I continued on the towpath. Because the canal and River Trent both follow the same direction in this area the towpath between the two waterways slowly formed a higher and higher dyke, keeping the waterways separate, until the bend in the river split the two for approximately a kilometre. Just before the canal reached the West Coast Railway Line the canal broadened to form a turning circle to enable the narrow boats to reverse directions if needed. The fog had completely lifted by this point so the view was very peaceful, calming and relaxing. Immediately after the 'winding hole', the canal peoples' expression for a turning circle, I came across canal bridge number 68, which had an unusual sign on a post 'Left Over Bridge' within a red arrow pointing left. I studied the map and realised that this was the point where the towpath changes to the other side of the canal. In the days before motorised transport this would have been very important because a horse pulling the narrow boat would have to be disconnected from the towrope and reconnected on the opposite side of the bridge, a lengthy procedure. When I was on the other side of the bridge, the north side, this is where I diverted from the canal to venture out into the countryside and continue on the Staffordshire Way at a lane where I turned left and crossed over the West Coast Mainline Railway. As I looked over the bridge parapet to the four track railway line, a high speed Virgin electric passenger train came hurtling towards me. As a keen steam railway train spotter in my youth, this was a sight which brought back many memories. Descending from the bridge on the lane between trees, two dog walkers approached me with at least a dozen dogs wandering in all directions, sniffing anything they could find. After exchanging a few pleasantries with the walkers I soon reached the end of the lane at the B5013 Colton Road. Here I spotted an unusual finger post direction sign, an impression of a person walking, instead of the usual 'Public Footpath' sign. The finger post must have been very old. I turned left on the road looking for another footpath sign to turn right across a field towards Colton Village and to my amazement I saw that all the verge in front of the hedgerow covered in meadow flowers. As I marveled at the sight I realized at the next road junction I had missed the footpath. So I turned right into Colton and rejoined the Staffordshire Way at a very picturesque old three arched bridge crossing Moreton Brook by a ford. I passed St Mary's Village School on my left and Colton Hall on my right on Bellamour Way, but in between I passed a very old attractive Heath Robinson public bench which had obviously been repaired many times over the years. I had problems in the village finding the public footpath left across he fields, until I eventually spotted a 'Village Hall' sign and a finger post on the opposite side of the road, with the same impression of a person walking, stamped into the direction pointer. I passed the Village Hall and a very well maintained Village Field to a huge grazing Field, where I had to search for the stile to leave the field. More care required by me to find other stiles' especially the awkward stile on the outside corner of a field. I walked a short distance from this stile across a horse field to a footbridge over a stream consisting of two long wooden planks. Never a dull moment! No I didn't wobble. One further small field to Moor Lane. Then I turned right into Stockwell Heath Village and soon after I turned left on Newlands Lane by the village pond to find my car. I drove back to Bishton passing Bishton Hall again and collected my bike chained to Wolseley Canal Bridge railings. I started the walk early so I could drive on to the Severn Railway Steam Gala. A short but delightful walk in the fog and eventually the bright cloud free sunshine for myself and Jack Jones. Lots of memories gathered yet again. Enjoy.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk, - Start: at Bishton