LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked the car at Abbots Bromley Village in open gravel ground car park off Schoolhouse Lane, next to The Richard Clarke First School and at the back of The Crown Hotel. I cycled to Stockwell Heath Village, 4.5 miles (7Km), by turning down Shoolhouse Lane to the Butter Cross at Market Place, where I turned right along Bagot Street the B5014, towards the west. At Mires Brook Lane I turned left away from the traffic to St Nicholas Way where I turned right to Goose Lane for a left turn away from the Village centre heading for the Causeway across Blithfield Reservoir. At Yeatsall Road I turned right out of the village to cycling west to Inga Thorpe Road the B5013. Here I turned left to the south, towards the Reservoir and the Causeway. Good views all around, I'm always happy to see a large volume of water, whether It's the sea or inland. Beyond the Causeway I cycled south along the B5013 to Sherracrop Lane and Stockwell Heath Village. I locked my bicycle to the post of a 'Stop HS2' campaign sign, by the Village Pond. HS2 is the name of the project give to the High Speed Railway Line between London and Birmingham. I walked away from the Pond, the Start of the Walk, north on Newlands Lane for the short distance to the junction of Sherracrop Lane and Park Lane. Here I turned right at the fork along Park Lane out of the village towards the north/east and Park Barn Farm. The lane ended at the farm so I continued to follow the Staffordshire Way north east, on the Park Pale Dyke keeping the hedge on my right. The dyke is designed to prevent flooding of the fields around Park Barn Farm if there is a problem with Blithfield Reservoir Dam. I continued along the top of the dyke, east, skirting the field of Medleywood Barn to leave the dyke north/east along the field with the hedge on my left towards the barn. I walked past the barn and continued north/east into the next field with the hedge again on my left towards the reservoir. Care required here because there is no sign where the Way turns right away from the hedge to continue straight towards a lane and Newlands Cottages. Notice the Boat House on the edge of the water by the dam. I walked down the lane to a small wood on the left, before the cottages and alongside a tributary of the River Blithe. I followed the tributary and the river towards a lane at the base of the reservoir dam, by a sewerage farm. Here I turned right to follow the lane to the north/east end of the dam, where the lane turned half left up to a couple of compounds and outbuildings to Waters Road. At the entrance of the Sailing Club I turned left along a lane to a junction where I turned away from the club towards the north to Abbots Bromley. The lane soon ended and the footpath continued across three fields. The first field was occupied by cows which had recently given birth to foals. The second field very strangely had an old fuel pump on the side of the track, with nothing else around. The third field was occupied by sheep and geese, but even more strangely two comfortable blue chairs were placed neatly in the centre of the field both facing which I can only describe as a makeshift horse jumping fence, consisting of two old oil drums and a horse jumping bar across the top. The exit of the field was a stile and finger post at the junction of Goose Lane, Port Lane & Seedcroft Lane. I turned right along Seedcroft Lane for 100 metres (yards) to an old gate on the left, then followed the hedge on my right to a lane. The lane serves the sewerage farm on the right. I continued straight towards Abbots Bromley, passing the sewerage farm entrance on the right to a track. After 150 metres (yards) I took the footpath on the left, that is before the track bends to the right. The footpath headed directly towards St Nicholas Church. I took one of the two small bridges used by the livestock to cross the small stream. I headed for the right hand corner of the gated Churchyard to walk along the footpath passing the right of the Church to Church Street. I followed the street for the short distance to the Butter Cross. The end of the Walk. This was another adventurous walk completed on the 'Fill-In' journey towards John 'o Groats. There is always something different and unexpected to be found or see when walking in Britain. Take care and enjoy.

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