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LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD


Derek Harwood's Walking Records

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     Lands End to John o'Groats Fill-in Path

              Abbots Bromley  to   Uttoxeter


Friday 2nd October 2015 ....................................Walk No. 1109

Lands End to John o'Groats Fill-in  No. 16   Total 111.5 miles


Time Taken:  3:75 hrs               Distance:                Enjoyment:            Weather: Sunny 
 11:30 am - 15:15 pm                  7.50 miles                     85%                           and warm

Temp:      Cloud:        Rain:       Visibility:        Ground Conditions:                   Nature:
 16oC         50%           0%            Good                Very Good            Lots of Blackberries


Total AA:         Total MH:       Total LD:         Total AW:         Other:        Total Distance:
 1116.5 mls        976.0 mls     3291.5 mls       174.5 mls        1944.5 mls    7505.5.0 miles

Companions:  (Derek)

Points of Interest and LINKS:
Staffordshire Way               	Church Abbots Bromley          Abbots Bromley Village
Cockshutt Close Wood		Bagot 					Balance Hill
Uttoxeter Town			Centaur Artwork			St Mary the Virgin Church
Description:
Parked car in Tesco Uttoxeter car park. I visited store to buy food for lunch, then walked to the Bus Station on Bradley Street and caught the No. 403 bus to Abbots Bromley at 11:10am. Good journey via Marchington & Newborough to the Buttercross in Abbots Bromley, the Start of the Walk. I continued my walking journey to John o' Groats following the Staffordshire Way for the whole of the day's walk to Uttoxeter. I walked north along Schoolhouse Lane, passing The Richard Clarke First School on the right to Swan Lane, also on the right. Here I walked to a footpath at the end of Swan Lane. The footpath turned slowly to the left before crossing Dunstal Brook to Radmore Wood and Radmore Fields Farm. I turned left on Radmore Lane before Radmore Fields Farm to a 'T' junction on Woodmill Lane where I turned right, still zig zagging north towards Uttoxeter. At the end of the lane, I continued straight onto a footpath across a mature Sweet Corn field to the corner of Cockshutt Close Wood, part of Bagot Forest, then turned sharp right down hill to Story Brook, noting Squitch House on the top of the hill. I did not cross the brook at this point but followed the west bank of the brook passing Squitch Plantation and Storybrook Plantation, but not crossing the brook until near the top of Black Field where I skirted the far side of a small wood. Here I spied a Buzzard gracefully circling high above on a thermal of rising hot air. I turned half right on the next field at the end of a long narrow wood towards Hill's Wood, where the footpath became very narrow and overgrown. Here I passed a large blackberry bush that was still carrying fruit at this late time in the Autumn. They tasted old. Progressing north I came across two pheasants on the grass verge of the lane after the attractive Marlpitt House Farm. It's very common to see pheasants at this time of year, but always a pleasant surprise. At the north end of the farm lane the Way followed Hobb Lane from the left, north for a short distance, approximately 200 metres (yards) to a footpath on the left leading to New Thorntree Farm, passing on the right. The footpath zig zagged in a northernly direction, passing Scounslow Green & Hanging Wicket Farm, both on the right to Quee Lane, where I turned left for a short distance, 400 metres (400 yds) to a junction of a lane from the right, passing Thorn Tree Farm. In the field on the right before the junction, I saw a small herd of bullocks, bringing back memories of previous encounters of bullocks on many walks down the years. Note, the Way crosses Quee Lane into the bullock field and continues in a northerly direction across this field before turning left in the next field to the lane. At the junction of the un-named lane, I turned right to skirt the bullocks field to rejoin the Way at the end of the field on the left, to again walk diagonally across the next field to Knightland Farm where I stopped for a well earned rest to enjoy my lunch. Sufficiently fed and watered I continued north to Knightfield Farm and Cullamore Lane. As with Hobb Lane earlier but this time a shorter distance. Where the lane turned right, I continued north again through a narrow overgrown path between two high hedges, leading to a 'Y' junction with Timber Lane where I continued on the right arm of the junction. As I passed Field Head farm I was surprised to see Chickens in the same field as Sheep, just before the housing development of Balance Hill. I don't know why I was surprised because this is quite common for chickens to stray from their enclosure into the adjacent field. I walked through the new housing estate following footpaths and cul-de-sacs of Balance Hill to the roundabout on the A518 leading into Uttoxeter. I noted a hedge of brightly coloured red leaves on the footpath and a very attractive house with solar panels in Churchill Close. Care required down the slope of the narrow footpath leading down to the roundabout. (Now converted into steps). Again with care, I walked north on the A518, crossing the duel tracked railway and the Picknal Brook into the town centre of Uttoxeter. Immediately after crossing the long road bridge, I was surprised to find a magnificent huge Centaur in the middle of the roundabout straight infront of me. A wonderful piece of artwork to be admired. Over the roundabout to continue on the A518 I passed the Brookside Business Park on the right to the Dovefields Retail Park and the Tesco Store Car Park. The end of the walk. Yet another most enjoyable and varied walk on my journey to the north of Scotland. Have fun and enjoy the British seasons.

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



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