AlrewasTamworth

Alrtam three
Verified route

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

By David Sanderson on 08 Jul 2021


Distance

18km/11mi

Ascent

66m

Descent

57m

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Description

Much safer, much more relaxed route. Avoids the A38 crossing and eliminates all but a tiny amount of lane walking. Route leaves Alrewas and passes through Fradley where it joins the Coventry Canal. It then follows the towpath as far as Hopwas where it leaves the canal and joins the pavement of the A51 into Tamworth. Food and rest stops at 7km (Huddlesford) and 14km (Hopwas)

Much safer, much more relaxed route. Avoids the A38 crossing and eliminates all but a tiny amount of lane walking. Route leaves Alrewas and passes through Fradley where it joins the Coventry Canal. It then follows the towpath as far as Hopwas where it leaves the canal and joins the pavement of the A51 into Tamworth. Food and rest stops at 7km (Huddlesford) and 14km (Hopwas)

Status

This route has been reviewed by 3 people.

There are no issues flagged.

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Information

Verified route

Route status - Live

Reviews - 3

Average rating -

Is this route good enough? -  Yes (3)

There are currently no problems reported with this route.

Downloads - 4

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Geography information system (GIS) data

Total length

Maximum elevation

Minimum elevation

Start and end points

Alrewas
Grid Ref SK1700315053
Lat / Lon 52.73287° / -1.74963°
Easting / Northing 417,003E / 315,053N
What3Words singles.bashful.realm
Tamworth
Grid Ref SK2089903994
Lat / Lon 52.63332° / -1.69263°
Easting / Northing 420,899E / 303,994N
What3Words smiled.shops.dress

Sorry Land Cover data is not currently available for this route. Please check back later.

reviews


Ken

13 Apr 2022 Spring

I walked this route Alrewas to Tamworth on what had been forecast to be a dry but cloudy day, the clouds decided to release a few heavy showers, but then it was April. A mix of well used field paths, some quite road links and lots of canal towpath which again was a mix of surfaces some very good wide and well surfaced others narrow eroded and muddy. The towpath is generally not a right of way public path, it is permissive. No stiles, no cattle, but gates and some steps.

Alrewas meeting place is good and if this is the walk end the pharmacy will sell you blister plasters if required. The exit by road is fine with a selection of old and new properties along the way. Passing the show ground the well used footpaths to Fradley are apparent but lack signage. I have often passed through Fradley Junction but never been to the village so that was a treat. There is still a post office and general store should you need it.

Navigation was not an issue but once on the canal there is only one way to go. There were boats on the move and boats moored so plenty of interest including a stone mile marker. I did wonder who had decided on the location of the seat approaching Streethay Wharf with a view of pounding traffic close by on the A38.

Huddlesford Junction will one day soon, we hope, again be a real junction using the Lichfield and Hatherton canal to access the Birmingham Canals network. The Plough Inn has fond memories of borrowing the darts team chalk to highlight an old sign on the bridge which prohibited all but 'ordinary traffic of the district'. The sign is long gone perhaps my chalking brought it to some dishonest person's attention.

I think the route needs altering at Whittington with a walk through the village for a change of scene and opportunity to use services on offer. The towpath along this canal is not a designated cycle route so in places it's rather washed away and muddy but I did still meet a few cyclists perhaps encouraged by an old OS map which shows a cycle route heading north but stopping abruptly at Tamhorn Park.

Alongside the firing ground of Hopwas Woods the towpath surface is excellent, wide and a firm surface allowing an opportunity to take in the view rather than watching where the feet are landing. Two Inns at Hopwas if a break is called for. Other reviews had been critical of the final road walk so I had looked for an alternative and having met a friend along the way who knows the area my alternative was recommended as a good route. I did inspect the road route as I returned to Lichfield by bus and it's fine. I will post a revised route using the riverside path.

I didn't really know Tamworth so had a look around and would recommend a visit especially the castle grounds where I sat in the sunshine eating lunch and drying off after a shower caught me along the exposed riverside path.


David Sanderson

03 Feb 2022 Winter

A really relaxing walk. I started from Tamworth.The first section follows the A51, which is maybe the least enjoyable part of the walk, but is direct, and has the Tame flowing to the left. In no time, you reach the limits of Tamworth then cross the Tame (after which Tamworth is named) and enter the village of Hopwas, where you join the Coventry Canal. The majority of the walk is along the towpath of this canal. There is a section through woodland, the open countryside of the Tame Valley, and the villages of Whittington and Huddlesford. North of there, you get views of Lichfield in the distance, before passing by a couple of marinas (which don't appear to offer much for walkers). You leave the canal at Fradley and walk through the village to a footpath which connects you to Alrewas. The route into Alrewas is mainly residential, but the pubs and shops are not far from the meeting place, at the main bus stop. This route is offroad, relaxing, safe and has pubs at Alrewas, Huddlesford, Hopwas and Tamworth. There are shops in Alrewas, Fradley and Tamworth. A superb Slow Way.


Mtormey

14 Jan 2022 Winter

I walked this route from Tamworth to Alrewas, and I was pleased by it overall!

A few points:
- the bit out of Tamworth was just pretty unpleasant to walk along, with about 2.5 miles of pavement along big busy roads. Not really anything to do about it, though.
- the bit along the canal is extremely lovely and straightforward walking. It’s a bit long, but there’s really nothing you can do about that, either!
- there’s a short stretch along the A38, which was quite noisy, but at least the route and path is well separated from the road as it sticks to the canal.
- leaving the canal at Fradley, I might have just used slightly more direct footpaths that what was plotted here, but the route was perfectly fine and I encountered no problem following it as laid out.

Overall, a great route!.


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