Norbro one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

I walked Norton Canes to Brownhills. The route as plotted involves stiles or low metal fences. To keep things simple I suggest the route should use Hednesford Road south of the M6 Toll this removes the weak link from an otherwise excellent Slow Way.

The meeting place at Norton Canes is very pleasant and well kept. The exit is on a safe roadside pavement and then a tarmac cycle track on the bed of a rail route. This does become a loose stone surface but still good. No trains running today so safe to use the gated crossing.

Brownhills West has an impressive array of buildings. As mentioned you need to keep an eye on the plot to locate the turning for the footbridge over the M6 Toll. I failed to use the Beacon Way also called the Wulfrun Way. The fingers were missing from the sign and an angle iron fence offered no encouragement to enter the overgrown area, it appears the local authority do not prioritise this route for maintenance.

I walked along the pavement of the quiet Hednesford Road. This leads directly to the light controlled crossing opposite which is a tarmac footpath used here by the Wulfrun Way. The path meets the next road at about the same point as the plot. Can I honestly review this Slow Way? Yes I can and will. Other reviewers got through.

Back on the plot and it's then road side walking to the meeting point. Now I don't know Brownhills and the Library and Community Centre are at the meeting point but I didn't feel that I had arrived in the town.

A really enjoyable, short Slow Way. I started at the Brownhills end. Setting off from the Memorial Shelter you follow the wide pavement of the A452 Chester Road North (1&2). After about 800m you take a footpath to the right which joins the Beacon Way. I must admit I didn't get this first time because it was not obvious from the map marking whether I needed to take the footpath or stay on the pavement. The Beacon Way follows the route of a an old railway (3) and is straight and raised which makes it a pleasure to walk along even after the amount of rain there was before I walked it. You cross the dual carriageway at Watling Street (4) (no pedestrian crossing but there is a central reservation). I crossed it with little problem on a Saturday lunchtime but I can imagine it might require patience at rush hour. The proximity of two sets of traffic lights, stopping the traffic combined with the central reservation is helpful. The route continues straight ahead into a short woodland track (5) and through an overgrown football pitch until it crosses two stiles and leads up a ramp to the bridge over the M6 Toll (6). On the other side you emerge into Chasewater Country Park which is the venue for most of the rest of Norbro. Chasewater was high on the day I walked (7) but the track is raised and set back so was not encumbered by the flood water. The track heads around the West Bank of Chasewater and passes Brownhills West the terminus of the Chasewater Railway (a tourist train that runs around Chasewater as far as Chase Terrace). The cafe here welcomes non-passengers (9). From there the very walkable track (11) affords views of Chasewater to your right (10). You cross at a pedestrian crossing of the railway (I had to stop for a train! (12)) then follow the path out of the park, cutting left along a track through some woods (13). The way to the meeting point (14) consists of wide straight paths then pavements. On the other side of the road to the meeting spot is a green area (15) the site of mine owned by Jerome K Jerome's father! I waited there on a bench for my bus home. The whole route took me just under an hour. Thoroughly recommended.

Very lovely walk. Starting at Norton Canes you've got nice access to the shops and there's a free car park next to the parish council building. Starting ona short stretch of road, you turn left to enjoy a nice tarmac path (Picture 1). After crossing a road (Picture 2) - you'll need to get off your bike for these barriers. you proceed up to Chasewater. Turn right and carry on down gravel paths over the heritage railway level crossing and down the length of Chasewater (Picture 3). Upon passing the entrance to the railway building a few options lie before you, in how to get to the railway bridge over the M6 Toll. Keep your eye out for the Beacon Trail footpath post (Picture 4). After crossing the motorway (Picture 5), the entrance to the beacon way is a bit obscure however access is down the road (Picture 6). After walking down the thin grassy path of the Beacon Way (Picture 7), you'll meet the A5. Look right and there are pelican crossing's over the road. Once over rejoin the path. Now you're in Brownhills Common, keep to the right on entry and follow the trodden grass path down to the A452. Turn left and keep going on the tarmac footpath (Picture 8) all the way to the George Fullelove Memorial Shelter. Nice access to shops and the buses here. It was a gorgeous day and if you really want to, there's loads to do at Chasewater so you can make a day of this walk if you wished. This is all on the flat, however some of the paths will be a bit of a squeeze for some wheelchair users.

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