Shelic one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 75.00% of reviewers

The whole length of Claypit Lane is too dangerous for walking, narrow, twisting and fast traffic.

An urgent request goes out to complete a Slow Way, this needs immediate action, call for Wonder Walker. A six thirty start, three buses and Kinetic Ken is in Lichfield before 9am to look at Shelic.

Three routes with reviews but which one to go for? It's only four miles so I devise a route that covers all the options.

Shelic-1 was not fully available when David first walked it. I set off from the bus station and enjoyed a tour through parts of Lichfield previously unknown. The Friary Clock tower strikes nine as I pass. The footpath while plotted on the old route is easy to follow and Chesterfield Road is a pleasant quiet escape.

Claypit Lane had more bikes than cars so was fine on this Saturday morning. I didn't see an inn at Wall but at four miles who needs a break. A sign directs me off road after the Toll road but initially I take the wrong track perhaps it's easier going north. Hugh, suggests it's not.

No sign of the path across a field of carrots. I walk between the rows as across them would be a difficult. I can see I'm heading wrong so at the field end I have to double back to find the stile into the next field.

Farmers are quick to complain about inconsiderate dog owners allowing their pets to stray from the path or moan about illegal fly tipping in their gateways. But is the pot calling the kettle black. Footpath are public highways the only difference between them and roads is the limitation for users to be on foot not in a vehicle. The Highway Act 1980 is clear, section 134 subsection (3) requires the occupier to make good the surface of the path and indicate the line of the path on the ground. Section 137A (1) (b) requires the occupier to prevent the crop from encroaching on any relevant highway. The penalty for non compliance is a fine not exceeding level 3 (£1,000).

A track leads to the rail bridge, from here all is fine. Crossing a footbridge over a clear running stream the route is soon in Shenstone. The station building is rather grand, suggesting this has always been in the BIrmingham commuter belt.

A good walk but spoilt by an inconsiderate farmer.

A qualified thumbs up from me - this is quite a good direct route, though I do have a few concerns. Having looked at the map, there is a shortage of good alternatives that are not significantly longer, so I am prepared to accept the amount of road walking because the roads are not that busy.

I walked from Shenstone to Lichfield. Having looked at the route in advance, I was aware that the GPX file is rather too approximate, but the easier (and more accessible) way out of the station area is to use the access road not the steps. The next problem is the bridge over the railway from the field path - this is no problem for active walkers but there is a flight of steps.

The track continues into the next field and turns left - here I hit my next minor snag - there is no visible path line continuing straight on across the vast crop field and no waymarker, and I didn't fancy trampling it, so I was eventually forced to accept that the road through Chesterfield was the easier option. This might be easier in the other direction or at times of year when the crops are less mature - so I suspect that negotiation with the landowner would be better than writing it off.

I can report that Claypit Lane is now fully open to all traffic - there is a new roundabout serving the housing development just before the A461 Lichfield bypass, and although it has no pavement it is quiet enough not to be unpleasant. The route within Lichfield also has minor problems - I can see what the route creator was trying to do using right of way paths rather than streets, but the path leaving Sainte Foy Avenue is not signposted or visible on the ground - there is a surfaced path round the other (east) side of the large gated building whose fences block the old path line. I agree with David S that the route straight up the A5127 might be easier.

I will leave refinements and tweaks to those with more local knowledge.

I started this route from Lichfield. I'll be honest, the first section is a puzzle as it doglegs up one of the most congested streets in Lichfield to then follow the wide pavement past one of the busiest traffic interchanges. It directs you down a footpath but the plotting falls apart and the suggested exit point proved to not be a way out (pictured). The way around, which was to continue to follow the footpath was easy enough to do in this direction so this wasn't a cause for failure. The walk past Sandfields Pumping Station was a nice way to exit Lichfield, well sort of. I'd been unable to review this first time I tried because Claypit Lane was closed for the construction of a housing estate, thus extending Lichfield further. The lane itself started well, open and with clear sight as well as great views to the side. There was a section that was narrow and not well sighted. It didn't feel dangerous, but it wasn't enjoyable. The lane goes through the village of Wall which has a couple of pubs and some Roman Remains (Letocetum). After passing under the M6 Toll and A5 bridges you leave the lane to follow the path across fields. On previous walks, I'd found this path to be really easy to follow but it had been planted with crops and I had to make my way around the outside. It wasn't a massive detour. The route into Shenstone is a pleasant combination of green spaces, alleyways and pavements. There are a couple of pubs, a cafe and some shops on the approach to the meeting place at the station. In summary, this route scrapes a pass. The Lichfield end is indirect and the plotting inaccurate in the one spot. From a safety point of you, Claypit Lane is walkable, but local drivers can set the heart racing and the less of it you can walk, the better. The Shenstone end is the nicest section. This route has steps and stiles and is not accessible for wheelchairs.

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