Tammea one

Verified Slow Way

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Walked from Tamworth to Measham, my 200th Slow Way. Mostly pleasant but the GPX plotting is a bit sloppy and looks like it was drawn using the 1:50000 map, and even allowing for that, the paths on the ground do not always follow the right of way lines as closely as one would normally expect.

From the meeting point at Tamworth, we follow Victoria Road out towards the station and cross the roundabout (I omitted this section yesterday having arrived on the train and walked it several times already in the last few months). Immediately we hit one of the most confusing errors in the GPX file - the bridge under the Birmingham railway is NOT immediately next to the station building - it is on Station Road, which is a different exit from the roundabout - fortunately there is a footpath sign. The bridge under the railway was rather surprisingly flooded yesterday - it has been a very dry couple of weeks so this must have been water leaking from a water main. We find ourselves in a caravan park. At the far side of it, a path runs alongside the West Coast main line to a bridge under the railway, with fields beyond. There is a choice of routes here, neither of which exactly match the right of way. I chose the upper one past the new houses, but in retrospect the riverside path might have been prettier.

We soon found ourselves in the fields - the right of way path is mostly well cut but in a couple of fields it was necessary to divert into corners, and there is an unofficial alternative that stays closer to the river. We reach a farm by the river, where we have to cross a couple of stiles, and continue on farm tracks for a while. Where the path continues into the fields, the best trodden line heads down to the river, in a large pool here, and I chose to use this rather than chase the right of way line through the undergrowth. Either way we cross a track and continue across fields into Shuttington, where there is a pub and a small shop en route.

We turn left twice and take the path across the fields (no footpath sign here, and it was not immediately clear to me that the path was along the tractor tracks through a vegetable field. Beyond this field the paths are well cut and easy to follow as far as Seckington. The path up to the churchyard has a few steps, and beyond Hangmans Lane we go up more steps to find the "shortcut" to Newton Lane - this path has stiles and the exit to the lane is further west than the right of way line.

We follow the quiet lane into Newton Regis, then turn left onto Main Road, which has a pavement, passing a duckpond and the church (more flooding from water mains on the road here), and then take a well marked field path straight on out of the village. The last two fields before Austrey Lane had recently been ploughed using modern machinery into deep furrows, which made them harder work than normal. Beyond another well cut path takes us over a hill, and we cross a pasture to reach the bridge under the M42 on Dingle Lane. Beyond the motorway the farm lane leaves us and we are on a rather overgrown unsurfaced lane, which takes us to the Appleby Inn, a large pub/restaurant/hotel. We cross the busy road, and a stile beyond, heading through a gap in the undergrowth onto an old road, then join the pavement on the far side of New Road.

We turn left onto Church Street, then take a good field path left that takes us past a cricket field onto Bowleys Lane, where we continue straight on. The path is OK across the first field, and there is a trodden line through the overgrown field beyond, but anyone wearing shorts will need to watch out for hidden nettles. Rectory Lane arrives soon enough, and we follow it right to Measham Road. I agree with David and Ken that the route could be improved here.

We follow Measham Road out of the village and go straight on into another overgrown field beyond. There is no obvious trodden line, so take care not to stray too far left and miss the exit to the lane right of the house.

One final stile takes us on to the busier Tamworth Road, which has a pavement of variable width and quality on the far (north) side. We follow the road into Measham, where the meeting point is on the south side of Bosworth Road (for the second time this year I found a meeting point bench inaccessible due to a builders' fence).

I'd already decided to start from Measham and having both read Ken's review and wanted to test the route in the opposite direction I felt like I was doing the right thing. The walk along the high street and then out up Bird's Hill is not unsafe but is not particularly enjoyable. Saying that, you're soon into the Leicestershire countryside. The route is pretty easy to follow and the paths well marked. The route in Appleby Magna left me puzzled and lost the route a star. Rather than continuing through the village along the pavement past the fascinating church. You are swept away down a pavementless lane before joining a series of footpaths through unremarkable fields which seems dedicated to collecting hawthorn bushes. Having crossed into Warwickshire the views become all the more distant and spectacular, including views of downtown Birmingham. The route links villages, which I'm pleased to report you do actually walk through. As a consequence there are many churches to see and pubs to visit at reasonable intervals. The last of these villages, Shuttington also had a shop and an adjacent bench where I bought and consumed some lunch. The last section, in Staffordshire follows the River Anker, which was high on the day I walked. It was along here that I spotted a path which the map confirmed would take me through to the Coventry Canal and looked a more direct, although more built up route in to Tamworth. The path through the last section of countryside really did not match the right of way but the route was obvious and didn't cause it to fail as a Slow Way. The route meets Tamworth earlier than the map suggests but it's a pleasant bit of Ankerside real estate that you walk through. There's barely any of Tamworth town centre to walk through from the station to get to the meeting place. This isn't the perfect route between Tamworth and Measham. I think it could have been more direct and in Appleby Magna, more interesting. Saying that, it's safe, has places to rest and links well to the limited rural public transport options. I'm going to submit my idea of an improvement but I'd happily walk this version again.

I walked Tamworth to Measham on a wet day but still very much enjoyed this country walk with stiles, crops and cattle. That is until I got to Appleby Magna where it loses what I had expected to be a five star rating. Services along the way and some pretty villages.

The walk passes one of the bus stations or collection of stops in Tamworth then heads for the rail station. The plotting at the station is not spot on but it's well signed so not an issue. My map suggested a rapid entry into fields but Bellway Homes had other ideas and Tamworth is marching eastwards.

The footpath has been pleasantly accommodated although perhaps not spot on line. At a T junction head for the riverside path. Although the path has been diverted at Armingtom Hall Farm the cross field sections were not apparent on the ground so some interpretation is required or just follow the locals along the river side.

It's all easy going passing into Warwickshire to enter Shuttington where a village shop stands on route and an inn just off, there was also a bus shelter with seat but no timetable of a service. From here I was very impressed by the high standard of cross field reinstatement.

Seckington has a Farm Shop, so the sign at Wigwam Holidays advised me, perhaps an overnight stop on this Slow Way. The road walk to Newton Regis had no pavement but there was not much traffic. Another inn here and after a search a useful tap at the church.

A field edge track with S... Flickers provided, I rather it be picked up, who knows where it gets flicked to? Looks like the locals turn into Newton Gorse but we press on then across the field on another well marked path, no reports required in Warwickshire. Having said that, as I approached Austrey Lane I was surprised to see a group of lost ramblers on the field edge as I crossed the field on a wide cleared path.

Salt Street marks the boundary into Leicestershire with the tall yellow topped posts to guide us. Approaching the motorway was no issue but the hedged track beyond was a bit overgrown. The Appleby Inn Hotel offers all we could require and looked busy as a wet walker passed by.

The road approach to Appleby Magna has a pavement but while the verge grass has been cut the metalled path is inaccessible because the hedge needs cutting back. Inspecting the route before I set out I wondered why the village had been neglected so planned to investigate.

Generally the footpaths used are good except for the one at the north end which I struggled to locate. When I eventually found it by retracing my steps north to south I found a field of waist high grass and a path neglected by locals. Adding to my discomfort it had been raining, the grass was wet and my lower body got soaked. This was a result of circumstances, had the grass been harvested and had it not rained, so perhaps I should not mark it down. Later reviews may offer a better picture.

So I'm tempted to suggest a walk through the village which would pass the impressive Sir John Moore school which was the village primary school when I visited some years back but now appears to have an alternative use. There are two inns in the village so take your pick pass or partake.

The road from the village has no pavement and wasn't too busy but drivers are unaware of the latest update to the highway code and expected me to step aside while they passed at speed. I abandoned the corner cut path due to more long wet grass, having wrung out my socks already.

The fast road to Measham does have a footway alongside but it's in poor condition although clear of obstructions, speed traffic and spray made for an unpleasant end to what had been a most enjoyable walk. Perhaps in dry conditions other will feel able to award the full five stars.

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