Wilblo two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Wilblo here.

I completed this walk yesterday travelling southwest from Bloxwich. After reading David's review, I considered making a new and more direct Wilblo three with minor tweaks, mainly to avoid the busy Clarke's Lane and Walsall Road sections at the Willenhall end. What made me decide to go with this Wilblo two was the closer proximity of this route and a small diversion to the nearby Robin Hood pub - a highly recommended establishment.

This route is ok, taking you out of Bloxwich you cross the railway via the big green bridge (photo 1) before a bit more road walking until you get to the Wyrley and Essington canal. You then join the towpath which takes you under the M6. This section all the way to Bentley Lane also doubles as the Forest of Mercia Way.

Then you cut through a housing estate via footpaths to pavement walking all the way into the centre of Willenhall. It's a straightforward enough walk. the section from the canal to Bentley Road was a bit muddy, but we have had an exceptionally wet start to 2024. It can be recommended as a safe and decent enough route, but I wouldn't particularly wish to do it again.

Starting following the Walsall Road, I had wondered whether it would have been better to follow a more direct line via the residential streets and then industrial estate to meet up with A462 but stuck with the plan. What you lose in time and possibly gain in traffic you also gain plenty of food options from McDonalds to jerk chicken, from old style pubs to indian sweet shops. One of the advantages as well, of following the main road is the ease with which to navigate. Leaving the A462 you soon find yourself crossing a housing estate via various greens and then footpaths via alleyways which eventually bring you out near a cemetery. After crossing Bentley Lane, the route enters Rough Wood Country Park. There is a short walk along a dirt track to bring you to the Wyrley and Essington Canal, the towpath of which takes you under the M6 and delivers you to the western edge of Bloxwich. There is a bit of pavement to follow along a lane and then a short walk past industrial units before you come to an unusual looking railway bridge to take you into Bloxwich. It's not far to the meeting place from there. This Slow Way is certainly safe and has stops and shops by the bucketful even over 7km. It has long offroad sections and is easy to follow. The only thing I would question is whether it could have been more direct.

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