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. 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....

Steve Litchfield

The access down onto the canal (photo 5) is not stepped, and a little steep which could be slippy in the wet. The canal was quiet when we did the walk. After Birchills Junction the route joins the Walsall canal for a short while before leaving it just after the interesting Boatman's Rest building....

Steve Litchfield

Leaving Bloxwich the side roads are quiet and comfortable to walk along.The canal tow path was a little muddy, but very enjoyable. I too made the a small detour to view and sample the Wetherspoons at Aldridge a converted 1930 cinema which is good too. Overall a good Slow Ways....

Nigel Cull

Starting on the McClean Way at Miner Island along the old railway line named after John Robinson McClean, a 19th century engineer who operated many of the local coal mines and built various railway lines to connect to some of those pits....

Nigel Cull

There are steps up to Fryers Road and avoidable steps on the railway bridge. From Walsall, we head for the canal basin and follow the south bank round to Moat Road, where an old canal bridge offers access to the west bank of the canal to Bloxwich....

Hugh Hudson

From Bloxwich the side roads are fairly quiet and comfortable to walk along....

Ken

The traffic noise along the A34 blots out any potential enjoyment even when there are fields alongside. There are buildings and features of interest on the approach to Bloxwich....

Ken

The route is very simple - from the meeting point in Bloxwich we follow the pavement of the A34....

Hugh Hudson

Although the start of this route from Walsall felt frustratingly like I was heading the wrong direction, it soon transpired that the payoff is that this is actually the most pleasant and relaxing route between Walsall and Bloxwich. Not direct, but not badly indirect and definitely safe, offroad and easy to follow. No stiles or steps...

David Sanderson

Shops, pubs and links to public transport throughout (multiple bus routes and Bloxwich Railway Station). The section through Rough Wood doesn't precisely follow the route but indicates the direction sufficiently to not get lost. Has unavoidable steps in two places so not completely accessible....

David Sanderson

Safe, direct, with no steps or stiles although leaving the canal at Fryers is a little steep. Shops, food and transport at either end....

David Sanderson

Besides this green corridor of the rail land it was surprising that often the view is of fields and trees in what I considered would be an urban walk. The walk across first Little Common onto Old Town Lane and finally passing Pelsall Village School offers a historic dream of an otherwise modern residential area....

Ken

Direct but not off road, well there is an adequate pavement so what is off road walking?...

Ken

Easy to follow route and quickest between Bloxwich and Walsall but uses the main roads. The alternatives follow the canal, are more scenic but slightly longer....

Paul McGill

The route is very easy to follow leaving Walsall from the canal basin and then doubling back slightly to join the Wyrley and Essington canal ascending past several locks and scenic countryside until the outskirts of Bloxwich were you leave the canal to pass an industrial estate, cross the railway and enter a residential area before arriving at Bloxwich high street....

Paul McGill

The next section follows Field Road, a busy-ish road and then turns right on to the main Lichfield Road. There is a short walk through another residential section before you join the best part of the walk, the old railway which has been converted to the walking success story which is the McClean Way....

David Sanderson

The first section is through residential Great Wyrley until it deposits you on to the A34 which you don't even leave to get to the Bloxwich meeting place. Having left Great Wyrley, you are in open countryside with farmland to either side and the high flats of Bloxwich and Walsall ahead....

David Sanderson

The Maclean Way can not be joined by simply crossing the road at the roundabout. They are on two very different levels....

David Sanderson

A good fundamental design but comes a cropper at SJ 9805 0008 where there is no option to follow the path indicated. Also at SJ 9842 0025 the Monarch's Way can not be accessed and despite having searched for the path from the road and within the park itself, it would appear to have been diverted. A version of this walk with alterations to fix these problems can be found in Wilblo Two...

David Sanderson

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. 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....

David Sanderson

Having crossed the park, you join a lane which brings you to the towpath of the Wyrley and Essington Canal. You leave the canal and make your way around the business park west end of Aldridge. The final section crosses a park by the stream and then crossing a road into the car park of Morrisons....

David Sanderson

Direct and safe, this is a no nonsense Slow Way that I'd walked in reverse about five years ago when the trains had been cancelled. Not much peace or beauty but it's quick and very easy to follow, that's the trade-off....

David Sanderson

Straightforward route and easy to follow, but it does go via a main road, so it's not particularly suitable for families....

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