They're not likely to be needed on such a short walk but nevertheless there are facilities for eating and drinking along the route and opportunities to pick up public transport if needed....

Dave4

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

Shame there are no passing boats but the canal is navigable and linked to the nationwide canal network. Authorised in 1794 as a branch of the Wyrley and Essington Canal the lock free Daw End Branch was built to serve Hay Head Limeworks....

Ken

Once the shops had given way to houses the pavement walk of two miles became a bit of a drag. Crossing the Lichfield road (A461) isn't pedestrian friendly and sections of pavement alongside non domestic property had a tendency to need a good cut back. Onto minor roads and a short section of road without pavement but soon a return to safety, if only residents didn't consider the pavement a good place to park. The new rule states " When overtaking a pedestrian walking in the road (where there is no pavement): Allow 2 metres of space." Drivers appear to think that because I'm on the pavement it's acceptable to buzz me with their mirror....

Ken

A pleasant tour along well used paths at Chasewater, less use south to Brownhills but still well defined which is useful as the plot is very poor....

Ken

Heading west along a deserted Coppice Lane on a Bank Holiday I did wonder if the industrial estate at the end would make it busy on working days. I regretted taking the footpath to the canal as the link from path to towpath is a steep bank, a slip could have had me in the canal. The footpath through the site of Wyrley Grove Colliery is signed and a stile by the open gates into the now haulage yard gave confidence but being a Bank Holiday all the trucks were parked up and I failed to locate the path where it left the yard. However a path is signed the 'Timberland Trail' and some work has been carried out to make a path available....

Ken

A duck and dive to cross the canal and M5 Toll then a path with tree screening from the road before a bridge over the road to meet Pool Road....

Ken

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 path meets the next road at about the same point as the plot. Back on the plot and it's then road side walking to the meeting point....

Ken

The first reviewer is correct in that the beginning of the walk (Mc Clean way) cannot be accessed directly from the Brownhills miners roundabout,....

Paul McGill

The advantage of this version of the route is that it goes through Brownhills high street (plenty of places for refreshments) before joining the canal for the majority of the walk to Aldridge. Overall a picturesque walk and easy to follow slow ways route. Plenty of wildlife to see and will certainly do this walk again....

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

David Sanderson

The Brownhills end doesn't make clear how you join the Maclean Way and the volunteer seems to have been under the impression that the roundabout is flat where as actually the old railway is under the road level...

David Sanderson

Crossing Lime Lane is easy and you join the not very well maintained Wulfrun Way. There is a bit of a scramble down to the canal which you follow for a while before going back on to Lime Lane to cross the bridge. From there the route is reasonably easy to follow via tracks, crossing a field and then walking along Jones Lane which is open and has a wide enough verge to step on to....

David Sanderson

The McClean Way can not be accessed from the roundabout at Brownhills as marked. Also plotting of this route is poor...

David Sanderson

The bridge to cross the canal into Brownhills has stairs and a ramp so is accessible for wheelers. It's not far from there up Brownhills High Street to the meeting place in the shelter, near Jigger the Brownhills Miner....

David Sanderson

My only concern with this walk as intended was the width of the pavement along Lynn Lane at the Shenstone end and also the short section which requires road walking on Lynn Lane....

David Sanderson

Leaving Shenstone via Lynne Lane consists of pounding a narrow pavement along a busy road. There is a section of about 200m just before turning into a track where the lane loses the pavement. Mill Lane connects you to Stonnall, half way through the walk where you pass through the village to make the most of the benches, shops and pubs. The only problem was Lynne Lane and I wondered as I passed the footpath, whether there is a better way using the quiet lanes to the south rather than the busy road to the north....

David Sanderson

On arrival at Chasewater Country Park by Chasewater Heaths Station (2) (tourist railway) you cross the railway line and turn left to join a track (3). The area surrounding the path becomes marshy and I soon found the entire path was under water (6) due to recent rain. Near here the path emerges on to a lane, which you cross and join a path which then runs along the dam (7). The route then goes left to join the end of the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Anglesey Wharf (8)....

David Sanderson

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. 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). From there the very walkable track (11) affords views of Chasewater to your right (10)....

David Sanderson

The final section in Lichfield takes you past a number of restaurants and pubs along with 15th century buildings...

David Sanderson

A footbridge takes you over the M6 Toll and into the south of Burntwood where the road becomes the High Street....

David Sanderson

Good direct route. A descent via steps then takes you down to the north end of the marvellous McClean Way, the old railway line from Lichfield to Walsall that has been spruced up for walkers....

David Sanderson

Starting ona short stretch of road, you turn left to enjoy a nice tarmac path (Picture 1). 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....

DCHUBB5