Connect Shenstone with Slow Ways
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Give a hike!Shenstone
Staffordshire
Slow Ways linking Shenstone and Aldridge, Brownhills, Fazeley, Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth
England / Staffordshire / Shenstone
Shenstone’s six Slow Ways are 83% checked
Help connect Shenstone
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Shenstone’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Shenstone from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aldridge—Shenstone
|
Aldshe one |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 94m | Descent 25m | ||
Brownhills—Shenstone
|
Broshe one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 9km/5mi | Ascent 98m | Descent 44m | |
Brownhills—Shenstone
|
Broshe two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 9km/5mi | Ascent 122m | Descent 67m | ||
Shenstone—Fazeley
|
Shefaz one |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 13km/8mi | Ascent 124m | Descent 89m | ||
Shenstone—Lichfield
|
Shelic one |
|
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 62m | Descent 53m | |
Shenstone—Lichfield
|
Shelic two |
|
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 72m | Descent 65m | |
Shenstone—Lichfield
|
Shelic three |
|
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Shenstone—Sutton Coldfield
|
Shesut one |
|
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 13km/8mi | Ascent 89m | Descent 123m | |
Shenstone—Sutton Coldfield
|
Shesut two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 13km/8mi | Ascent 139m | Descent 103m | ||
Shenstone—Tamworth
|
Shetam one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 14km/9mi | Ascent 162m | Descent 131m | |
Shenstone—Tamworth
|
Shetam two |
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 14km/9mi | Ascent 232m | Descent 199m |
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Collective progress
73% of Shenstone’s six route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
11/11
11/11
2/11
8/11
10 people have contributed to Shenstone’s Slow Ways
1 people have pledged to walk and review a route
2 people have surveyed a route in Shenstone
111km out of 111km have been walked and reviewed
331km of reviews have been shared in Shenstone
Latest Updates
The initial road walking was off putting but after a pleasant exit from Shenstone past the shops and through the old attractive village a light controlled crossing set me off along the lane. Crossing the busy dual carriageway is assisted by a multi-user traffic free bridge. From here we are off road along a pleasant path following the Black Brook which no doubt features in many wedding photos so is more attractive than it sounds. I made a mistake at the bridge because out footpath leaves the canal towpath after the bridge, not the road as we might expect. The next lane is very quite then onto another unsigned path which follows the River Tame and flood relief channel. We cross the old bridge now traffic free and enter the attractive Castle grounds before popping into the shopping street at the old market hall....
Ken
Easy to follow Slow Ways route along pavements and roads Shops on route and Pubs Overall good route...
Nigel Cull
quite a bit of road walking at the start but then follows paths and a nice short section on the Coventry Canal and then alongside the river Trent into Tamworth Good Slow Ways Route...
Nigel Cull
Once past that it was straightforward to the Inn on the A452 although the named Holly Lane which approaches it is not recorded as a right of way even though it looks like an old lane. I wonder if it would be a better summer walk to turn left / north along Back Lane to pick up Wood Lane at the start. Having walked Broshe-2 last September I spotted I could take the lane away from the closure and pick up that route which I did....
Ken
The road through Roman Road Little Aston is marked as a private road with warnings that it is not a public right of way....
Mick Sadler
An excellent bit of countryside walking east of Weeford, a dull mile plus along the busy road into Fazeley and a very challenging designed path to accommodate the M6 Toll. It was easy, ignoring the noise and on occasions a slow walk can offer points of interest missed during faster travel, not so here, except perhaps for the peek over the bridge parapet to view Fazeley canal junction and the imposing house. Called the Black Brook but the water is crystal clear as I peer over the bridge before turning onto the signed path. The Ordnance Survey (OS) map is not helpful as it shows the path in the field, in reality it crosses an overgrown stile onto a fenced path about four feet wide. It was clear to me that the substituted path had been designed by a builder of roads determined to resolve the issue of an inconvenient footpath that dared to cross the path of their project. Little if any thought went into how to maintain this long section of fenced path and little evidence that the essential maintenance programme has been drawn up. Joining the unaffected path across a field, distance from the confounded Toll road increased, but not for long. Safely across the bridge over the busy fast dual carriageway a gap in the fence secretly leads to a stile for a short cross field path, also unsigned at the far end....
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
The whole length of Claypit Lane is too dangerous for walking, narrow, twisting and fast traffic....
alanclare
It's only four miles so I devise a route that covers all the options. A sign directs me off road after the Toll road but initially I take the wrong track perhaps it's easier going north. No sign of the path across a field of carrots. 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. 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....
Ken
Shelic-2 was perhaps an interim route while Claypit Lane was closed. It looks like most path users continue along the track but the Slow Way heads north so keep a close eye on the plot. 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. Watling Street was no busier than Claypit Lane and its wide so I had no issue with occasional passing traffic, I met dog walkers coming the other way....
Ken
It looks like most path users continue along the track but the Slow Way heads north so keep a close eye on the plot. 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 grassy footpath across to Birmingham Road is the very best part of all three routes. Yes the best on offer but again spoilt by Birmingham Road and the inconsiderate farmer so unfairly Slow Ways loses a star....
Ken
The path across to Claypit Lane is fairly easy to follow - the only slight doubt is how far left to go once the access road for Harehurst Hill is left, but since the answer is the first available gap it is easily resolved. This time I found the start of it and managed to get past Chesterfield more or less on it, but the only non-trampling line I could find across a vegetable field took me south and left me within easy reach of the lane, so I used that rather than finding the correct way out of the field round the edge....
Hugh Hudson
The path south from Home Farm starts with another well cut field path and crosses a few smaller fields with more stiles, and Moor Lane is easily reached. We start off on a pleasant green lane, but there is a locked gate beyond which the path diverts into the edge of the field on the left (east) where the map shows the right of way continuing along the lane. We then follow the quiet Forge Lane to the A454 in Little Aston, and follow the pavements through suburbia to Streetly, where we enter Sutton Park....
Hugh Hudson
Once on Watling street it is quieter although there is no pavement and you are sharing the road with vehicular traffic....
pddys
The name of the lane reverts to Claypit Lane and in the year since I first reviewed this route, it does seem to have got busier. At the foot of the hill you join the pavement of Birmingham Road, and this takes you all the way to the meeting point at Lichfield City Railway Station. Beyond the mini roundabout, which I found easy to cross, but might be harder at busier times, the route is through a predominantly residential area of Lichfield although there is a pub "The Duke of Wellington" and just off the road "Trinity Brew" which is a brewery and eatery, open mainly at the weekend. What this route loses in directness by not following Claypit Lane for longer, it more than makes up for in safety, beauty, enjoyability, links to transport and pubs and shops....
David Sanderson
David Sanderson added Shelic three, a new walk from Shenstone to Lichfield
Walk this routeLovely walk, well worth exploring more of Sutton Park if you haven't before. Shenstone is lovely and the day I went there was a classic car show up at the church....
Max
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. 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....
Hugh Hudson
As mentioned by the other reviewer the walk is lovely, well signposted and generally easy to follow....
Paul McGill
I fully understand the reason to change to this route because of the closure of Claypit Lane but I would not recommend this route for two reasons (1) The long stretch along the very busy Birmingham Road and (2) the somewhat dangerous section along Watling Street. So would suggest Shelic One is a better route....
Paul McGill
The route is easy to follow and the woods at Hints were covered with bluebells on the day i walked in late April. Around Round Wood the path is very overgrown and is been cleared, but you may need to to climb over the fence to avoid the brambles at one point. Enjoyable walk....
Nigel Cull
Around Footherley the route crosses a couple of farm fields which could get muddy after wet weather and near the water works the path crosses scrubland which was still a bit boggy the day we walked it....
Mr Tippy
The first section is functional and traffic goes by at 40mph, but compared to the stress of the country lane walking I'd just done on Sutfaz 2, it was quite relaxing. At this stage the walk was an absolute nailed on 5 star route but the section by Round Wood is overgrown, and following it relies on where people have trodden the fence down. Sutfaz wasn't quite bad enough to earn 3 stars (my minimum pass) and the problems around Round Wood meant this walk just missed out on a perfect score....
David Sanderson
Good route taking in Sutton Park though fields to Shenstone Can be a bit muddy in places after the water works but enjoyable...
Nigel Cull
The route out of Lichfield is far more direct than the route chosen by Shelic One, which is frankly puzzling as Birmingham Road has a good pavement even after leaving Lichfield's city limits....
David Sanderson
Once you cross Back Lane, Holly Lane becomes too narrow and the trees too low for traffic. The end of Holly Lane emerges on to the A452 Chester Road, a 50mph road which needs to be crossed with caution, especially if you stopped at Plough and Harrow. The route soon emerges on to Wood Lane and it was a section of the walk that I had not been looking forward to, as lane walking can leave you feeling unsafe. The final section leaves the lanes and crosses a field towards Shenstone, crossing a narrow bridge across a stream in the process....
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
David Sanderson added Broshe two, a new walk from Brownhills to Shenstone
Walk this routeLeaving 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
Uses a busy private road with signs at either end. Shesut 2 is a usable alternative...
David Sanderson
It's not far from here that you enter Sutton Park and the walk here accounts for the first third of the walk. Sutton Park is very popular amongst the locals as a place to run, cycle or walk and is friendly. As you get to the other side of Little Aston you join the Walsall Road and having had to circle around the historic old way of Ryknield Street (privatised and renamed "Roman Road", not a public right of way) you reach the other end and actually start to follow the ancient way in the shape of Forge Lane....
David Sanderson
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. 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. 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....
David Sanderson
David Sanderson added Shelic two, a new walk from Shenstone to Lichfield
Walk this routeThe route uses Roman Road which is part of a private estate with no public right of way. To avoid this road use Walsall Road & Rosemary Hill Road....
Mr Tippy
Mr Tippy added Shesut two, a new walk from Shenstone to Sutton Coldfield
Walk this routeHaving had some misgivings about how many lanes it follows they turned out to be open with the exception of where you turn from Park Lane to Little Hay Lane, which requires some caution....
David Sanderson
David Sanderson added Shetam two, a new walk from Shenstone to Tamworth
Walk this routeI had some misgivings before doing this walk (as Shetam One) because of the amount of lane walking and the lack of directness of the route. The route through Buck's Head Farm is fenced in by HS2. Picking up Knox's Grave Lane the route undulates past a massive pig farm on one side and quarry workings on the other (Shetam One directs you through the quarry which is forbidden)....
David Sanderson
Slow Ways added Aldshe one, a new walk from Aldridge to Shenstone
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Broshe one, a new walk from Brownhills to Shenstone
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Shelic one, a new walk from Shenstone to Lichfield
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Shesut one, a new walk from Shenstone to Sutton Coldfield
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Shetam one, a new walk from Shenstone to Tamworth
Walk this routeShenstone, Thu 19 September
20°
Partly cloudy
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Shenstone’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
SK1065604634
Lat / Lon
52.63936° / -1.84396°
Easting / Northing
410,656E / 304,634N
what3words
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Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Shenstone's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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