I took the bus to work, today, as I wanted a walk post-work.
I finished work just before 16:30 and took a brisk walk from Digbeth to New Street Station, arriving a tad before 16:45.
A train was leaving platform 7a at 16:49 so I didn’t hang around. I arrived on the platform just as the three coach DMU pulled in.
Unfortunately, all the seats were taken when I clambered on board but I would only have to stand for about fifteen minutes so not too bad.
Just after five, we pulled into Wilnecote and off I got.
I spent a few minutes getting ready – fleece jumper on, poles extended, head-torch put in a get-at-able pocket and once the watch had found some satellites, I pushed the start button and was off.
The first mile was mainly along the busy B5404, which used to be the even busier A5 before the Fazeley – Two Gates – Wilnecote bypass was opened in 1995.
At Fazeley, I left the roads for the quieter canals. Putting on and firing up my head-torch, I followed the Birmingham – Fazeley canal for nearly three miles before taking a parallel path through the Middleton Bird Sanctuary before re-emerging onto the towpath which was followed to Kingsbury Water Park.
A winding route was taken through the waterpark, pausing near the visitor centre to swap the batteries in my torch.
The aptly, locally, named muddy path was followed to the village of Lea Marston before hitting terra firma. Church Road was followed to the late 13th century church of Saint John the Baptist.
The road ended just past the church but a short path deposited me on the Hams Hall Industrial Park.
After about a mile of walking past lorries from around Europe parked up for the night, I took a path which lead to Coleshill Parkway Railway Station.
Another couple of miles or so of very familiar territory and I was back home.
All in all, I had walked 12.95 miles in a time of three hours and fourteen minutes – exactly fifteen minutes per mile (or 4 mph).
I had had a good walk, at a fair pace considering that I was using my poles and on varying terrain.