I drove into work with the intention of catching the bus, after work, to the outskirts of Chelmsley Wood from where I’d walk to The Griffin, clocking up around seven miles. Sue had agreed to meet me at said watering hole at six.
I finished work and made my way to the bus stop and awaited the arrival of the number ninety-seven.
The bus was supposed to arrive at 15:09 but by twenty past there was no sign of it. I started to think that when it did turn up it was most likely be quite full.
Eventually the bus came into view but stopped a little before the bus stop where a man alighted. “Hmmm”, I thought, “He ain’t going to be stopping here”. And he didn’t.
With me now behind schedule, I pressed start on my watch and began walking.
For the next mile and a half I was neck and neck with the bus as it crept along Bordesley Green. As I was walking, I considered my options …
- Catch a bus and continue with the original plan, arriving at the pub a little later,
- Walk all the way to the pub. This would be around eleven miles and again I’d be arriving a bit later.
- Walk home, have a quick shower and change of clothes then drive to the boozer.
In the end, I chose option three and diverted from the main road to follow the River Cole to Stetchford and beyond.
Leaving the noisy Bordesley Green behind, I walked along the green corridor alongside the Cole, passing under the railway viaducts and through Cotterills Lane Public Open Space (that’s what it’s called on the map).
After crossing the outer ring road, I followed a sign for Kingshurst through what is now called Kingfisher Country Park.
Kingfisher Country Park
Starting out as Project Kingfisher, this thousand acre, mainly linear, green-space was designated as a country park in 2004.
The park runs from Hay Mills (close to the Grand Union canal) to Chelmsley Wood (where the river crosses under the M6) covering a distance of around seven miles.
I left the park at Shard end for the final miles and a bit through the houses until I reached a Tesco Express. Here I stopped for an ice cream and a drink before continuing on the final stretch – I’ll treat it as a cool down.
In conclusion, I still managed to clock up seven miles at an average pace of 14:18 and with the added bonus of arriving at the pub, showered and fresh.