Following on from yesterday’s twelve miles (11.98 to the pedants) I needed to walk a total of fourteen today.
First walk was a morning stroll with the dogs. From the house we made our way to the River Cole for a muddy river-side walk towards Meriden Park in Chelmsley Wood then continued to Babbs Mill.
I did discover something that Gabby can do that Misty cannot – stepping stones. Gabby just trotted over going from stone to stone but Misty just stood on and looked thinking WTF. I was expecting her to just run across through the river but no – she just stood there.
Cutting through Kingshurst, I passed the site of the last remaining pub on the estate, The Punchbowl.
It is no more. The pub is gone and I daresay will be replaced with more housing.
At one time there were three pubs; The Kingshurst, The Mountford and The Punchbowl. Now there are none.
After five miles, we arrived home for breakfast.
Post breakfast, and with Sue at work, I did a few tasks around the house and prepared for the second outing.
Having around nine miles to go, I devised a route to Hams Hall, along the Tame then back. Well almost – Sue would finish work at four so instead of returning home I would meet her from work and hopefully persuade her that a trip to the pub was a good option.
The walk was nothing too exciting, crossing over the motorways to Water Orton. I passed the HS2 works on Attleboro Lane then out towards Coleshill Parkway.
From the station, I made my way through the distribution park and out on the path to Lea Marston. Instead of heading for Lea Marston, though, I turned right, following the River Tame for around a mile.
At the end of this section, I made my way back to the station then retraced my steps to Water Orton.
I was aware that four o’clock was fast approaching but calculated that I would still be on time.
I shot through Water Orton then up the hill towards Castle Bromwich arriving at the shop with about five minutes to spare – phew !
Luckily, Sue also thought that the pub was a viable option (or at least humoured me) so I ended up going through Water Orton from a third time but this time heading for The Griffin.
I have passed the halfway point of virtual Scotland North Coast 500 (actually 516 miles) and am on course to complete the #Walk1000miles around week twenty five which will be somewhere around the end of June.
