Still Going

The plan is going, well, to plan.

Today’s, mid-week, long-ish, walk was for twelve miles.

I had arranged with Sue, earlier in the week, to pick me up from The Griffin on Wednesday so had to come up with something from work in Digbeth, Birmingham.

Using Plot-a-route, I planned a walk of a dozen miles so after work, set off, initially along the Grand Union Canal.

I was planning on leaving the canal system after a mile and taking to the roads through Small Heath.

However, when I got to my planned exit point, I discovered that the exit was closed so had to carry on a little further before getting off.

As I made my way to Coventry Road, I passed the imaginatively named Khanvenience Store – genius.

Over the Coventry Road and up hill to get onto Green Lane and back on the original, planned route.

Another couple of miles in and I passed Bob Shop 4. I pass another Bob Shop (possibly Bob Shop 3) on the way into work most mornings so I started to wonder how many there are.

The highest numbered shop I’ve found is Bob Shop 14. I can’t find 5 and 13 is a semi-detached house in Saltley.

Further along Green Lane, I passed the ‘back’ of Heartlands Hospital before crossing over the River Cole then through the small Marlboroght House Community Park, emerging in Stetchford.

A short walk put me on Blakesley Road to pass Blakesley Hall. This must be one of the oldest buildings in Birmingham dating back over four hundred years, being built in 1590.

Of the ten oldest buildings in Birmingham, I managed to pass three of them on my little walk today.

Apart from Blakesley Hall, I also went past Old Yardley Grammar School and next to that, St. Edburgh’s church.

Coming back up to date (at least the twentieth century) I walked on along Meadway until it became East Meadway and finally Cooks Lane.

Later in the walk, I was also lucky to spot a giraffe !

After Bacon’s End, the road had changed names again this time to Birmingham Road as it crossed the M6 and into the countryside.

To be accurate, the surroundings resembled a building site more than a country idyll thanks to the bloody HS2. I even had to walk a couple of hundred metres extra due to a road re-location just before Coleshill.

From Coleshill, it was another couple of miles to the pub along what had now become Blythe Road passing the aforementioned giraffe.

After 12.5 miles, I stopped my Garmin and walked slowly the last bit to cool off a little before entering the ale house.