Monarch's Way - Worcester to Droitwich

On a gloomy day, we started the next bit of the Monarch's Way. Having escaped from the Kings Arms, the young Charles II made his way to Droitwich...

We started the modern way - at Worcester station

We joined the Worcester to Birmingham Canal at this bridge. No we didn't go to Pizza Hut first.

Looking back towards the city centre.

I liked this splendid cricket pavilion next to the canal

There are 56 locks on this 30 mile canal: they're a very regular occurrence. We saw a kingfisher here, but it wouldn't pose for the camera

American residents here?

We left the canal to walk through the murky landscape

Two horses trotted past us

Wayside snowdrops: it's been a good year for them 

We reached another canal. The recently restored Droitwich Barge Canal (abandoned in 1939 and reopened in 2011).

Barges are twice the width of narrow boats (14 feet wide as opposed to 7 feet) as you can see by the width of the lock.

The canal carried salt from Droitwich

At Salwarpe, the path leaves the canal for a short while. It's an attractive settlement.

I took this picture because I love the colours of the old brickwork - varying according to how close the brick was to the centre of the furnace

Salwarpe church is dwarfed by the enormous yew trees in the churchyard

A better view of the church: it's larger than might be expected in such a small village

We continued along the canal until we reached this bridge, where we left it...

...to look at the start of the next section. It looks uninspiring, but it heralds a fantastic walk - of which more tomorrow

The path explained:

Today's walk: We left the car at Droitwich station and took the train to Worcester. We rejoined the Way where we left it the day before, and followed the Monarch's Way along the Worcester-Birmingham Canal, then a countryside section, and finally the Droitwich Barge Canal into Droitwich itself. This was about 7.5 miles.