A beautiful walk in Wolverhampton

I was expecting a fairly urban walk, with perhaps some industrial architecture, but instead, I got this! A beautiful leafy walk - I could have been deep in the country.


My walk started here, in Compton, on the outskirts of Wolverhampton.

I took the towpath along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal towards the lock, passing lovely old Compton Bridge

The canal overflow...

...complete with a duck ladder

The whole walk was very green and seemed very rural. This is Graiseley Brook railway bridge, now a walkway, rather than a railway line.

Surprising scenery - not much more than a mile from the town centre. 

Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, just glimpsed through the trees.

Tettenhall Old Bridge

Tettenhall New Bridge

The former Cautauld's Sidings Railway Bridge

Beyond it, the Wildside Activity Centre, with its own narrowboat.

Most of the bridges are like this old one

Reflections

We reached Aldersley Junction. (The sign to Birmingham is just poking out through the trees)

The canal goes this way to Birmingham - but that's a walk for another day.

We carried on, past some lovely wild flowers (Some kind of bellflower?)

Underneath Oxley Railway bridges

...and on to this rather extensive piece of work, which seemed to be new support for a pipe bridge

This is from the other side

Our walk finished at Oxley Moor bridge

...near to Oxley Marine

Oxley Boatyard

The view by the bridge - how many cars pass over here without realising what is underneath?

We returned by the same route. The canal passes Dunstall Park Racecourse, but this is all you can see from the canal. (The spotlights)

A heron walked a few feet in front of us.

This picture is typical of the whole walk - a calm green oasis.

Right next to the canal is the Smestow Brook.

Back at Compton Lock, the circular weir, a regular feature on the Staffs and Worcs Canal

Compton Lock

Back at the start, we admired these buildings - old canal architecture being made into flats

There are more pictures than usual this time: that's because it's such a lovely walk. If you've never done it, you're missing a treat. 
Phone users: Click here to see other recent walks
Today's walk: park at Compton (there's a public car park by the canal bridge) Turn left on the canal towpath, and follow it. Most of the surfaces are good - and obviously the walk is flat! It's just over two miles to Aldersley junction. I walked to Oxley Moor bridge and return, which was 5 miles in total (well 4.97 miles!). Highly recommended.