Disastrous time while doing Big Path Watch

I have been walking paths as part of the Big Path Watch. (See previous blog by clicking here)
My first square was almost complete, apart from a very short section - two paths meeting up through fields. Yes, it was raining (heavily) but I've been cooped up all day, and I had my wellies on and a Goretex coat, so...
I went ahead. 
Parking on the road, I looked through the rain over towards Kinver Edge.

Here is the sign for the first path. Good so far.

The stile is a bit overgrown, but definitely there.

You can just about make out the path going towards the corner of the field through the oilseed rape. Technically passable (though that rape is about 5 feet tall in places, and really quite difficult to walk through).

Unfortunately, towards the top, the path petered out. I got to the corner by walking round the field edge (you can just make out the path in the middle of the picture - including where it stops.)

Under the trees the path carried on towards a stile. The rain got into my camera, and the picture of the stile didn't come out.

Then, real disaster. The path that should lead back down was missing altogether. Luckily I could follow this path instead - a bit further on.(Sadly, it's not on my surveying square).

The alternative path was a model of what a path  through crops should look like.

Even had its own well-maintained stile.

I walked along the road, to look at the other end of the missing path

Here's the view from the stile. NO PATH - apart from the first six feet!

The path should cross this field and end at the building on the skyline (the one on the right).

No, nothing - another picture, just to be sure.

By this time I was soaking - walking through the oilseed rape had meant that water went into my wellies as well. If the second path had been in place, I wouldn't have minded. 
Ah well, home to hot a bath, and then to report my findings. I'm really sad: I wanted all the paths to be there.

PS As I walked back to the car, my phone (in my extremely wet pocket) spontaneously started playing a sailing video. Quite a sense of humour for a Samsung....

Today's walk: by Pigeon House Farm. Because of the missing path, I walked over a mile - more than twice as much as expected. And I would not recommend the walk at all. You can see why I prefer to walk well-signposted Long Distance Paths. What do you do as a walker if you have planned a circular walk which includes these paths?

Below: the yellow square. You can see the two paths going to Pigeon House Farm

Big Path Watch: my first square: Compton

I had a difficult experience last week, when I found a local path was unwalkable (if that's a word!)
So when I heard a news item about the Big Path Watch, I investigated and then signed up. The idea is to survey/walk every path in the country. Volunteers can sign up to "adopt" square kilometres.

Here's my first one: (in yellow - I've also adopted the pink ones to do later)

First, the path by the farmhouse.

 

It's clearly signed, and not difficult to walk...

... though it seems to go round the farm, rather than through the farmyard, as on the map.

Really easy to follow here (I'm now on the adjacent square, recording it ready for my next outing)

Still clear - more than can be said for the weather - it began to rain here.

This part of the path disappeared into the crops, with no clear line. It's a short section, and there's another route very close by so it's not insurmountable

Broken stile to report 

Back into the yellow square. Cattle on the path, but very friendly, so not an issue.

Then the path on the top left corner - only one field of it on my section.

Clear and well signposted. I'm supposed to record if there are good views - this was one, I thought. (Even better if not raining!)

Walking down the road back to the bridle path, this is the view over the fields . 

First, the part which heads towards Enville

Clear, and easy to walk. Check! I retraced my steps, to head towards White Hill.

This bridle path is part of the Staffordshire Way, 

 ...and is very easy to follow

In parts there are sandstone ridges at the side

Then, down Bath Lane, with its stone wall made of sandstone, which is quite unusual.

The next path is very clear

I'm supposed to report on interesting flowers, etc. I think this has been planted as a meadow.

Again, the path is very clear.

So. The end of my first square - a short stretch of inaccessible path, and one broken stile. Not too bad. But this is right by civilisation: how will I fare next time - further out?

Why not join in yourself? It's good fun, and I walked paths I would never normally have bothered with. Better to do when not raining though as some of the paths are little walked and walking through wet, dense vegetation isn't all that much fun. There's always a warm bath and a drink of hot chocolate afterwards though.
Today's Walk: I walked around 3 miles in total, making up my own route. A basic knowledge of mapreading is needed, but the map I got to print out had all the filed boundaries on, so it's easier to work out exactly where you are without needing a compass. It's also an app on a smartphone, but I recorded on paper this time- so that later, I could compare which was the easier method. I can upload pictures too.

Monarch's Way: Wombourne to Oaken

I had a lovely afternoon walking this section of the Monarch's Way (What's the Monarch's Way? See the end of this post for details)

This section starts along the South Staffs Railway Line. The brickwork here is from an old platform. There's a well-regarded cafe here, but we didn't use it - bit much to eat before even starting!

The route was clear ahead: the trees gave a bit of shelter from a hot sun.

View back towards Wombourne

The bridges are all painted in this brown and cream colour, presumably the colours used by the old railway company.

I liked the ageing sign

I see lots of graffiti on my walks (often spoiling what would be nice photos) but I did like this bird - although the dappled shade makes it difficult to see clearly.

Leaving the railway, the Way goes through fields of ripening wheat

The Monarch's Way is indicated by these little round stickers - sometimes on the footpath signs, and sometimes elsewhere

 Trescott ford. Fortunately with a footbridge!

Quite deep even when there's been very little rain.

Fields of barley blowing in the breeze

This is hay drying in the field

Passing the side of Perton Golf Club

Just after the golf club, the Way goes though this field. 

For this section, the Monarch's Way takes the same route as the Staffordshire Way. I took this picture of the same field in October last year

The Way then passes this old airfield at Cranmore Lodge Farm

Only a few buildings are now left standing

Passing a field of broad beans: first I've ever seen (well, at least, noticed!)

Oats. I saw pretty much every crop on this walk.

Oats are my favourite to look at, as they seem to twinkle in the sun.

This is oilseed rape: more difficult to walk through, but all the paths were clear and well-maintained

Typical scenery on the walk.

An excess of signs here!

And finally, we arrived in Oaken. I love this old brick wall and the traditional phone box.

Post van parked nearby.

This walk was an easy 8.5 miles, which we managed in an afternoon: you might prefer to take longer over it. It was very rural, (no shops or pubs after Wombourne) so you'd need to take a picnic!

What is the Monarch's Way? England's longest inland long distance path, following the route of King Charles II. 

Close-up of the signs. The way is largely very well-signposted, and so I would recommend it as a route to walk. You can buy guidebooks here.

To see the previous section of the Monarch's Way - Stourton to Bratch - click here

Sections completed so far: Click to see each section
Powick to Worcester
Worcester to Droitwich
Droitwich to Chaddesley
Chadddesley to Hagley
Hagley to Stourton
Stourton to Bratch

Today's Walk: 8.5 miles, using two cars - one parked at Bratch Locks Car Park, Wombourne, following the Monarch's Way along the S.Staffs railway, and thence to Trescott, Nurton, Wrottesley Park and finishing in Oaken. Moderate to easy as a walk. Good waymarking (but take a map for checking!)