A Royal barn to hide in - Kemberton to Norton on the Monarch's Way, Shropshire

Another of my walks on the Monarch's Way. This is the next stage. 

Above, barn near Norton

We started at Kemberton, where the fugitive King Charles and local man Richard Penderel passed through on foot on their way towards the Severn, which they hoped to cross.

Kemberton is a sleepy Shropshire  village

We turned left at this pub - the Wrekin in the distance.

This innocuous-looking field was actually the stickiest type of mud. Instead of pushing off with my back foot at each step, I had to pull it out of the clay!

We eventually reached Brick Kiln Lane - agreeing that the clay was just right for bricks. (Less so for walking)

One of the houses had a pig on the wall - complete with England Tee shirt and shades.

The next stage.

Then to Madeley, and these prefab houses, built temporarily after World War II but still beautifully cared for 70 years later.

St Michael's Church, built by Telford, with some cast iron tombs in the churchyard

The nearby Vicarage. Only two of these windows are real: the rest have been filled in, probably to escape the Window Tax. Seems a drastic measure.

We were looking for Upper House

...which was distinctly underwhelming...

...but next to it was this, a former barn with a green plaque: King Charles II hid in this barn 8th  September 1651

The King and Richard Penderel hid while others scouted for a route across the River Severn, but it was heavily guarded and there were plenty of Parliamentary troops around, as they knew Charles was somewhere in the area. So, it was decided to go back to Boscobel, during the hours of darkness.

The Way carries on round the edge of Telford, though pleasant wooded areas 

...though we were amazed by the colour of this brook - red from local ironstone

We got lost here, as we thought this was the Tar Tunnel on the map (it isn't).

And we thought this was the inclined plane which was next on our itinerary (it wasn't).

The real inclined plane is at this bridge (Monarch's Way sign clear on the signpost)

Up some steep steps...

...we caught sight of the rails on the way up

At the top, the Engine House

Boats were lowered down 63 metres here to a canal below.

We continued towards Sutton Maddock. This would once have been an attractive farmhouse, but you can clearly see the mud which made the next field agonising to walk across (on a good day, it would have been lovely walking!)

Sutton Maddock Church - standing in isolation. It looked wonderful, and with Sutton being an Anglo Saxon settlement, I thought this might be quite old (it isn't: it was rebuilt in the 19th century)

The final stretch of the walk - the clear path to Norton

Part of the Hundred House Hotel

It always amuses me to see "timbering" painted onto brick! (The end wall is genuine though)

The unusual former school building

The Hundred House was busy. It was Mothers' Day

And we were in Norton, where we had left our car.

A good walk, just over 9 miles. Some good historical sites on the way, and it means another section of the Monarch's way completed.

Click here to see the previous Monarch's Way section(Boscobel to Kemberton)

Today's walk. Best done with two cars as I couldn't find a suitable bus route. Leave one car in Norton and drive to Kemberton. From there follow the Monarch's Way (well-signposted) to Brockton and then round the streets in Sutton Hill, turning off to Madeley and the Royal Barn. Then back along the Silkin Way/Monarch's Way, by the Severn. Turn up past the Hay Inclined Plane then through woods back towards Brockton again (the King was heading back to Boscobel , which is why the route changes direction). It then turns towards Sutton Maddock Church and Hall and then to Norton. 

Walk 1000 miles? Me?

Since September 2014 I have been blogging my walking activities. From walks far from home, such as this - looks like the Pyrenees but is actually on the Gower Peninsula...

... to this, my exciting adventure walking through the 1.7mile Netherton Canal Tunnel without a torch. (Which I will definitely not try again! The white dot is an oncoming boat, by the way)

Most of my walks are in the West Midlands - often urban walks such as this - the Barclaycard Arena in Central Birmingham...

...and the Farmers' Bridge flight of locks which are crammed  between (and sometimes underneath) Birmingham's new buildings.

But they are mostly rural - this is Sandwell Valley - a beautiful oasis right next to the motorway

But even with all this walking I only managed about 800 miles last year.

Some of them were very scenic, of course (Sheepwalks, near Enville, S Staffs)

But that was the problem: I only walked when the conditions would make good blogging!

Sometimes, I walked in grey conditions - this is part of the Staffordshire Way as it passes Cannock Chase 

...but most of the Staffordshire Way walks I did were in sunshine. (This is Enville Hall, near Kinver)

So I decided to take part in a Country Walking magazine initiative called "Walk 1000 miles" to help me increase the miles I walked.

And I've been going since January 1st. So far I've walked 175 miles, which is on target. It averages out at 2.74 miles per day, which is perfectly do-able.

Instead of blogging every walk, I'm new just blogging some of the more attractive/interesting of them, so it doesn't become too boring. No-one wants to see hundreds of pictures like this - a grey sky walk!

I've added to my personal walking by regularly walking straight from home. It's a whole new perspective to do the same walk over and over again. Every time is different. This was the day I first discovered this sunken boat, about a month ago. Yesterday, it had sailed away, which was great. (And the sun was shining!)

I've found lots of support and ideas from the #walk 1000 miles class of 2016 on Facebook (Not sure if that link will work for you, it does for me).

Why not give it a go, and walk 1000 miles yourself? It doesn't cost anything, it's good for you and it's a target to aim for. You could start now if you want and either finish on December 31st, or 365 days after you start. 
There is an official form you can fill in, but you don't need to. 
There are lots of good ideas and inspiration in Country Walking magazine - or any other walking magazines.
Let me know if you decide to give it a go. 
And you're welcome to share this post if you wish.

Two canals, two sunken boats - and a dog

This is one of my favourite walks. two canals, and a nature reserve.

Park at the canal by the Stewpony Locks ( (DY7 6RL), and walk up the hill. Opposite Greensforge Lane, turn left down the path to Chance Wood Nature reserve

The woods are currently full of snowdrops - soon there will be bluebells

The path is very clear

Turning left at the end of the path, to the bridge over the River Stour

Then this, the site of the old Kinver to Stourbridge light railway track. The first tramway in Britain.

I turned away from beautiful Hyde Lock, on the Staffs and Worcs Canal

...and followed the towpath back towards my car

Dunsley Tunnel. Very short, but definitely a tunnel: it's carved from this sandstone

This is such a sad site - a sunken boat

It's been like that for about a month

Stewpony Lock

Carrying on to Stourton Bridge

I walked up the Stourton flight - the most beautiful in the country (in my opinion)

The weather got cloudier as I walked along the Stourbridge Canal, and up ahead was the other sunken boat. which has been slowly rotting for years

At Prestwood Bridge, I turned off along this unmade road

Crossing the A449 and straight over to the path through Prestwood House's grounds (it was once a TB hospital and is now a care home)

The path crosses the River Stour again

Some lovely crocuses in the grounds - admired by Poppy the dog who is stopping with me for a month while her owners are in New Zealand

Next, along a stony bridle path

...past some sheep

...and on to the Staff and Worcs Canal again.

A good day for fishing

This is a lovely stretch of canal

The Smestow Brook runs right next to the canal. Not so long ago, there was a lot of industry - nail mills and so on, along this valley, both on this brook and the river Stour

It's quite wild now though

A good display of hazel catkins this year.

Little red sandstone cliffs like this appear all along this section of the Staffs and Worcs, right to Kidderminster

By this point, the Smestow has joined the Stour

Almost back at the start.

The last 1/4 mile is retracing the route to the Stewpony
A fantastic route, full of interest. About 6 miles, but nice and flat, so you can do it pretty quickly if that's what you want. Or take your time - the preferred option!
Today's walk: Park at Stewpony, up hill, A458 to f/path sign opposite Greensforge Lane, path through woods, turn right at T junction, then left at the Hyde. Follow private road past chalets to canal. Turn left along towpath. At canal junction, turn onto Stourbridge Canal. At Prestwood Bridge turn left onto track. Cross A449 and continue on path through grounds and beyond. At bridle path turn left. At canal bridge turn left onto towpath to return to start