Friday 18th - Over the Chase

Distance: 22.2 km (13.79 mi)
Time: 4 hours 21
Average speed: 5.1 km/h (3.2 mph)

Last Friday was the start of a batch of good, spring-like weather. So good that I walked most of it in short sleeves, a hat and sunglasses.

This route was again Rugeley to Stafford but this time it was the scenic route. From work I went up to Stile Cop, then down along one of the bike trails to Miflins Valley. That particular trail isn't bike-only but is pretty steep so you have to watch out for fast bikes coming down. Fortunately the bikes were struggling going uphill.

I crossed the road and went past the pools and up to Fairoak Lodge, then across to the Tackeroo camping site and Rifle Range Corner. From there it's down to the Sherbrook Valley and up over the heathland to join the route of the old military railway. Leaving the Chase I took the footpaths across the fields from Brocton Lodge to Walton-on-the-Hill. Then I crossed the A513 and cut through the housing estate to get down to the canal to get to the other side of Baswich Bridge. Instead of continuing on to near Radford Bank, I took a footpath over the fields to the bank of the River Sow and followed that to Fairway, thence by the roads home.

It really was far too nice a day to be indoors. Unfortunately it's been that way most of this week when I've had to be in doors.