E2 European Long Distance Path: Comments

After 205 days and 4507 kilometres (2817 miles) over 6 trips, I completed the E2 European Long Distance Path, including an unofficial section from Galway to Stranraer. An average of 21.5 kilometres a day visiting seven countries (Ireland, Great Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland). I spent 102 nights in hotels, guesthouses and Bed & Breakfast establishments, 15 nights inside hostels and refuges, 49 nights in official campsites and 36 nights wild camping. My 6 trips ranged in length from two weeks to two months long. These figures refer to the eastern route which I followed through England and the Netherlands, there is also a western alternative through Britain and Belgium along which I had walked a little way.

What did it offer? A huge variety.

In terms of landscapes it ranged from the flat fields of the Fens and Flanders, to the mountains of the Alps; the trees of the Jura to the rounded hills of the Yorkshire Wolds. There were beaches and cliffs in Northern Ireland, a hugely dammed delta in the Netherlands and river valleys in Luxembourg. History added another dimension: from the remnants of two World Wars at the border of France with Germany, to the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. Then there was the food: vol au vents in Flanders, tartiflette in the French Alps, pub food in North East England beneath blackened beams. Accommodation varied from wild camping on the Southern Uplands of Scotland to pretty Bed & Breakfasts in England and hostels in Luxembourg. You need to walk it to experience a little of Europe's diverse offerings.

More information on the E2 can be found at the European Ramblers Association website, the organisation which coordinates the E-paths. I have also provided details of guidebooks etc. on this page.

Links to posts at the start of my walk through each country:

Western Ireland;

Northern Ireland;

Scotland;

England - Eastern variant;

Netherlands - Eastern variant;

Belgium - Eastern variant;

Luxembourg;

France - Alsace Lorraine;

France - Jura mountains (Franche-Comté);

France - Alps.

Western Alternative

England - Western variant.

Link to start of each trip:

Trip 1 Western and Northern Ireland;

Trip 2 Northern Ireland, Scotland and north of England;

Trip 3 England, Netherlands and Flanders - Eastern variant;

Trip 4 Ardennes, Luxembourg, Lorraine and the Vosges;

Trip 5 Jura mountains;

Trip 6 GR5 over French Alps;

Trip 7 England - Western variant. 

E2: Dorchester to Wallingford

Owing to water flooding the towpath, I decided to return home and continue on the Thames Path another day.

On a sunny morning after a full English breakfast I walked down the road out of Dorchester, briefly admiring the old Abbey church. I continued on the road to Shillingford, where I attempted to follow the Thames Path through the village. Unfortunately, water prevented me progressing. If it rose any higher houses were going to be flooded.

Flooding from the Thames at Shillingford.

Crossing the river on the road to Wallingford the large extent of the flooding was apparent. There was no possiblility of walking along the Thames Path which ran beside it. Recognising that my attempt to follow the Thames Path was hopeless at the current time, I made a decision to return home and continue on the E2 at another time. Consequently after walking to Wallingford I caught a bus from its old market place, the first stage of my journey home.

River Thames at the bridge by Shillingford, water covers the Thames Path.

E2: Oxford to Dorchester

Plan today was to walk down the Thames Path, unfortunately it was a little wet so I had to find alternative routes.

Leaving the hostel I returned to the Oxford Canal and its junction with the River Thames. A hugely significant river as it runs through Britain's capital, London and has a central place in the Kingdom's culture. It has its own long distance path, the Thames Path which is a National Trail. Today, following rain most days for the past six weeks the River's water level was very high. At the lock where boats left the canal for the river, red lights flashed to indicate that entry of boats onto the fast flowing river, swollen by rain, was unwise. Too fast for the rowers who you can usually see practicing in their skiffs. Shortly after Osney Lock a sign stated that the towpath was closed due to flooding. There was a lady in an Environment Agency jacket at the lock holding a large test tube. She said I could get around the flooded section by walking through the nearby industrial estate, which I did leaving her to test the waters. With all the rain I suspect sewerage was being discharged into the river, not that you would want to bathe in the river today.

Walking out of Oxford the path was in generally good condition, well maintained for the many people who use it, although I had to splash one section where the water was flowing into the river from the adjacent fields. 

Near Kennington the metalled path, signed National Cycle Route 5 (NCR 5), turned away from the river. The Thames Path continued over a soggy area of grass, which was at a similar level to the water in the river. I soon came across an area of water covering the path and much around. While I could paddle through I strongly suspected there would be much more water ahead of me. I decided it would both be safer and more enjoyable to follow the cycle route. This led me on a tarmaced route parallel to a railway. A couple confirmed that it would take me to Abingdon, a town where I could pick up the Thames Path again. I noticed that the "tarmac" used on some of these paths did not feel "hard" on the feet, it seemed have a little "give", as if there was some rubber in the mixture. On the lower ground to my left I could see the flood plain was in fact flooded, I suspected the Thames Path was at a line of trees which were sitting in water.

The nicely "tarmaced" cycle path ended in a new housing development and NCR 5 continued along a road through Radley, and me with it. I followed it as it continued on tracks by Radley Lakes, which were old gravel pits now full of water surrounded by scrappy young trees. Shortly after I arrived at Abingdon where I enjoyed a toasted sandwich (and cake) in a café in the centre, having walked through the Abbey gates (the abbey itself no longer exists).

I walked a little way along the Thames Path as it crossed a meadow south of Abingdon. Soon I encountered water across the path, with no way of avoiding it without filling my boots with water. I returned to the road, following it on the raised path beside it, called the Causeway with good reason. The stone edging suggested it was built to cross the water prone meadow a long time ago.

I returned to the Thames Path around the village of Culham, where it was on ground a little higher, although still beside the river. However after Culham the Path was again under water, so I followed the road to Clifton Hampden. Fortunately, although the road was busy, there was a pavement / cycle path beside it. This led me by the Culham Campus where Britain's fusion research is based.

At Clifton Hampden I viewed the Thames Path. In both directions it was under water. I had no choice but to continue along the road to Dorchester, where I had booked a room for the night.

E2: Charlbury to Oxford

My first sunny day of this trip!

Amazingly I did not need to visit the toilet last night. However, I probably disturbed the sleep of the others in the dormitory by getting up at 6:30 am. The early start was so that I could have breakfast and catch an early train back to Charlbury from Oxford where I was spending the night. Reaching Charlbury I was soon on my way, or at least I was once I had worked out how to get out of the station parking area!

As coffee shops were sparse today, I picked up a coffee from one in Charlbury before I left the village. As in the Cotswolds the village and others in the area were built largely out of yellow Jurassic limestone. The next village I walked through, Stonesfield was where stone "slates" were mined, that were traditionally used to tile the roofs around here. Despite the villages and landscape being similar to the Cotswolds, North Oxfordshire has not attracted such large numbers of tourists.

One place tourists do visit is Blenheim Palace and its grounds. My path crossed the north end of the Blenheim Estate with its neat avenue of trees. Red kites (the birds) circled languidly overhead. My route after Stonesfield until I reached the Oxford Canal looked unusually straight on the map. I discovered this was because it was a Roman Road, now called Akeman Steet. At times this followed field boundaries, at other times it was enclosed between lines of small trees, part of it was along a minor road with many more cars than I might have expected. The road had lots of potholes, not up to Roman standards! The surrounding fields were neatly tilled, narrow lines of rich brown earth or lines of small green leaves. There was also much grass, looking exceptionally green in today's sunshine. Flocks of sheep looked like white blobs spread across the fields. Narrow stands of trees broke up the horizon.

Unlike yesterday, my walk on the Oxfordshire Way was over low hills so I was hoping that there would be no wading through water today. In this I was disappointed. There were a number of places where it was necessary to cross water, either accumulated in low spots or where watercourses had overflowed their banks. The most extensive and deepest area of water was around the River Cherwell, shortly before I left the Oxfordshire Way for the Oxford Canal. There was much flooding around the river and I had to wade through water, which briefly reached my knees to reach the bridge over the main channel. I was glad of my poles to probe the water depth ahead of me.

Once on the canal it was a long walk south on the towpath to Oxford. At first the towpath was in poor condition, bits of the bank had fallen into the river making the path between the water and hedging very narrow. As it was also slick with mud, care was needed to avoid slipping into the water. Although the towpath improved, for a stretch the canal joined the river. As the river was unusually high, a small part of the path was flooded. Later, in the approach to Oxford the towpath was tarmaced and much easier to walk on, although the many bicycles created another hazard. 

Being a Saturday people were out for a walk, alone or in couples, exercising their dog or just enjoying the sunshine. Beside the canal, men stood fishing. Canal boats lined sections of the canal, including those in a permanent mooring. Some looked like they never moved, others looked uncared for, needing to be renovated or just tidied up, one or two had sunk. Among them smoke rose from the stove pipes of attractively painted boats, giving them a homely feel.

The sunlight had faded away when I finally reached the edges of Oxford, after passing places I remembered or had been the setting of books or TV series; Kidlington, Wolvercote, Summertown. In the dusk the backs of houses looked attractive, the warm glow from their windows suggesting cosy interiors. Today is Valentines Day, and this evening, under the streetlights, the centre of Oxford was full of people, spilling onto the road, several clutching bunches of flowers. Pubs and restaurants were full to overflowing, although I managed to order a burger and chips in one of those places where you order via a touch screen. While waiting for the not very fast food to be prepared, I noticed the delivery motorcyclists were also doing a brisk trade. I left those enjoying  themselves in the city centre, after buying a newspaper purely so I could again stuff it in my wet boots.

Heart of England Way: Some Comments

The Heart of England Way starts in the wooded hills of Cannock Chase, then crosses lower farmland before entering the Cotswolds. It visits numerous old, attractive towns and villages such as Lichfield with its famous cathedral, Henley-in-Arden with its half timbered buildings and the Cotswold towns of Chipping Campden and Bourton-on-the-Water with their honey coloured stone houses. Ancient churches add interest and Cannock Chase is the site of old army camps. There is accommodation for every night, often in old pubs and hotels full of character. A guidebook is published by the Heart of England Way Association with lots of interesting background information. An up-to-date .gpx file of the route can also be downloaded from their website.

I walked the route in winter, when there was a lot of mud. Summer would be a more enjoyable time to walk the trail, when I would expect beautiful views of the quintessentially English countryside, wild flowers, fields of rich green pasture and wheat ready to be harvested. However the villages and towns are equally attractive and less busy out of season.

The start of my walk down the Heart of England Way is here.

E2: Stow-on-the-Wold to Charlbury

Highlight of the day was finishing the Heart of England Way, lowlight was wading through water on the Oxfordshire Way.

After crossing several fields I soon arrived at Bourton-on-the-Water where the Heart of England Way finishes and the Oxfordshire Way starts (although I was still in Gloucestershire). There are numerous long distance paths in area such as the Macmillan Way, Monarch's Way, Gloucestershire Way, Wardens Way and Windrush Way. I often feel that efforts should be focused on maintaining and improving the existing "Ways" rather than creating new ones. I stopped at St Lawrence's Church, where admired the simple arches and gave thanks for reaching this far (I had my doubts back in Cannock Chase due to my knee pain). Bourton-on-the-Water is a pretty tourist town of gift shops and of course tea shops, in one of which I indulged in a coffee and cruffin. The latter was for research purposes as I had not tried one before, possibly a cross between a croissant and a muffin, unfortunately it was far too sweet.

Leaving Bourton-on-the-Water my troubles began. The path crossed the flood plain of the rivers Eye and Dikler. Flood plain was a relevant term as the rivers had flooded over the plain. A couple with a dog ahead of me decided to turn back, but I continued as the bridges over the rivers were still above water, it was just a matter of getting my feet wet wading through boot deep water using my trekking poles both for balance and checking the water depth ahead of me.

Fortunately the Oxfordshire Way then climbed through fields over a ridge. Unfortunately the track down the other side was all mud, churned up by 4 wheel drives or farm vehicles. Fences each side forced me to stay on this quagmire for much longer than I would have liked. At Bledington I had the good fortune to find a community shop and café where I enjoyed a bowl of soup for lunch. I tried not to leave too much mud.

For the remainder of my walk today the route followed the River Evenlode. Efforts were being made to rewild the flood plain, creating wetlands which will encourage wild fowl, sequester carbon and reduce flooding downstream. Unfortunately the lack of drainage meant I had to wade through a lot of standing water and a few temporary streams, as well as more mud. I began to wonder why they put the kissing gates in pools of water, and surround them with mud. 

At the entrance to one field there was a sign advising that dogs must be on a lead as there were ewes with lambs on the field, the once black letters had faded to yellow and the field was empty. I had seen similar signs on previous days. Leaving the signs up when there are no pregnant ewes, lambs or any other kind of sheep just encourages people to ignore them. There were a few horses beside the sheets of water occupying part of their fields. They looked bedraggled in the rain.

The flat fields around rivers like the Evenlode are called "water meadows" for a reason, there was certainly plenty of water on them now (in February). In the spring I am sure they will look beautiful with many colourful wild flowers, but today's colours were all dull greens, browns and greys. As I approached Charlbury the sky was becoming increasingly grey. My planned walk today was a long one and darkness was falling. The headlights of cars in the village emphasised the darkness around me. I had not been able to find suitable accommodation in the Charlbury so I caught a train into Oxford. I was lucky that I had only a few minutes to wait, just enough time to buy a ticket and put a layer of clothing back on. The temperatures were rapidly dropping now the sun had set and with the forecast change in weather. Tomorrow should be cold and sunny.

To keep costs down I am staying in a backpackers' hostel tonight. I am hoping I do not have to get up too much in the night, disturbing the others in the dormitory. Tomorrow I will catch a train back to Charlbury then walk back to Oxford.

E2: Mickleton to Stow-on-the-Wold

Today the scenery changed, there were hills to climb and villages built of Cotswold stone.

As I walked through Mickleton I was struck by the change in building materials. For the previous week houses were built of red brick with clay tile roofs, but in Mickleton and the other villages today, all I could see were buildings made of Cotswold stone; a honey coloured limestone, with shades varying from cream to orange. Older roofs were even made of stone "tiles". Even modern buildings seemed have walls of Cotswold Stone, possibly because the local planning department insisted. It gave the villages I walked through a warm, golden glow, despite the rain! One of the early villages was Chipping Campden. Popular with tourists there were gift shops and a tea room I patronised.

I was blessed with a number of cafés today. For lunch I had a sandwich at Batsford Park. One day I would like to return (when it is not raining) and visit the arboretum and gardens. After I walked down a section of the long, tree lined drive. A Longborough there was a community café and shop, where I was the only customer. The tea and toasted tea cake set me up for the last section of the day.

There had been more hills today than in recent days. In better weather there would have been good views, but today's drizzle washed out the colours and softened the lines. On an early escarpment top, an image of a Belgian soldier was carved in a tree. A sign suggested it was carved by a Belgian soldier, recovering at a nearby hospital, in the First World War.

Dinner tonight was at my hotel, one of those places where the prices are larger than the portions. There seemed to be gold leaf on top of my dessert. I decided against eating it, worried about what I might find in the morning.

E2: Alcester to Mickleton

Rain, but also a little sunshine today, and cake at a café!

As their food was so imaginative I walked into Alcester town centre this morning for breakfast at Chapter 23, the place I had lunch at yesterday. This morning I ate a smoked salmon and cheese omelette listening to the locals.

The first village I reached was Wixford. It had an ancient church but I was more interested in the horse house. An unusual structure with a thatched roof and walls made of gorse used to house the horse of the visiting vicar. I had not seen another like it. Soon after I encountered a modest waterfall, not something I expected in the flat or gently undulating terrain.

Bideford-on-Avon had a café, although it took me a while to find as I thought I remembered from the map where it was, but I was wrong. On eventually locating it I enjoyed a latte and muffin while amusing myself glancing through one of the books available for customers. It was a satirical look at men's dress habits and manners. I passed the edges of several other villages today, but none with coffee shops as far as I was aware. 

My route led me through part of the Heart of England Forest, or at least what will one day be a forest when the trees have grown a bit. For a while the sun shone, enriching the greens of the fields.

After a few particularly muddy fields, where I think sheep had chewed up the ground digging up turnips, I arrived at Mickleton. A small milestone as it is the "Gateway to the Cotswolds", an area of hills and scenic villages which I will be walking through for the next two days. The hotel I am staying at is evidently a cut above the average as there are biscuits with the room's tea making facilities, or rather there were until shortly after my arrival. There is also a TV remote that sometimes works, and the dinner was good if on the expensive side. The dessert, a fruit and ginger pudding with custard was especially nice, if a bit fattening. Perhaps not surprising that the dessert was good as the hotel claimed to home of the "Pudding Club", whatever that might be.

E2: Henley-in-Arden to Alcester

A short walk today to give my knee a rest.

Only 13 kilometres to walk today, just over 3 hours walking. I needed a shorter day as my left knee was suffering. It was having to work hard to correct the tendency for my foot to slip on the ubiquitous mud. After tarrying over breakfast I left Henley to cross many muddy fields, pausing to collect another coffee from a lonely trailer by the railway station. Today there was woodland stretches as well as farmland. Skeletal oaks stood black against the dirty grey, overcast sky, their leaves discarded on the path and among the brambles. Soon the blackened leaves would turn to leaf mold, enriching the soil. Moss growing on exposed tree roots and ivy climbing trees were the only greens. 

The fields in this area were large, some with long lines of green shoots, others were of yellowing grass on which occasional flock of sheep grazed, and a desultory pair of horses. Fields were edged with hawthorn hedges, their leafless branches covered in yellow and sage green lichen. I disturbed a gaggle of Canada geese on one field. On seeing my approach they started to honk among themselves before sidling off reluctantly. 

On the approach to Alcester I saw the only person aside from myself out for a walk in the drizzling day. Her dog took exception to my trekking poles, which I found essential to keep me upright in the slippery, sliding mud.

Too early for my hotel I walked into the historic centre of Alcester. The old,  half-timbered houses were distorted by age, leaning into the street. I found a café for lunch, an unusual combination of poached eggs, bits of bacon, chilli jam and melted cheese on crumpets (crumpet of the type called English Muffins). Then it was off to my hotel, to watch some of the Winter Olympics. 

E2: Meriden to Henley-in-Arden

A day with no rain!

Today I passed another construction site for the HS2, high-speed railway. Unlike the sites I passed on Saturday this one had loads of lorries going in all directions. The path had been diverted. Shepherded by steel-mesh barriers and red and white plastic I was led across the construction site. Frequent traffic lights controlled my movement. Stacked white portacabins looked down on me. Two bridges looked almost complete. Red mud embankments could be seen in all directions. A huge pile of gravel was being amassed. Then I was back in large waterlogged fields, including a few with the remains of Brussels sprout plants after they had been harvested. The smell was distinctive, reminding me of my Mother's Sunday dinners.

A high point today, pulling me forward despite an painful knee, was lunch at Baddesley Clinton, a National Trust property. The lady on reception seemed a disappointed that I was more interested in the whereabouts of the café than visiting the 15th Century manor house. It looked an attractive place to investigate in the future. The M40 crossing marked another milestone in my journey today.

Over the last few days most buildings have been of a dull red brick with tiled roofs, including the large farmhouses I passed. However, the churches have been of a weathered sandstone, with solid towers, surrounded by graveyards with leaning gravestones and large drifts of white snowdrops. Today five churches were on my route. I admired the one at Berkswell with its sundial, clock, unusual porch and crypt. I visited the latter by climbing down stairs hidden in a boxed pew. The final church I visited (after a slippery climb up and down a steep hill) was at the entrance to Henley-in-Arden. It was clearly of Norman age with its curved arches and muted decoration. 

Henley-in-Arden was in a contrast to the plain red brick houses I had encountered, its high street seemed full of ancient half-timbered buildings. For example I am lodging in the White Swan pub, which is a 16th Century coaching inn. It was busy when I arrived, a "Wake" was being held.

E2: Kingsbury Water Park to Meriden

After trying to find a way through Kingsbury Water Park that was not flooded I walked across many soggy fields to reach Meriden. 

This morning I made an attempt to reach the Heart of England Way on the eastern side of Kingsbury Water Park. My attempt failed as the path was flooded so I asked at the visitor centre if there was another way through the Park to reach Kingsbury where I could rejoin the Way. They suggested a route around the Model Boat Pool and up the east side of the park beside other areas of water, but could not guarentee it would be passible. 

I followed their suggestion, asking dog walkers on the way for information, and did eventually reach the footbridge to Kingsbury. Wading through water was required where the lakes had overflowed or rainwater had collected in low points. Sadly my socks, which I had carefully dried overnight on the heated towel rail, became rather wet.

Rejoining the Heart of England Way I was soon crossing fields, the clay soil soggy and waterlogged. I crossed many of these in the course of the day and was very pleased whenever a short section of tarmac gave me relief from the mud. Soon after Kingsbury there was a military rifle range. I had expected it to be in use, although as it was flooded, they must have moved to another range. I could hear gunshots from somewhere in the distance. It made no difference as the path runs around the perimeter of the range.

There were no villages of any note on my route today and unfortunately no cafes or cakes. I had hoped there would be a pleasant walk around a reservoir that I could see on the map. However I was prevented from seeing it in the real world as the path ran beside a railway line and the reservoir was hidden behind a bank on the other side of a brown, fast flowing little river.

The other milestone today was the M6 motorway. I knew I was approaching it from the gradually increasing amount of continuous white noise from the traffic. A view of Birmingham was promised from the bridge across it by the guidebook, and indeed in the far distance, above the endless cars I could see the high rises of the city.

In the mud I saw many paw prints left by dogs beside the welly prints of their owners. More unusual were tiny hoofprints which I thought were left by Muntjac deer, I was told they are found in the area. I briefly saw two of these minscule, fat deer running off, their tails in the air showing white undersides.

I arrived in Meriden and my room at an Inn as the sun set below a sky of cloud in a display of smoky orange. Although the Inn suggested they were at the very centre of England this is disputed by modern calculations. In the evening Ian Powell, secretary of the Heart of England Way Association was kind enough to join me. His organisation looks after this long distance path, publishing a guidebook, .gpx files and doing much else. Like myself he is also a member of the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) and helps to maintain its dataset of long distance paths and the information associated with them.

E2: Lichfield to Kingsbury Water Park

Some dry periods today between the drizzle as I walked by canals, work (or lack of it) on the HS2 Railway, over fields and by water filled gravel pits.

Last night, as I lay in bed, whenever I moved, my muscles on my left side went into a painful spasm. The source of the pain seemed to be just below my ribs. Annoying, especially as I had not fallen or injured myself in any way. My usual exercises did not improve it so I eventually took a couple of pleasantly lemony Ibuprofen tablets which helped me get to sleep. My left knee was also stiff and painful so I felt a bit of a wreck.

Nevertheless I enjoyed my walk out of Lichfield, through the town with its pedestrianised centre and old buildings. On the outskirts, where a new housing estate was being built, I walked by the Lichfield canal for a short distance. A short length was all there now was of it, and much of that was being restored. After that I walked along straight tracks and paths by green fields, some freshly planted, all saturated with water. There were a few fields of pigs and one of donkeys to add interest.

In a number of places I came across work on the new HS2 Railway. I did not realise it ran this far east. Although I say "work", as in many British construction sites (and roadworks) there was no evidence of anyone doing anything, only large expanses of red earth. There were a lot of construction vehicles parked up in one area, all idle. I wondered if they were being hired, with costs rising daily. There were large puddles, possibly the wet weather and it being the weekend was not conducive to completing what ever the next stage was.

After a bit of road walking I reached Drayton Basset, the only village on my trip today. It had no café I was aware of but I found a bench in a wooden shelter to eat my last piece of fruit cake and a banana.

After the village I walked south on a stretch of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. To reach the towpath I climbed up a curious footbridge. On each side there was a tower with a spiral staircase inside, at the top the stairs connected with the deck of the bridge crossing the brown waters of the canal.

To the left of my canal walk the fields were flooded, and being surveyed by a few swans. A group of horses waded through the water. Later, there were old gravel pits filled with water, some of these formed a bird reserve with geese and mallards, others were part of the Kingsbury Water Park. I followed the Heart of England Way around the expanses of water in the park, but my way was eventually blocked by extensive standing water on the path. In my notes I had recorded this as a possibility, with all the rain perhaps it should have been a certainty, and I was mentally prepared to retrace my steps amd continue along the canal to my hotel for the night.

E2: Hednesford to Lichfield

A rainy day walking across Cannock Chase and over very wet fields.

For breakfast I visited a Gregg's where I was disappointed that all the pastries were cold and prepacked, and then annoyed when shortly after I discovered a Wetherspoons nearby that might have served me breakfast in an attractive historic building. Continuing rain probably influenced my mood. My weather forecasting App was unusually confident in giving the probability of rain as 100% for much of the day.

Despite the weather I enjoyed my morning's walk through the remainder of Cannock Chase on tracks through the trees. There were a few expanses of water where streams had overflowed or water filled dips in the track. These required a bit of negotiation through surrounding undergrowth.

Walking back to the Heart of England Way from Hednesford I passed an area where there was a hospital in the First World War and later a colliery. Only an apron of concrete remained among the birch trees. I was reminded of a time when we used more coal on passing an isolated house with smoke coming from its chimney. Its smell of coal smoke brought images of my childhood into my mind, when first thing in the cold morning my father would light the fire, which would initially smoke before it burnt cleanly and melted the frost on the inside of our windows.

An older site on my walk was an Iron Age hillfort called Castle Rings. I climbed up the encircling embankment where the guidebook promised a view. All I could see today was a misty white.

Leaving the Chase there was a mixture of waterlogged fields and quiet roads, I prefered the latter. One field was particularly difficult as there was extensive standing water. My feet inevitably became wet. As I reached a road the water was particularly deep as it escaped from the field with speed. There were no cafes on route today. I passed a church, sadly locked, so I sat outside on a wet bench in the drizzle and ate a slice of fruit cake a neighbour had kindly given me.

I was pleased to reach the outskirts of Lichfield, crossing the green expanse of Beacon Park and finally reaching a café for a coffee and cake (croissant and blueberry)! Tonight I have a room at the Premier Inn with an ensuite bathroom where I have showered, washed my underwear and spread around my wet clothes to dry on any available hook and surface. I bought a newspaper especially so I could stuff it in my wet boots.

Chores done I went to Lichfield Cathedral for choral evensong. In part this was to share in worship that extended back to the 7th Century in this place, a connection with history. The present building dates back to the 13th century. Statues of saints looked down as the choir sang prayers and psalms in haunting voices. There were more choristers than people in the  congregation on this wet Friday night.

Tonight I ate at a busy Ukrainian restaurant, not a type of cuisine I have encountered in Britain before. I had varenyky (which are like pierogies) with potato, bacon and sour cream, plus a salad to get my "greens". Pancake with cottage cheese, raisins and sour cream (again) for dessert. All delicious!

E2: Rugeley to Hednesford

A day of walking in the rain, the gloom offset by interesting historical sights (and a few cafes).

Walking a long distance path in the Midlands of England in the winter has certain risks, while snow is unlikely rain is not. When I looked at the weather forecast for my two week trip, each day had a symbol of a cloud with rain drops falling from it. Rain had been falling for much of January so my walk in the first part of February was likely to encounter a lot of mud, puddles and maybe flooding. Nevertheless I was keen to embrace the open spaces after a month of hiding indoors out of the wet, windy cold, and also wished to continue my walk down the western variant of the E2 in Britain. So one Wednesday evening in February I arrived by train at Rugeley, ready to pick up from the point I reached last winter. Not being the season or countryside for camping, neither "wild" nor in official campsites, I had booked accommodation for whole of this trip; above pubs, in budget hotels and in hostels, so I was hoping my dodgy knee was not going to stop me completing my itinerary, otherwise I could loose money in cancellations.

The majority of the walking would be down the Heart of England Way, which forms a wide semi circle around Birmingham. Now 46 years old I was amused to read in the guidebook that "the Way" was originally initiated in 1980 without the agreement of the relevant councils and landowners due to a lack of progress made in discussions with them. It reminded me of a few difficulties that we had in extending the E2 north to John o'Groats recently. However relations with local authorities and landowners subsequently improved and the Way was opened a second time, this time officially, in 1990 and no doubt the people who walk it contribute to the local economy. 

As expected my day started with rain as I walked to a Costa Coffee for breakfast, joining workmen popping in for their regular orders. Rain was forecast all day. The roads glistened with water, reflecting the street lights in the pre-dawn darkness. I tarried over my coffee in the warm, looking through the rain streaked windows of the café.

Eventually, I began my walk through the persistent rain under dull skies. I rejoined the Staffordshire Way on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Barges were moored by the towpath, those with wood smoke rising from their stove pipes looked especially cosy. The canal, designed by James Brindley was completed in 1777. It was replaced by the railway in the 19th century, the main line runs close to the canal. Fast trains zizzed by me on my right. On my left the brown waters of the River Trent flowed quickly, swelled by the rain, as it crossed partially flooded farmland.

Fortunately the towpath only had mud in parts, although I was forced through puddles. My coat was relatively new and still managing to keep out the rain, and my waterproof trousers were also effective. However my boots were worn, although not to the extent that new ones could be justified given the number of part worn boots I owned. I had rather hopefully sprayed waterproofing liquid on them before this trip, but over the course of the day my socks became damp.

Leaving the canal I crossed the Trent on a late 16th century packhorse bridge, a narrow stone construction of many arches. This led me to the grounds of Shugborough Hall. Being a National Trust property I knew there would be a tea shop, so I diverted towards the stately home to enjoy a coffee and cake. I was the only one sitting in the restaurant, probably as potential visitors prefered to stay at home on a cold, wet, dull February day. Only a few dog walkers crossed my path today.

After Shugborough the Staffordshire Way climbed into Cannock Chase, a region of wooded hills and heathland across which people are free to roam. The underlying Bunter Sandstone is hidden under the thin black topsoil but contributes rounded pebbles to the tracks I followed.

It diverted off the Staffordshire Way to go to the start of the Heart of England Way, marked by a sign in a car park, greened by age. I followed it up a track which was once the route of the abandoned Tackeroo railway line. This was built to service the large Army Camps built on Cannock Chase in the First World War to house and train the many recruits who volunteered to fight. Similar camps were spread around the country. Nothing remains of the large camps on Cannock Chase apart from one of the huts preserved at the Visitors' Centre. Although closed today, I have previously been inside where a line of beds and tables show how the soldiers once lived during their time at the base.

There were a number of sights to view beside the trail. The first was a boulder, a glacial erratic, brought in the Ice Age all the way from Scotland, although as it was mounted on a plinth of stones cemented together it no longer looked entirely natural.

After lunch of a Staffordshire oatcake, a sort of pancake with savoury fillings, I viewed the Katyn Memorial. This remembers the 25,000 Poles massacred by the Soviets in the Second World War. There were many lamps and candles on the stone plinth showing that people have not forgotten this crime.

Just after the Visitors' Centre RAF Hednesford once existed. Here in the Second World War engineers were trained to maintain aircraft, housed in serried rows of huts. After the War, it housed Hungarian refugees fleeing Soviet oppression, another link with Europe. Now only the old roadways remain.

I turned off the Heart of England Way onto the Cannock Chase Heritage Trail in order to reach Hednesford where I have a room booked above a pub for the night. The centre of the town had lines of small shops, "Belly Booze", a betting shop and similar, that looked a little dismal in the rain and declining light.

I ate at the bar beneath my room. Although emails sent to me before my arrival advised booking a table for dinner, I was the only one eating so there were plenty of tables to chose from! Beside me local people played pool. Pundits on the muliple televisions were discussing the upcoming rugby game, although as there was no sound, other than 70s pop music, I had little idea what they were saying. They silently talked throughout my meal, without occasional spurts of flame from the pitch behind them, so I gave up on watching the match and went to my room where I could hear the couple in the next room having a lengthy disagreement.