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. So one Wednesday evening 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 the 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 contributes 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 cafe.

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 followed 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. The centre of the town had lines of small shops that looked a little dismal in the rain and the declining light.