Moving through the midlands

480 miles done so far! Am writing this outside the tea room of a stately home in Shugborough in the Trent valley. What a mix of places I've been through in the midlands. Lots of flat fields of broad beans in the Vale of Evesham. The vanishing waymarks of the Heart of England Way, ditches to jump and hedges to clamber through, the pretty bits of Warwickshire, ancient avenues of chestnuts, a farm where we stayed at Preston Bagot, prize bulls and pigs in the field and the farmer very sure that the midlands is the prettiest part of Britain. Leafy canals (with pubs) and the 26 miles on the canal towpath across Birmingham to Wolverhampton, one crime scene, one PCSO patrol (on bikes) to reassure the few people on the canal bank that they were looking for robbers. Yet a few miles later, fathers teaching their sons to fish on the canal bank. A night at Wolverhampton travel lodge and a very tasty curry. A bottle of chilled water given by the owner of Mehta News to help me on my way. Then out through the suburbs and back into pretty Staffordshire countryside. Some long days though, so thanks to those who kept me company - Steven (dragging rucksacks through hedges), Dave and Jane (hospitality and Dave's military planning of our 26 mile march), Tom (for bread, cheese and roast lamb). Will be back in Littleborough by Friday hopefully and some nice days walks in the Peak District to get there.