THE WALK: LAPWORTH for 18.08.18

It's two-and-a-half miles between Lapworth and Dorridge stations by train, but this walk adds five miles to the journey, taking a meandering route through pleasant countryside which once formed part of Shakespeare's Forest of Arden. With the advent of intensive farming, the rural landscape has changed enormously in the 400 years since Shakespeare's day, but perhaps he might recognise elements of it if he could return.                 

          Some of the hedges and pastures are still there, along with numerous oak trees, a few of which may already have been saplings 400 years ago. But he would puzzle over the lack of elm trees, almost wiped out by Dutch Elm Disease, which arrived in the UK from North America in the 1960s. He might also be perplexed by the presence of muntjac deer, natives of South Asia which first wandered the British countryside in the 1920s, following the escape of individuals from an imported herd at Woburn Abbey. Since then, the muntjac has spread throughout the country and is common in the West Midlands. You might see one almost anywhere on this walk, though Mill Pool Lane is a good bet as they like to forsake the fields and woods on one side of the lane for the exotic temptations of the gardens on the other side, where they particularly enjoy the rose bushes.   

          Packwood House was already built when Shakespeare was born, and he must have walked past it when he was a boy, because he had family living nearby. He may even have visited it, but it was just a modest farmhouse then, bearing little resemblance to its present incarnation. Between 1925 and 1945 it was reinvented as a 20th-century version of an Elizabethan manor house, of a type that Shakespeare would have been familiar with. The National Trust looks after Packwood today, and has made waymarked walks available through the surrounding parkland, woodland and meadows, and around the lake. Packwood's greatest glory is its garden, with stunning herbaceous borders and dozens of weird but wonderful clipped yew trees.

          Shakespeare would not recognise the modern canal system, but, as an educated man, he would be familiar with the concept, as the first canals were built 900 years ago in Mesopotamia, and canalisation of English rivers to improve navigation began in 1425. And, as an open-minded man, he would probably approve, especially as the towpath of the Grand Union Canal provides an easier and safer route to London than the rough roads and footpaths he would have had to tramp on his journeys between Stratford and the capital. He might also think that the 18 locks of the Lapworth Flight have a certain drama, although it is the lively and colourful Kingswood Junction that draws the crowds. The Grand Union and Stratford canals pass within 300m of each other at Kingswood, linked by a short arm. All elements of the classic canalscape are present, as well as extras such as reed-fringed pools, woods and a picnic area, plus some of the unique features of the Stratford Canal, such as split cantilever roving bridges and barrel-roofed cottages. All this makes Kingswood an ideal spot for gongoozling and it is deservedly popular.              

FACTFILE

Start: Lapworth Station, south-east of Solihull, grid ref SP187715 

Finish: Dorridge Station, grid ref SP169748.

Length: 7½ miles/12km.

Maps: OS Explorer 220, OS Landranger 139.

Terrain: Canal towpaths, pasture, parkland, arable, woodland; no hills.

Footpaths: Excellent.

Stiles: Three.

Trains: West Midlands Railway Worcester-Birmingham-Leamington/Stratford line and Chiltern Railways Kidderminster-Birmingham-Leamington-London Marylebone line; nationalrail.co.uk or National Rail 03457 484950.

Refreshments: Navigation Inn by Kingswood Bridge (65); Boat Inn and village shops a short walk from Kingswood Junction via bridges 35A/35B; Briar Cottage Canal Shop by bridge 33; National Trust tea room at Packwood House; café at Dorridge Station, plus shops, pubs and takeaways on Station Road.

DIRECTIONS

1 Leave Lapworth Station from platform one and turn left along Station Lane. Turn right at a T-junction, follow Rising Lane to Rising Bridge and turn right on the towpath of the Grand Union Canal. Approaching Kingswood Junction, pass under bridge 65, cross bridge 37 (Stratford Canal), leave the Grand Union and join the Stratford. Cross bridge 36A and follow signs for King's Norton.  

2 Leave the towpath after bridge 29 and Lapworth Top Lock. Cross Old Warwick Road, turn right and take Grove Lane. After 500m, take a footpath on the right which skirts past the Packwood estate and leads to Packwood Lane. Turn left to Packwood House and take the Millennium Way, which leaves the lane opposite the house. Walk along an avenue of chestnuts and oaks to a gate. Without going through the gate, turn left, leaving the Millennium Way. Follow the edge of the park to meet Packwood Road by its junction with Grove Lane.

3 Turn right, rejoining the Millennium Way, then left, through fields to St Giles' Church. Leave the Millennium Way and cross the churchyard, passing to the right of the church to enter a field. Turn right, soon crossing a bridge into another field. Go along the right-hand edge for 175m to find a gate. Turn left here, across the field, then through a hedge gap and straight on to a road. Take Windmill Lane, almost opposite.

4 Take a bridleway on the right after Packwood Towers. Follow it to Mill Pool Lane and turn left. Turn right at the next junction, rejoining Windmill Lane. Take the next path on the right, and walk through woods and meadows to Dorridge Park. Go across the park, bearing slightly left, towards a car park visible through the trees ahead. As you draw closer, you'll see there is a footpath to the right of the car park, parallel with the access road. Follow the footpath along the edge of Dorridge Park Nature Reserve to Arden Drive. Turn left, then immediately right on Arden Road, which leads to Grange Road. Turn right to Dorridge Station.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

© Julie Royle 2018. 

From: Julie Royle

Sent: 10 August 2018 16:35

To: MS-Worcester Editorial

Cc: Chris Vaughan

Subject: The Walk - Lapworth for 18.08.18