Kotomichi

A simple walk in Telford Town Park became a bit of a saga. We had intended to park in Dark Lane car park to avoid the crowds near to Telford Town Centre. We found that you could only pay by app which refused to allow Mr C access to pay. This left us with the choice of relocating or accepting the risk of getting a parking fine.

We chose to relocate which allowed us to enjoy the walk without worrying about receiving a fine.

Day 14 of my Memorial Walk in memory of Queen Elizabeth II didn’t quite go as I had planned it.

My plan was to visit the Chelsea and Maxell gardens before embarking on a walk around Telford Town Park. My first choice of car park looked full so I opted for plan B. The car park is further away and involves walking through the shopping area but is slightly cheaper. I was shocked to find the parking charge had gone up by £1 since my previous visit earlier this year.

I eventually arrived at the Chelsea gardens to find that one of the gates was shut and there was a man with a key chain turning people away from the garden. I noticed that people were exiting the garden and that some of the benches and a garden area outside the garden had been cordoned off with red and white tape. Later I found that the gardens were closed due to unexpected circumstances (whatever that means).

I was a little unsettled by this turn of events so I wasn’t as adventurous on my choice of walking route as I might have been. This did lead to an unexpected delight when I found that the gates to the Stirchley Chimney were open so I was able to see it close up and get close to the remains of the nearby blast furnaces.

The Chimney is one of the principal reminders of the industry which once occupied the Town Park. 62 metres in height the chimney was built in 1873 on the site of an existing blast furnace.

Later, I sat in contemplation for a while on bench next to the Town Park war memorial before walking back though the shopping centre in search of afternoon refreshments.

On the way I was stopped by a lady who produced what looked like a petition to get services provided for deaf and mute people. After I had signed it I realised that I was also expected to provide a donation which I did… But I do wonder if perhaps I was being scammed!

Afternoon refreshments were also not to be, it was too late in the afternoon and the coffee shops were closing. Instead I chose to drive home the long way round. That part of my afternoon worked exactly as planned.

Today I joined the Ramblers ‘Walking for Wellbeing’ walk in Telford Town Park. There were only three of us but we had a lovely walk and natter. The pace was much more enjoyable for me than yesterday’s walking pace. The walk started off along pathways that I had not previously walked before  endeding up on my recently explored new pathway.

As we were completing our circular route we met two ladies who had just emerged from a pathway after finding the hidden waterfall. We had a chat about that and other walks in the area before we completed our circular route. Walking past Southwater pool I noticed that there were lots of new gosling additions. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to go back next week to take some photos of the little ones.

Today was the first day of the ‘Get Telford Walking’ event. I joined one of the regular Stirchley ‘Rambler’s Wellbeing’ walks.

There were only four of us on the walk that took us past Madebrook Pools and into Telford Town Park. One of the ladies had a request stop; Dawley and Stirchley station. Our walk then led us out of the Town Park through Stirchley village along pathways I have never walked before. The last part of the walk was especially enjoyable for me as I love exploring places that are new to me.

View video on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIHO-stj4Ps&t=2s

Before I embarked on my walk I picked up the new ‘Telford Town Park’ guidebook and ventured into the Town Centre to pay in a cheque. I walked through Southwater, the children’s adventure area and along the top level next to Withy Pool before setting off on a walk behind the rugby club. It was a new path for me and I wasn’t sure where it would lead to. The path led to many places and my choices at the various crossroads made for an enjoyable circular walk ending back where I started, next to the rugby club.

Before completing my walk with a visit to the Chelsea and Maxwell Gardens I sat on a bench to enjoy the company of the first goose family that I encountered on my arrival in the Town Park.

Click on photo to see video

The ideal choice for a walk after dropping Mr C off for a lunchtime ‘retirement do’ at the Golden Ball would have been around Ironbridge and Coalport.  The flooding caused by recent storms Franklin, Dudley and Eunice meant those locations were off limits. My choice of walk needed a lunch option…

I briefly considered Attingham Park as an option but the flooding there meant I would have to take a long way round to get back home after my walk. I decided the best option was to pick up lunch from M&S before a walk in Telford Town Park.

My first choice of car park was full, cars were queuing to enter. My Second choice of car park, the one I use on my rare visits the Town Centre was closed. I made my way to the cinema car park which I could see was empty only to find  when I arrived at the barrier there was a note to say ‘we can only accept cash, no credit cards’. I didn’t know how long I would be, so I wasn’t sure I would have enough cash, so I started to reverse as another car pulled up behind me. The lady behind me was puzzled, I could see that in her face, she didn’t reverse so I had to get out of the car and explain what the problem was.

Eventually I was able to park in the adjacent Council car park. WOW, it is cheap! I think that will be my first choice of car park for Telford Town Centre, lunch and Town Park walks in the future.

I purchased my lunch in M&S and made my way to the Town Park, thinking I would have lunch overlooking the pool before entering the park. As I arrived the wind whipped up, I had a perfect ‘Plan B’ that would be sheltered from the wind. I found that the gates to ‘Plan B’, the Maxell Gardens were shut. I walked the short distance to the Chelsea Gardens, through the gardens to the Pagoda in the Maxell gardens. By this time I had worked up an appetite and I was pleased to find my chosen seat was vacant. I enjoyed my lunch with a view of the fish statue. Whilst I was lunching there was a lovely interlude of a child splashing her hand so hard in the bird bath she almost drowned herself in water… she then came back for more

My walk took me along pathways I had not walked before, I got a little lost along the way. I felt slightly uncomfortable but I know all my local pathways lead to familiar ground in the end