This chapter discusses the potential benefits of going for a short-measured walk (not a hike) before breakfast. It talks about recent scientific studies that have concluded a walk before breakfast whilst the body is still in fasting mode burns off more fat and improves the way the body reacts to insulin.

I would not normally have chosen to walk before breakfast but my car was booked in for a service on a drop-off-and-leave-it-there for the day basis. Unfortunately, due to Mr C’s car breaking down and the subsequent engine fire as the car was removed from the tow truck towards our driveway, he was unable to give me a lift.

This meant I had to resort to shanks pony and train to get home after the drop off and back again to pick up my car after servicing.

Mr C had told me of the pathway I needed to take to get to the railway station without crossing or walking down busy roads. As I walked along ‘motor mile’, I spotted a pathway and took it. I realised I was on the wrong pathway when I first walked over the railway and shortly afterwards the motorway.  However, before retracing my steps to find the correct pathway curiosity got the better of me, I couldn’t resist walking a little further to see where the path came out.

Once I was back on track, the path to the station was obvious because it was signposted. I found the pathway rather seedy and not a pleasant place to walk. At the station I purchased tickets from the ticket office and crossed the bridge to catch the train home. Only one stop.

Whilst I sat on a bench and waited, a couple asked me about purchasing tickets. I pointed them to where I thought the ticket machine on that platform was situated. The ticket office is across the bridge on the other platform.

A few minutes later the couple returned, they had located the ticket machine but unfortunately the machine had not printed off all the tickets, giving them a message to ‘seek help’ from the ticket office. The lady sat next to me on the bench whilst her husband crossed the bridge to try and sort out their tickets. The failure meant that they missed the train by minutes. It reminded me of a similar incident that I had many years ago. Some things never change!

Back in Wellington and walking home, a walking group caught up with me and we had a little chuckle that I was joining the group. The leader waited for the rest of her group and I continued to the pedestrian crossing, pressing the button. The group caught up with me and we bantered and chuckled, the walk leader joking that I had pressed the button for them.

I knew they would be walking as part of the Wellington Walking festival and found out that they were going to Dothill via the Wellington Loop to find out more about the trees in the Dothill nature reserve.

I continued walking home by the direct route. After no breakfast and just a cup of tea I was rather hungry when I got home and was looking forward to lunch.

Unusually, the garage phoned up just after lunch to say my car was ready. They don’t normally phone up until later in the afternoon. If I had known my car would be ready so quickly, I would not have gone home!

My second walk of the day led me back to the station for my return journey to the garage to pick up my car.

B-Lines are a network of 3km wide pathways connecting the UK’s best remaining wildflower habitats.

In Autumn 2024, Buglife and Telford and Wrekin Council, collaborated to restore 12 hectares of flower-rich habitat in Telford within Buglife’s B-Lines network. This resulted in the restoration or enhancement of eight sites, including the meadow in front of you.

The nearby Middle Pool in Trench.

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.

I walked one of my local routes to see if it was completely accessible for less mobile walkers and pushchairs. There is one small portion of the pathway that I am not sure about. The walk is on the level but the pathway is uneven for a short stretch of the way.

These are some of the views I saw along the way.

I recently finished reading a book ‘Telford The Making of Shropshire’s New Town’. I moved to Telford at a very young age (my dad worked for the development corporation) and have grown up with the Town.

I have always appreciated the lovely green spaces within the town but until I read the book I had not realised just how much effort had been put in to encourage and allow industrial wasteland to be reclaimed by nature. Alongside planning the development of new housing the landscaping of the town involved the planting of around 15 million trees creating a ‘city within a forest’.

In 2018 to celebrate Telford’s 50th anniversary a new walking trail ‘The Telford T50 50 Mile Trail’ was researched and developed by local walking groups. Since then I have been looking forward to the publication of the guidebook to the walk.

The book launch was today and although I was not able to attend the ceremony, later in the day I was able to make a short walk in the rain to pick up a copy from the Telford Park information centre.

I spent and indulgent afternoon reading it from cover to cover and have planned my first walk. It takes in a local walk that I often do and also another local walk that I have been meaning to do for over a year…

I have been inspired and know I will walk that section of the T50 50 route very soon

You can read more about the trail and download walks routes  on the Telford T50 Trail website, although I would recommend that you purchase the guidebook. The guidebook provides comprehensive information about the industrial heritage and history of the area and also takes us on a journey to enjoy nature within the created ‘city’, leading to unexpected delights.

Below are some photos from some of my walks that coincide with the full route that I have not yet walked.

Bernard Levin