Yesterday I walked a little over 5 miles with Mrs BWW and 3 of those miles were within this area, where I have been following the Peripheral Urban trespass of others. In fact we strayed off the righteous way almost at the outset to follow a faintest of tracks, this led to a significant trail that led from the urban fringe. Where we joined this trail the quality of way increased by 5 points (in a scale of 1-10) over the right of way, it was a natural defile formed by an ancient watercourse, partially wooded that formed the boundary between 2 fields. This route joined the RoW where a bridge over the stream should have been, long collapsed the remaining pieces, which could act as stepping aids, removes as well.
Crossing the line of the line of the RoW we continued along a trail recently broken in through a wood, in the context of a lowland agricultural setting, the quality of way must rate 7 even 8, as we emerged from the wood I spotted a family of 5, distant across a couple of fields, but spread out along a hedge-line coming from the direction I had in mind to investigate. As we drew closer they took a route the other side of the hedge from which we were approaching. I spoke to an attractive lady I look to be the mother of the 3 children in the party, asked if the were following a route, but they were not, they were just following field margins and she commented on how the parks in town were too crowded to safely take their children, to a place where they could freely enjoy exercise.
I pointed to the direction they had come from, where there is a wood, beyond this there is a bridge over the railway, where they could link into the official footpath network. Paths broken in by P.U.T can in fact be a beneficial addition to the statutory access network. I was trying to probe a possible link with the railway bridge, it takes a very quiet county lane over the Shrewsbury/Chester line, where some 50 yards beyond is a well used right of way. Sadly this footpath, which might rate 8 in quality of way finishes at this lane. The cessation point is a also the start of a mile of so of lostway that could access some significantly beautiful block countryside, that has no other access.
In making the connection through to the bridge we walked a way that uplifted out spirits and were treated to the most magnificent display of marsh marigolds that stretched like a golden carpet for as far as we could see into the base of a waterlocked withybed.