Walking is such a pleasure. I get seriously itchy feet if deprived for more than a day or so, and my spirits are always lifted after a good old trudge around. Exploring somewhere for the first time is fantastic, but I also love to walk around the places I know. It somehow gives me feel warm and comfortable feeling, like a favourite old cardigan. And of course, sometimes there can be surprises up even the most familiar sleeve…
I’ve decided I’d like to try and put some walks here so that people can get out and explore for themselves. One of my best loved walks is of course around Leomansley, so here’s a walk around the lanes that I hope you’ll enjoy doing for yourself. Naturally, I always encourage straying from the path to investigate something that looks interesting. Getting lost is part of the fun!
Lanes Around Leomansley
The map below gives a rough idea of the route, which is about 2km (depending on how many diversions you take!). I’ve marked some of the points that I think are of interest but of course there may be other things…….Below the map is a PDF with a written version of the route, giving information about each of the points. Hope you enjoy it, I’d like to hear how you get on!
Lichfield Lore 
Another great blog Kate, I cannot wait until the spring to follow in your footsteps
around a great walk ,there is so much to see just getting out and about as you
do,May I wish you and your family Happy New Year .
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To encourage straying from the path – almost a blue-print for life.
Hope 2013 goes well.
Lucy
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And the same to you Lucy. Here’s to much straying from the path in 2013.
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Happy New Year! I’m on a health kick. No snacks between meals, and lots of walking, so maybe I’ll try this – it’s a lovely area, and I’m quite willing to get distracted along the way! I’ll look this one up on the OS map I’ve got – it’s a large-scale one of Lichfield, Tamworth and North Warwickshire, and is supposed to show all the footpaths. I’m after ideas of places to go to, but I’m so unfit I’m starting with short walks.
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Happy New Year Christine! This is quite an easy walk, so a good one to start. If you wanted to get distracted, a little detour up Abnalls Lane wouldn’t be a bad idea.. earthworks of a moated manor house, a supposed holloway, the gateway lodge to Maple Hayes. In fact I might write another walk! PS Take wellies if you go in the near future, I have never seen it so wet over there!
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Kate, good luck for this New Year to you, family and friends and all the readers of your blogs. Another great blog and a long time ago I use to walk the paths you have highlighted. The routes were much better before the western by-pass was built, but I guess it’s all progression.
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Thank you, and to you too. It is a shame that the Western Bypass cuts through the area these days I don’t know if you saw the photo of one of the early bower queens I put on here some time back, but it was taken at a spot that is now the bypass!
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Hi Kate, I’ve been following your blog for a few months now. I am not familiar with the Leomansley side of Lichfield as I am not orginally from Lichfield (although I have lived here for over 11 years now; time flies!) But I did this walk for the first time last week with two of my three children and our dog. It was very muddy but we all thoroughly enjoyed it: taking in a different perspective of Lichfield and something I love doing – following in the footsteps of people who have lived before, imagining what it would have been like before cars and suchlike and of course we all loved seeing the deer. The next day we went again taking my eldest son too. And he has been again today with his friend – all new territory for young males to explore. I am interested in local and social history and find your blog very informative. Thank you for all your hard work and please, please continue.
P.S. From your blog I know you have read Cuthbert Brown’s, Born in a Cathedral City but have you read Daisy’s Lichfield (and More Daisy’s Lichfield) by Daisy Winder about 1920’s Lichfield especially in and around Stowe Street. Such a lot has changed since then and although I was born 50 years later somehow it doesn’t seem so long ago. All the best for 2013.
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Margaret, thank you so much for your comment I am so happy that you did it, and also took the time to let me know! I’ve had 2 New Year walks over there so far, and I have never seen it so muddy but it is a lovely walk whatever the conditions! I can especially recommend it in Spring, and if you look here http://www.pipegreentrust.org/ you’ll see all of the lovely flora and fauna that can be found in the area. I like the idea following in the footsteps of people who came before very much, and as you say so much has changed within a couple of generations. I will definitely seek out the books by Daisy Winder. I would also recommend a new book by Annette Rubery called Lichfield Now and Them which compares old photographs with modern ones. Some places have changed so much, but others like Quonians Lane, have stayed almost the same, visually at least!
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I walked that walk many times when I lived in Christchurch Gardens and have many happy memories. It is such a beautifull area and I can tjoroughly recomend it to anyone.
I even walked it Christmas Day after lunch and there was still a stark beauty.
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