Chris Barnett and I had our best turn out for our annual ride of his Black Country Circular Route. It takes in our annual inspection of the roughest and worst 3 Kms of a 70s/80s footpath on two Pensnett railway lines in Dudley, the historic capital of the Black Country.
Yet, the very next section is the best, with a 2.5 m wide, tarmac smooth surface with walkers of all shapes and sizes and cyclists, too. It goes through the town of Wombourne in South Staffordshire, to the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve in the City of Wolverhampton.
There follows miles of towpaths - but no roads - to the next challenge. This is the mighty, black, unlit, flooded potholes and puddles of the nearly 2,000 yards of the 18th century Netherton Tunnel canal towpath. Forlorn and neglected for 200 years but a shortcut to connect the two Black Country towns of Sandwell and Dudley.
Forlorn and neglected too by the sidelined Canal and River Trust but also by the wealthy and powerful West Midlands Combined Authority. Made up of the local councillors of Brum, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell et al, they have their top priority to turn our two former mainline railways into tramways - plus, much else, too!
More twisting towpaths on the Dudley No 1 Canal to the 50 Kms finish at a beautiful canal marina.
All this is ideal for cycle commuters and business, leisure users. BUT WHAT A DEPLORABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS, too!
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