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In the morning, I had a lovely breakfast of home-made granola and kefir and there were a couple more give him a biscuit jokes directed at Bondy. I gave Anna a big hug and Dave drove me the short distance to Balsall Common. Dave appeared fully recovered, apart from his knee, obviously. We said our goodbyes and I walked off towards Meriden.

After a mile or so, the path forward was completely blocked by HS2 works across the Heart of England path. An alternative route was well signposted though and I was offered a cup of coffee by a friendly guy who emerged from a hut at the roadhead. Little time was lost and I regained the path by the churchyard at the village of Berkswell. 

I soon arrived in Meriden, officially the centre of England marked by a 500 year cross on the village green. Strangely, the heart of England Way bypasses the village at the heart of England and the cross was a mile or so in the wrong direction so I didn’t take a photo and didn’t visit. I had a very good second breakfast at the Barn at Berryfields, mindful that I needed to consume more calories, and then set off again.

For the rest of the morning, the walk was pleasant, across farmer’s fields punctuated by wildflower meadows and buttercup fields. The walk was a little longer than advertised as I had to take the long way round a number of times to avoid walking across crops. I was a bit freaked out by the pedestrian bridge across the M6. I’d been in the countryside so long now I was slightly unsettled by the cars hurtling in both directions, Birmingham clearly visible in the distance.

About 1:30 a minor navigational gaffe brought me to a country lane. Checking my map there was a pub en route 20 minutes walk away. Time for more calories and time for a beer. Coming down the hill, I walked past a charming cottage with a beautiful garden, another old rectory to add to my collection. You have definitely come up in the world if you live in an old rectory.

After the pub I set off on the section of the walk that would take me past Shustoke reservoir. I fancied a change in the landscape. The way took me along a dead straight path with a railway line on one side and the reservoir on my left. Unfortunately, there was a small stream and trees between the reservoir and my path. I assumed at some stage the trees would end and I’d get a view but they didn’t. Looking at my map there were plenty of pathways on the other side of the reservoir, but impossible to get to now. What were the Heart of England people thinking bringing us this way? Not for the first time I thought their choices of route decidedly odd, perversely keeping people away from points of interest and interesting things to see. Shustoke reservoir may not be beautiful. I will never know. I am however well acquainted with a railway line running somewhere between Birmingham and Coventry. Lucky me.

The rest of the afternoon went quickly and I made good progress. I saw some pretty cottages, but there was rather too much walking around the edges of farmers fields and on roads. By 5:30 I was approaching Kingsbury, where I planned to have my main meal of the day before walking on in the evening. It was at this point I received a disturbing message. Apparently I was being followed by a strange man, pictured below. At this stage he had only walked 1 mile from Lands’ End to Sennen Cove but his grin reminded me of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. One night I could be awoken unexpectedly in my tent by a cry of “here comes Chris Birkett”.

After Kingsbury, I came to a very lovely wetlands area and while exploring the woods and ponds walked straight past a campsite that I hadn’t known about. It was 7:30 by this time and due to rain that night, so I checked myself in. It was an official camping and caravanning club place, very full on a bank holiday. Everyone was very friendly. I sat down with Alan and Dawn drinking Alan’s beer for an hour or so talking about all sorts.

Good progress today. I’m actually ahead of schedule.

Day Summary

Goodbye to the Bonds. Fields and pastures. Crossing the Heart of England. Watch out for the lunatic.