Seeking Saltwells

Following swiftly on the coat-tails of my hike around Darlaston and Wednesbury a couple of weeks back, last Friday's outing saw me in rambling mode once again, this time exploring the local areas around Netherton. My mission was to continue to photograph a selection of local pubs along with anything else that caught my eye - here comes the summary...

• 224 - Choice Travel route linking Bilston and Cradley Heath, providing a lengthy epic ride around places such as Parkfields (Hilton Road), Ettingshall Park, Woodcross, Sedgley, Woodsetton, the Foxyards estate, Dudley, Warrens Hall, Uplands, Springfield and Rowley Regis.
  
• Cradley Heath - a few station photos, including the level crossing. Added in a dash of buses with routes 139 and 213 in attendance, then its time to start the walk...
  
• Mushroom Green - a charming little village off Quarry Road. Investigated some cottages and woodland paths before finding part of the old forge, a nice discovery.
  
• Dudley Wood - tracking down the Bunch of Bluebells pub and the old library building, now replaced by a Library Link facility nearby.
  
• Saltwells - The Saltwells Inn sounded intriguing, hidden away down a lane at the gateway to the nature reserve. The reserve itself was worth a visit, offering views of the old clay pit before I emerged at Lodge Farm Reservoir for photos of High Bridge on the Dudley No. 2 Canal.
• Netherton - it's a bit steep approaching the church, which looked very foreboding at the top of the hill. I continue around to Hillcrest School and the Crown pub before heading into the village. The Bulls Head and the Old Swan provided more pub photos before I settled down for some lunch in the park.
• Baptist End - the pub trail continues with the White Swan (Baptist End Road) and the White Lion (St Peter's Road, closed).
• Windmill End - time for a bit of canal indulgence, heading to the Bumble Hole for a look at Cobbs Engine House and the southern portal of Netherton Tunnel (venturing inside to sample the eerie echoing interior). The Dry Dock and the Wheatsheaf add to the pub quota, before I follow more of the Dudley No. 2 Canal to Bullfields Bridge.
  
• Springfield - the 224 bus earlier had provided tantalising glimpses of some photo targets here, and a combination of the Royal Oak, the Hailstone and the Cock finished proceedings very nicely indeed.

And there we have it, another Friday adventure in the bag and March off to an excellent start. I think I might stick with the theme of extended local walks for a while yet, although I do hope to add in a bit more bus and train exploration too as I go along. I wonder where my next outing will take me?