Aldridge, Stonnall and Shenstone

Thursday 26th September 2013 and the rare chance these days for a spot of solo exploration, starting off in Aldridge and then crossing the Chester Road to investigate a couple of Staffordshire villages...

- The Avion, now a Wetherspoons -

It had been a while since I'd last visited Aldridge but its always nice to be back. My new Sony digital camera is put through its paces with pub photos of the White House (Bosty Lane) and the Bowman (Gretton Crescent), and I also note that the transformation of the old Avion cinema into a JD Wetherspoons is now complete.

- Castlefort School -

From Anchor Road I continue along Northgate, passing industrial units and part of the Leighswood Nature Reserve. Nearby, the Struggling Monkey is being rebranded as the Lime Kiln with builders on site carrying out the makeover. Next up is the Castlefort estate, a place I remember as the old 368 bus terminus (the 7A stops there now) and for a primary school surrounded by a hedge.

- Stonnall Pinfold -

Castlehill Road leads me away from residential surroundings into more rural ones before I dash across Chester Road into Stonnall. The village has plenty to keep me occupied, including the village hall, some playing fields, two pubs (the Old Swan and the Royal Oak) and a shopping parade. My favourite find however is the historic pinfold on the Church Lane fork - this is where stray cattle would be impounded in years gone by, with owners having to pay a fine to secure the release of their animals. St Peter's then adds to my collection of Staffordshire church photos as I proceed towards Lower Stonnall and Footherly.

- Bulls Head, Shenstone -

From Footherly I take the back lane into Shenstone, passing over the railway and emerging by the Fox & Hounds. Shenstone is a little bigger than Stonnall and has a branch library, a war memorial and a few more pubs, notably the Railway, the Plough and the Bulls Head. The main road between Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth skirts the village although the centre is fairly secluded with an attractive narrow main street.

- Shenstone Station -

My wander finishes at Shenstone Station, which up until this outing was the only remaining place on the Cross City line that I hadn't photographed. The old station house is very impressive and surprisingly large for a village station, although the ticket office only opens in peak morning hours so I don't know how much the building actually gets used. A few platform shots complete the job and the 14:18 service towards Birmingham offers me a relaxing ride home.