To Orton and Back...

Friday 28th August 2020 and my Bank Holiday weekend is kickstarted courtesy of a satisfying South Staffordshire stroll followed with a pint or three in Penn - here comes the tale of the trip...

- Nuno Knows -

Starting out as I so often do by joining the disused railway line that went from Wolverhampton to Wombourne, I aim for the Staffordshire section today and within no time at all I'm on the outskirts of Lower Penn. The bridges at Market Lane and Langley Road are always a surefire bet for some interesting street art, mainly depicting dog breeds or colourful ladies although one of the latest Graffoflage additions is a tribute to the Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and his magnificent beard!

- The Wilds of South Staffordshire -

Greyhound Lane (Penn Halt) is usually my cue to leave the former railway but on this occasion I fancy extending my horizons a little further. The small hamlet of Orton is the place I have in mind, meaning there are three more bridges for me to negotiate first. Penstone Lane and Blackpit Lane dovetail nicely in allowing a brief road-based detour just to see if I can find anything worth taking pictures of; the junction with Dene Road thereby offers fields, farms and fingerposts to keep my camera busy. 

- Flash Lane Bridge -

The honour of being today's exiting point ultimately falls to Flash Lane just north of Wombourne. I scramble down to the road and then wade through the flood puddle immediately underneath the bridge, thankfully it isn't too deep. Orton itself is soon on the horizon as a disparate collection of cottages and farmsteads, bonfire smoke mingling with the scent of manure to perfume the air. Among the prominent residences are Orton Hall and Orton Grange while Age UK have a day centre at Orton Meadows.

- Orton, Showell Lane -

The centre of the settlement is the crossroads where Orton Lane, Flash Lane and Showell Lane all converge. I take the latter of those as my preferred route into Penn - a sign warns that the road is unsuitable for lorries and I'm not surprised, being as it's very narrow with high hedges and some tight bends when you get up towards Blazebank plantation. Along the way, I recall possibly my only previous Orton encounter whereby a barn and a stile look very familiar from a walk Dad and I did many moons ago.

- The Rose & Crown -

After something of a climb, I reach the residential stretch of Showell Lane that precedes my arrival into Penn. The weather forecast is iffy for the afternoon so I stock up on some suburban streetscapes while the sun is still out - Wynchcombe Avenue, Lytton Avenue and Canterbury Road all feature as I weave my way from Warstones Road to Pinfold Lane before rewarding my endeavours with a long-overdue visit to the Rose & Crown. Situated next to Penn Hospital, this is a Sizzling Pub & Grill I last sampled in June 2008 so my refreshing pint of Strongbow has been a long time coming!

- Wainwright in the Hollybush -

The weather as predicted takes a turn for the worse so I decide to see what the Covid setup entails at a couple more of Penn's pub establishments. Sanitising hands and giving 'track and trace' details is starting to become second nature now as the Hollybush gives me shelter from the worst of the downpours. A well-kept Wainwright later and a break in the rain prompts me to dart to the Spring Hill for the prospect of some excellent Ludlow Gold and a pack of scratchings. Whilst it's always important to bear any virus precautions in mind, it does feel great to be able to support local boozers again during these tough times - cheers!