Normally this would be the time of year when everyone's favourite highwayman Nick Turpin plots his 'Festive Forage', an opulent extravaganza of plunder and merriment. Covid has other ideas of course so there can be no dandyish delinquency, no Stagecoach shenanigans and - worst of all - no pubs this time around. Instead our scaled-back seasonal special involves a socially distanced sampling of the Grand Union Canal near Solihull...
- Station Lamp, Olton -
Friday 17th December 2020 dawns with some welcome morning sunshine so I'm keen to maximise my photographic opportunities en route to Solihull. I therefore alight at Olton where the traditional waiting room on the island platform is lovingly strewn with silver streamers. Olton Station originally opened in 1869 and was then reworked during the 1930s; chunky lamps help add to the period detail while it is clear that the facility is well cared for by volunteers who look after the planters and hanging baskets.
- The Lyndon -
A round-the-block loop of Richmond Road and Lyndon Road will get my exploring off and running for the day, and it makes a change to be getting pictures of somewhere other than Wolverhampton! Features include St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, the Richmond Medical Centre and a Kelvinator Launderama although my undoubted top target has to be the Lyndon pub. This is a suburban roadhouse I've never had the pleasure of frequenting, even though it earned rave reviews from Life After Football - I make a mental note to have a priority pint here once the pandemic has passed.
- Coptic Orthodox Cathedral -
I'm due to meet Towpath Turpin at Solihull Station come 11am so I need to get a move on or else I'll be late (it's never wise to keep an outlaw waiting). Warwick Road has me on target for an elegant glimpse of the Dovehouse shopping parade, and I'm soon forgiven for arriving five minutes behind schedule. Reunited with Nick, our walk proper commences with Lode Lane as we pass Solihull Hospital, the Mill Pool scout hut and the Jaguar Land Rover car plant. Perhaps the most interesting discovery is St Mary & Archangel Michael's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral as situated off Caldwell Grove - Coptic Orthodoxy is not a denomination I know much about but I believe it originated in Egypt (Alexandria).
- Lode Lane Bridge -
The centrepiece of this furtle requires us to investigate a short(ish) stretch of the Grand Union Canal, starting from Bridge 82 at Dovehouse Lane. The waterway occupies quite a deep cutting at this point and passes in turn below Lode Lane, Rowood Drive and Damson Lane offering just the occasional hint of back gardens or moored miniature pleasure boats. Conditions underfoot are somewhat squelchy so we're glad to be wearing appropriate footwear; conversation meanwhile concentrates on our hopes that the vaccine roll-out programme will have the desired effect of bringing the pandemic to a close.
- Towpath Turpin primed for action -
There's something about an energetic stroll on a crisp winter's day that simply feels good for the mind and the soul, lifting some of the gloom of lockdown. The scenery opens out again slightly as we reach Damson Parkway (Bridge 78A) which acts as our Elmdon Heath exit point - apparently it is only a further mile to Catherine-de-Barnes so we've food for thought there as regards a future wander. Heading back towards the town centre, we note a BUPA Hospital before spotting the prestigious grounds of the Solihull School as seen from Hampton Lane.
- Prancing Horse, Malvern Park -
The weather has certainly held nicely for us and Nick is looking forward to unwrapping his Christmas calendar. Malvern Park is chosen as the location for the 'Big Reveal' once we've found a suitably sheltered seat, hence Nick can get to grips with his gift - 2020's chosen photos include the Nuneaton Nun, Bedworth Carling and even an appearance from Coseley Pete. Our meeting then draws to a close as we say farewell to the park's Prancing Horse statue, crafted in bronze by Joseph Boehm in honour of Sir Alfred Bird. With that it's off to the station for our respective trains home, cheers!
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