Ooops, lost again!

Tuesday, 10 March 2009 21:19

Lost again? Oh yes, but this time on shank's pony.

"Bridge 78 has good access to the shops in Whittington" - did I say that on yesterday's blog? Hmm... So you, dear Reader, do not make the same mistake, let me explain.

We set off from the boat over the bridge and the lane took us into Spring Lane. We remembered this - or so we thought. We struck off down Middleton Lane opposite. We tried going down another side road off this - no it was a dead end! Middleton Lane eventually meets Spring Lane; we had gone in a half circle!

Carrying on along Spring Lane we came to a fork - which prong to take? Let's try the left one - a cul-de-sac. However it had a lane at the end that took us to a fairly main road, turning right we arrived at the cross roads in Whittington. Oh dear, there goes the bus we planned to catch to Lichfield. We had to wait half an hour for another one!

On the bus at last, we passed the end of The Green - the right fork was the correct one to take, we had done a long detour and could have caught the bus outside The Bell Inn which is near the small supermarket! OK, I repeat Bridge 78 is the best access for the shops and bus, if you know which way to go and now, dear Reader you do! Left down Spring Lane, The Green and hey presto a 10 minute walk from the canal!

Arriving in Lichfield in the day this time, it was easier to get our bearings and we found the short cut from the bus station into the town. Lichfield has three famous sons, Samuel Johnson, Erasmus Darwin and David Garrick.

Three gentlemen are at the moment recreating the walk that Dr Johnson and his pupil David Garrick made to London in 1737 to celebrate Dr Johnson's Tercentenary. They are Peter Martin, Dr Johnson's Biographer, Dr Nicolas Cambridge, Chairman of the Johnson Society of London and an amanuensis, Peter Martin's son.

They are not be walking the original route via Watling Street (now the A5) but are using the canal towpaths, a less direct route of 165 miles. So follow the blog or look out for them, Granny Buttons has already had an encounter with them. They were at Hayes Town on the GU today, only two more days to go.

Unfortunately we did not have time to visit Dr Johnson's House Museum as our prime aim today was to visit Lichfield Cathedral. More about that to follow.

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