Day 4 - all the Ws and "retrospective fun"

It was a slow start to the day with the sat nav sending us first to a no entry sign and then trying to send us through the closed roads until we arrived "fashionably late" at the Ironbridge to start the walk. There was quite a posse waiting for us - members of the Ironbridge Lions, and Robin, one of my sponsors. As they were all locals I asked (hopefully) if anyone knew the way. Nope. Oh gawd, here I am, expected to lead a merry band of 10 with no clue where to start. It was a miracle we got on the right path at all!  However they were a very forgiving, jolly bunch and with all the chatting we whizzed past all the fabulous Coalbrookdale buildings with barely a second glance, out into open countryside heady with the scent of bluebells and wild garlic, following a mixture of Shropshire Way signs and Telford 50 signs. 

Just before we reached Little Wenlock we had the entertainment of sheep shearing 

before descending to the Village Hall and a very warm welcome with several familiar faces, and we were joined by members of "Wellington Walkers are Welcome".

"Where are you going from here?" I was asked and when I showed the route on my phone I was bombarded with advice of "better" routes to go. It was impossible to remember all the conflicting instructions so I decided to stick to the Plan and stay on the Shropshire Way - with hindsight, I probably should have listened....

The next part of the route was a KILLER but at least we had Naomi with us. She is the champion of that section of the Shropshire Way and responsible for making sure it is well waymarked and clear of obstacles and obvioulsy knows it in detail - how lucky was that?  She was a mine of information but as she was talking let slip that she was glad of the company because she "wasn't confident of climbing little hill by herself" which I thought was a rather curious thing to say.

Little Hill!  What a misnomer that turned out to be! It was a sheer upward route of about 900feet - and that wasn't even to the top of the Wrekin!  Some of our party decided to peel off at this point and walk round rather than up to the trig point - I didn't dare! But I certainly felt a lack of fitness and was glad to get to the top where we were joined by Simon, one of my Trustees.

From there it was downhill all the way and half way down Selina Graham, the current High Sheriff, was waiting to walk me down to Sunnycroft (kindly open just for me and my gang). 

On the way we shared stories of "retrospective fun". After all, that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger - and there is always a good story to tell afterwards!