The LDWA website warns "certain sections of this LDP have fallen into disrepair and have become overgrown".
They were not wrong!
Two of us set off yesterday evening from The Mermaid, the source of the River Hamps, on its 14 mile journey to its confluence with the River Manifold at Weags Bridge. Warm and sultry throughout, when ever we stopped, to check the map or find a rotten footbridge that was hidden in undergrowth, we were instantly covered in bugs of one description or another including hungry horseflies.
Amongst the usual nettles and brambles there was chest high Butterbur and Giant Hogweed to contend with. It was not all grief though. Wonderful countryside and lovely running on some newly mown meadows. Plenty of wildlife, the pick being two very close Herons and a Tawny Owl.
As most of the route is through farmland the signage could have been a bit better and some of the stiles and wooden footbridges were rotten and quite dangerous.
There were a few sections of tarmac including the last 3 miles along the old track bed of the Manifold Railway from Waterhouses to Weags Bridge.
Despite the heat, the bugs, the undergrowth and both of us aching from weekend racing we managed the 14.7 miles in 2hrs 26min. The elevation drop from start to finish was 980 feet but we still managed to find 491 feet of ascent!
An enjoyable evening overall, not the best time of year to do this, but it does need to be done when it is relatively dry underfoot as in wet conditions it would be a bog fest.
And finally, Staffordshire County Councils footpath officer needs to pull his or her finger out!
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