A dry day – and lots of sunshine at home. The forecast suggested it might get cloudier later, perhaps the chance of a shower to the north-west – we’d better head eastwards.

The sunshine had already gone when we left home – might it shine again later? Inevitably, it waited until we were well into the forest, clouding up again as we emerged from the trees and headed towards the “glacial boulder” prominently marked on the 1:25,000. Some fitful sunshine made the birches glow, before it disappeared altogether…

We walked this route almost exactly a year ago (see Cannock Chase) – this time, we walked anti-clockwise…