Dudley

Walk Details:
Date: 13/11/2004
Total ascent: 21m/ 69ft
Total distance walked: 0.36 miles
Walk difficulty: 1/10
Enjoyment rating: 1.5/10
Best bits: Rope swing, good views of Dudley
Worst bits: Mobile phone masts at top, lots of litter
Car Parking: Park in nearby residential roads eg Tansley Hill Road

Top details:
Name: Tansley Hill
County top number: 26 of 207
Grid reference: SO 95350 89720 MAP
Height above sea level: 251m/ 823ft
How nice was it?: 1.5/10 for the top, 0.5/10 for the ascent
Description/Notes: Highest point in Dudley Unitary Authority. Some sources refer to this as Cawney Hill.

The Walk:

Dark was starting to fall as we parked in Tansley Hill Road, ready to bag our sixth top of the day - more than we'd expected given the late start.

This one was completed very swiftly. We could see the mobile phone masts marking the top of the hill from where we'd parked. Jogging up to the top of Tansley Hill Road we found a path descending into a grassy area. Bearing right and uphill from this path towards the phone mast enclave, we came across a rope swing made from a dustbin lid - I was of course compelled to have a go, and then had enormous difficulty getting off it again!

Pushing through undergrowth to the top of the hill we came to the wall surrounding the radio masts. It seems that every hilltop in the West Midlands is ravaged by these iron monstrosities - whilst I appreciate having good 'phone reception as much as anyone, surely there is a more aesthetically pleasing way to do this?

The ground seemed to be slightly higher outside the wall than inside, and we concluded that we were at the county top. Turning round to headback, we were greeted with the sight of a magnificent sunset behind the Dudley skyline - Jim went into a photo frenzy!

We then ran for the car, thinking that if we were quick, we may yet be able to fit in a record seventh top in one day!

Conclusion:
An indeterminate point on the boundary of a mobile phone mast station, set in a small and scrappy looking open space. Despite the good views, this top is truly one for county top purists only.