Boots are passed on

Buy photos » John Partridge hands over Trevor’s boots to Monica and Jeff Garfield. Picture by Marcus Mingins 1412051MMR. Order this picture at www.buyphotos247.com.

A PAIR of boots used by the creator of a popular walking route have made their final journey through Redditch.

Each of the 64 stages along the Monarch's Way, designed by Trevor Antill, is looked after by a minder who is now carrying the last pair of boots he used before his death 18 months ago along their section of the route.

John Partridge, responsible for the section between the Ye Olde Black Cross in Bromsgrove and Morton Stanley Park, met with Monica and Jeff Garfield yesterday (Thursday) to hand over the boots which they will now take to the next minder in Alcester.

Headless Cross resident Mr Partridge told the Standard: "We are carrying his boots along the route as a tribute to him as, not only did he design the 615 mile route, he was also footpath secretary for the Worcestershire Ramblers for ten years.

"Having been involved in the route for 15 years, I was well aware of the enormous amount of work Trevor did in trying to keep the county council aware of the problems with footpaths in the county.

"Something deserved to be done in his memory and as well as the walk, there was enough money collected in donations at his funeral to pay for five or six benches as a memorial to him which will be placed at locations along the route."

Mr Antill wrote three guide books about the Monarch's Way in 1994 after he designed the route, which roughly follows the path taken by King Charles II when he escaped after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Since his death in 2010, members of the association have continued to campaign to get the stiles and gates on the route upgraded which would mean it would be declared a National Trail.

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