The Ride to Abbots Bromley, 6/9/10

From remarks in e-mails and on the blog it is unlikely that there is a "one size fits all" ride to and from Abbots Bromley. In the light of that, I give below some (hopefully) useful facts so that interested parties can decide their own schedule for the day.
A Google route from Mickleover station to the centre of Abbots Bromley suggests a distance of 23.5 miles. To allow for the ups and downs and also possible corner cutting whilst drawing the map it would be prudent to add 10% and thus allow for a distance of about 27 miles each way. The car park at Shobnall Recreation Centre is almost exactly half way.
Rugeley Trent Valley station is on the right side of Rugeley on the B5013 and is about 4 miles from Blithfield Hall and 7 from AB (and some 70 metres lower in elevation!). It has an hourly service from and to Tamworth which itself has 2 trains per hour from Derby. Outbound one can leave Derby at xx.36 to arrive at Tamworth some 25 minutes later and then wait a half hour for the xx.30 to Rugeley, arriving at xx.42. The fare is £12.30 before deductions for railcards. The return is xx.32 from Rugeley to Tamworth and again there is a little under a half hour wait there for a Burton or Derby train. The Derby service which connects with the 17:32 from Rugeley also stops at Willington. The fare is £12.30 again and it appears that there is a day return at a little over £14.
It is not much further from Uttoxeter station to AB but the route is hilly and on a "B" road. Trains are xx.40 from Derby, call at Tutbury and Hatton and arrive into Uttoxeter around the hour. Trains back also leave just before the hour. I do not know the fare.
All these trains have a limit of 2 cycles.
Those of us who cycled home would not be able to eat at Mac's cafe in Burton as it closes at 2pm but there is a transport cafe on the A38 just west of Branston which is accessible without using the A38 itself and which stays open to 8pm. It would entail a diversion of a couple of miles. Alternatively (and much more expensive) is the Waterfront Restaurant at Barton Marina. Mains here are an average of about £10 with starter or puds at £5. There is also the Albion pub near to Shobnall which is right on R54. This has a "2 for 1" main course option on selected items  - there is quite a good range of choices (including fish and chips for £7.75) - and starters or deserts are £3 to £4 on average.
Taking Clyde's point that the Horn Dancing is best appreciated in AB itself it does seem that an afternoon visit may be preferable. The schedule says that the dancers return to the Bagot Pub (which is in AB) at 15:30 so I suggest that we could rendezvous at the Bagot at 14.00. This will allow some time to sample the stalls (and ale??) and/or to ride out to meet the incoming dancers. I suspect that getting a meal in any of the pubs may be a drawn out affair and could be expensive. I am unsure where the Rugeley Turn is - it does not seem to be a pub.
I am interested in the opportunity to visit Blithfield Hall and, unless it is raining heavily, I shall cycle both ways. If anyone else is intending to cycle there I shall be at Mickleover station for 09.00 but if I dont hear I shall go direct from my house to the path along the A38 to get to Stretton.
Comments/suggestions welcome.
See you there!!