Birmingham

By popular request, Mary Coles led this hike of about 10 miles in based on her Hidden Birmingham walk in December 2023. 

Jane and Colin led this walk of around 8 miles from Perry Barr Station (Birchfield Road, Perry Barr, B20 3JE) on Sat 9 Mar. We followed walk 13 from A-Z Birmingham Hidden Walks: Discover 20 routes in and around the city which is available at "Amazon and all good booksellers".  The walk is on pavements, canal towpaths and uneven park paths and the following notes come from the guidebook:   

'There's never been a better time for Birmingham to tell its story' according to Peaky Blinders creator and opening ceremony producer, Steven Knight, on the event that will change the city's image for generations of people. The focal point of the 2022 Commonwealth Games is the renovated Alexander Stadium, which features on this walk along with the athletes' village that never was, as well as a cemetery and an iconic landmark rarely traversed on foot.

This walk of contrasts starts in the northern suburb of Perry Barr, 4 miles (6.7 km) from the city centre. You will discover a charming lock-keeper's cottage hidden from view. You will walk through Birmingham's largest cemetery with a spectacular chapel offering one of the best vantage points over the City, and where dignified graves remind us of the shared history that the Commonwealth nations have beyond sport.

Approaching along the Tame Valley Canal you will pass under north Birmingham's temple to brutalism: Spaghetti Junction- With the tangle of roads spiralling above, there is a surprising calm along the tree-lined canal-side. These are some of Birmingham's least-visited gems that offer a rewarding experience for the more adventurous explorer. 

Mary Coles led this walk of just over 10 miles in Hidden Birmingham! This urban walk starts from New St Station and follows some of the Platinum Jubilee Walkway. It takes in the Georgian and Jewellery Quarters of the City, including the Warstone Lane Cemetery.  It follows the canal to the NIA and Roundhouse before heading to the Edgbaston Reservoir, the Harborne Walkway and some smart residential streets in Harborne and Edgbaston. Finally, the route heads back to the City Centre along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. If anyone wants to do a shorter walk they can dip out at the NIA after about 3.5 miles or take a bus back to the centre from Harborne.

This walk from Sarehole Mill car park, Cole Bank Road, B13 0BD was led by Garry Chiles. The route follows the valley of the River Cole from Sarehole Mill in a southerly direction to Yardley Wood and back to the Mill.

This walk was led by Sarah Meharg; it started from the Ten Four Bakehouse, Unit 11, Stirchley Trading Estate, B30 2PF (sadly closed for a summer break when we were there) and ended at the Birmingham Brewing Company Taproom. The walk is 9 miles and is all pavement. The route follows the River Rea through parkland to Cannon Hill Park and cuts through Edgbaston before walking back via the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

The walk commenced at Gas St. Basin in Birmingham and followed the Worcester-Birmingham Canal to Diglis Basin in Worcester. The walk was 31 miles along the canal and the return was by taxi to Hampton Gym. The walk was led by Bob Reid.

This route begins from the rear of the ICC in Birmingham and is about 8 1/2 miles long. From the rear of the ICC the route goes to the Edgbaston Reservoir via the Birmingham Canal, into Summerfield Park and then along the Harborne Walkway into Harborne. The middle section takes in some interesting residential streets, featuring fine examples of Victorian terraces and some of the grandest houses in Birmingham. The last stage picks up the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near the University and returns to the ICC past the Mailbox and Gas Street Basin.

This walk around the canals of central Birmingham, is approx. 9 miles long and starts from Farmers Bridge Junction by the Barclaycard Arena. The whole way is on hard track towpaths.

From Farmers Bridge Junction take the towpath towards Aston, keep following the towpath on the left of the canal under several bridges and past many locks, passing the Post Office Tower on the right until Aston Junction is reached. Here join the Birmingham & Fazeley canal by keeping straight on and ignoring the first footbridge and then crossing the second footbridge over the canal to the towpath now on the right of the canal.