Grebir one

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I completed this walk yesterday walking south from Great Barr. A very straightforward route mainly consisting of two canal towpaths. Although it's a mile and a half longer than Grebir two, I opted to do this version mainly due to the ease at which I could navigate the route, and a guilty curiosity of wanting to walk under Spaghetti Junction.

Leaving Great Barr seems to happen very quickly via brief mixtures of alleyways and suburban roads (photo 1) and in next to no time you reach the Tame Valley Canal. The initial section along the canal offers fantastic views towards Birmingham and the surrounds due to it's high elevation and is a great start to the canal walking.

It then takes you through a deep cutting (photo 3), under the A34 and down the Perry Barr locks which are alongside the impressive Alexander Stadium built for the 2022 Commonwealth Games (photo 6). You criss cross the M6 a couple of times before reaching the Brookvale Road bridge where the towpath switches sides and which you have to cross via the only steps on the route (photo 8) to continue.

You then meet the M6 for a final time at the Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known as Spaghetti Junction. I couldn't help marvel at the maze of concrete which takes both road and rail routes across this part of the world, and you certainly get a good appreciation of the complex civil engineering from the towpath (photo 9).

The route then immediately switches canals as you turn right onto the start (or the finish) of the Grand Union Canal (photo 10). From here it's a three mile walk into the centre of Birmingham, and the canal reflects this as you pass through industrial estates. The final section of the canal walk here goes through some very narrow tunnels in the City centre, with occasional views of the surrounding skyline (photo 14). You leave the canal at Newhall St which you walk down to Bennetts Hill and New St.

It's a great walk, which I feel would be unfair to give it four stars. It's surfaced towpaths throughout, so no muddy puddles to negotiate and has lots of varied interest. I can definitely recommend this if you don't mind taking the longer route.

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