Longbridge — Birmingham
Lonbir one
Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Lonbir here.
Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Lonbir here.
By a Slow Ways Volunteer on 07 Apr 2021
Description
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Longbridge and Birmingham.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Longbridge and Birmingham.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
Status
This route has been reviewed by 3 people.
This route has been flagged (1 time) for reasons relating to access.
This route has been flagged (2 times) for reasons relating to accuracy.
Photos for Lonbir one
Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.
Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 3
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - No (3)
Problems reported - Access (1) Accuracy (2)
Downloads - 8
Surveys
What is this route like?
Surveys are submitted by fellow users of this website and show what you might expect from this Slow Ways route. Scroll down the page to read more detailed surveys.
Grade 2X based on 1 surveys | Sign up or log in to survey this route. | ||
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Description | Note | ||
Grade 2: Mostly smooth and compacted surfaces, but there may be some loose gravel, muddy patches or cobbles. Access grade X: At least one stile, flight of steps or other obstacle that is highly likely to block access for wheelchair and scooter users. |
Grading is based on average scores by surveyors. This slow way has 1 surveys. | ||
Full grading description |
Only people who have completed our training can become Slow Ways surveyors and submit a survey. We do not vet contributors, so we cannot guarantee the quality or completeness of the surveys they complete. If you are dependent on the information being correct we recommend reading and comparing surveys before setting off.
Survey Photos
Facilities
Facilities in the middle third of this route.
Challenges
Potential challenges reported on this route. Some challenges are seasonal.
Obstacles
Obstacles on this route.
Accessibility
Is this route step and stile free?
Measurements
Surveyors were asked to measure the narrowest and steepest parts of paths.
The narrowest part of the path is 83.0cm (1)
The steepest uphill gradient East: no data
The steepest uphill gradient West: no data
The steepest camber: no data
How clear is the waymarking on the route: Unclear in places (1)
Successfully completed
We asked route surveyors "Have you successfully completed this route with any of the following? If so, would you recommend it to someone with the same requirements?". Here is how they replied.
Recommended by an expert
We asked route surveyors "Are you a trained access professional, officer or expert? If so, is this route suitable for someone travelling with any of the following?" Here is how they replied.
Terrain
We asked route surveyors to estimate how much of the route goes through different kinds of terrain.
There is no data on how much of this route is on roads
30.0% of the route is lit at night (1)
90.0% of the route is paved (1)
There is no data on muddiness
5.0% of the route is over rough ground (1)
There is no data on long grass
Report a problem with this data
1 surveys
Information from verified surveys.
Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Longbridge
Grid Ref
SP0138577573
Lat / Lon
52.39619° / -1.98106°
Easting / Northing
401,385E / 277,573N
What3Words
spit.scarcely.nation
Birmingham
Grid Ref
SP0692386533
Lat / Lon
52.47670° / -1.89950°
Easting / Northing
406,923E / 286,533N
What3Words
bumps.report.covers
Lonbir One's land is
Longbridge | |
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Grid Ref | SP0138577573 |
Lat / Lon | 52.39619° / -1.98106° |
Easting / Northing | 401,385E / 277,573N |
What3Words | spit.scarcely.nation |
Birmingham | |
---|---|
Grid Ref | SP0692386533 |
Lat / Lon | 52.47670° / -1.89950° |
Easting / Northing | 406,923E / 286,533N |
What3Words | bumps.report.covers |
Green urban | 7.1% |
Urban | 92.9% |
Data: Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2018
reviews
ChrisR
25 Jul 2021Unfortunately, as currently mapped this route incorporates a number of problems and alignment inaccuracies. However where the route mapping correctly follows Sustrans national cycle route 5 and/or the towpath of the Birmingham and Worcester Canal it is fine.
Comments (starting from Birmingham New Street Station):
On road footway into the markets area and Digbeth. At Moat Lane the footpath is not usable where the former Wholesale Markets building is currently being demolished.
Along Rea Street and then along a length of MacDonald Street, turning into Charles Henry Street in Digbeth and then into Highgate - this is an area of light industrial buildings and yards and not a particularly pleasant walking environment.
The route then briefly leaves the road network to pass around the back of Chandos Primary School.
A better and simpler route to this point in Highgate and also with more active street frontages and footfall would be to leave New Street Station along the lower end of Hill Street, follow Hurst Street through the Southside/Chinatown area turn along Sherlock Street and then left along Gooch Street.
At this point in Highgate there is a map draughting error which shows the route passing across the river and through industrial buildings whereas it should follow the Sustrans route 5 to the end of Gooch Street and then into Horton Square to cross the Middleway.
From this point running south to Edgbaston Cricket Ground again there are map draughting errors which run the route haphazardly across land alongside the River Rea whereas it should continue to follow the signposted Sustrans route 5.
Similar map draughting errors continue through Cannon Hill Park (such as routing through a fenced allotment site) where the Sustrans route 5 should continue to be followed.
The route crosses Dogpool Lane. Further south an error shows the route on the wrong side of the river whereas it should continue to follow Sustrans route 5.
Close to Hunts Road in Stirchley the route crosses a footbridge and heads towards Bournville Station. At this point a preferable route could be to continue along the riverside Sustrans route 5 until it joins the Birmingham and Worcester Canal towpath at Dacer Close.
The mapped route goes over the Hunts Road footbridge. At this point a large development site has obliterated the mapped route. The suggested route to Bournville Station seems circuitous, the most direct way being to follow Hunts Road onto Pershore Road then turn up Maryvale Road where ramped access is available onto the station and the canal towpath.
The route at this point simply follows the Birmingham and Worcester Canal towpath southwards to Kings Norton Junction. There are further map draughting errors where the route is shown on the wrong side of the towpath.
At this point the route goes through Kings Norton Playing Fields and then Kings Norton Park. Again there are some draughting errors which place the route incorrectly and it should continue to follow Sustrans route 5.
This pattern continues all the way to Longbridge with some draughting errors needing to be corrected so that the route properly follows Sustrans route 5. In Northfield a section of route is shown running through woodland parallel to Mill Lane so for those who wanted to follow a lit section, the footway of Mill Lane could be shown as an alternative.
Dave4
02 Jul 2021This route needs amending as the section from the River Rea across to Pershore Rad, Stirchley is closed by a construction site blocking Hazelwell Lane. This appears to be a long established project and it is surprising not to have been picked up by the survey? The road may open again at some future point but a fair sized housing estate is being developed so it will be a good while, if at all. There are easy diversions to avoid this.
When amended, the mapping needs to be tightened up considerably - way points are too far apart to give clear directions, for example, as to exactly where to cross the River Rea. Lonbir 2 gives much clearer guidance for the common elements of the routes.
The route sensibly takes in the refreshment opportunities of Pershore Road, Stirchley (not included in Lobir 2) but the detour into Bournville (presumably to provide an opt-out opportunity at the railway station) seems somewhat unnecessary.
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David Sanderson
01 Jul 2021This was my first review of a route that has already been surveyed so I was under the impression that there were no problems before starting. I had high hopes as, unlike Lonbir 2 some attempt had been made to include rest and refreshment stops during its 15km and I was intrigued by the detour into Bournville. It started well although the plotting seemed a little casual but this became critical when it put me the wrong side of the River Rea. I was supposed to cross the bridge at SP 0291 7887 but instead the route continued on the north bank and then suggested that somehow I got across to SP 0334 7894 where there was no crossing. The bridge crossing on the canal was not marked at SP 0545 8031. At Bournville Railway Station the plotting of how to leave the canal was not clear and the route has you walking on the railway prior to leaving the canal. The route then leaves the station to go on a frankly baffling diversion around Mary Vale Road, Franklin Way and then Bournville Lane (see the second photo). In its favour the route then takes you past a number of cafes and a pub in Stirchley but then the route is supposed to go down Hazelwell Lane which has been shut for some time (I recall walking past this more than a year ago) in order to build new houses (see the first and third photos). HOW WAS THIS NOT PICKED UP IN THE SURVEY!!!! The route then rejoins the Rea Walk which is a pleasant way to go. The plotting is loose but not critical as you pass through Ten Acres but as you get near Cannon Hill Park it becomes unusable as it puts you in undergrowth. The only possible route was the Rea path but my phone was telling me I was off course. The next problem encountered was at SP 0741 8541 where the route was asking me to cut through a gap that did not exist to carry on following the river. At this stage, with so many critical errors there seemed no point in trying to follow the rest of the route through Digbeth to the destination outside New Street Station. Poorly conceived, poorly plotted, poorly surveyed.
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