Description
Route RomHal 1 includes a hazardous crossing of the busy A456 dual carriageway, not marked to motorists. This alternative route RomHal2 was explored in the reverse direction, using the road crossing about 500m west opposite the exit of Quarry Lane. This has warning signs for motorists in each direction and short white/red poles marking each exit from the central reservation. There is still no marking on the road surface to indicate the crossing, and it is possible that heavy traffic conditions will provide hazards.
It should be possible to move to route 2 from route 1 as indicated in note 5 below, though we did not walk this part. The distance and the amount of ascent/descent through Halesowen is greater on route 2 but the difference is not measured. The full route 2 is completely separate from route 1.
A detailed description follows, linked to photos which will appear in the survey. The numbers relate to observations recorded on this GPS track through Viewranger.
Walked from Halesowen to Romsley
1 Start from Halesowen Bus Station
1A Photo
Hagley Road steadily uphill, not much traffic
2 Photo
Quarry Lane quiet level suburban road
3 Photo
Footpath downhill off Quarry Lane just before Inkberrow Road
4 Photo
Footpath doubling back from Blakedown Road steeply downhill to A456
4A Road crossing A456
This crossing has no road markings but there are advance notices to motorists in each direction warning that pedestrians may be crossing. Each exit from the central reservation has short white and red posts. There may be times of heavy traffic which make the crossing hazardous.
5 Photo
Waymarked stile at start of right of way beside stream. There is an option at this point to continue on the track to a footpath/track on the left which leads back to the original RomHal1 route, going through a gate on the left into the field with kissing gate at Waypoint named 14 on that review/survey
6 Photo
High and awkward stile leaving farm track. This path is shown on the OS map but not when the scale is enlarged. It is clearly waymarked at intervals. There is a lightly trodden way across pasture. 0.9 miles
7 Photo
Affirming waymark along undefined path
8 Photo
Rough ground and mud around stile, leading to steep steps up 1.12 miles
9 Photo
Approx position clear path ahead
10 Photo
Stile and waymark as path ascends gently
11 Photo
approx position of stile and waymark 1.45 miles
11B-20210502_165754 Walton and Adams Hill
12 Photo
Stile and waymark as ascent continues
13 Photo
Short length of path through corner of large field with distant cows.
14 Photo
Very narrow (leg width) gap in boundary fence instead of stile
15 Last photo due to low battery
Last photo due to low battery. Typical of the rest of the clearly waymarked route which includes waymarked gates and stiles
16 River Stour
Wide track over bridge very rutted by cattle tracks would be extremely muddy when wet
17 No way through Fishery
Potential link to start or RomHal1 route through Hunnington Fisheryclearly marked as Private - No Right of Way
18 Narrow
Very narrow (leg width) gap in boundary fence instead of stile
19 S W
Enter wood edge over waymarked stile along clearly defined path
20 S W
Exit wood to left as path joins from right, up short steep steps and continuing steady ascent well waymarked 2.16 miles
21 S W Junction
Turn left at cross track at rear of Back Lane Farm into clear enclosed path
22 K W
Route end at layby with village noticeboard
Route RomHal 1 includes a hazardous crossing of the busy A456 dual carriageway, not marked to motorists. This alternative route RomHal2 was explored in the reverse direction, using the road crossing about 500m west opposite the exit of Quarry Lane. This has warning signs for motorists in each direction and short white/red poles marking each exit from the central reservation. There is still no marking on the road surface to indicate the crossing, and it is possible that heavy traffic conditions will provide hazards.
It should be possible to move to route 2 from route 1 as indicated in note 5 below, though we did not walk this part. The distance and the amount of ascent/descent through Halesowen is greater on route 2 but the difference is not measured. The full route 2 is completely separate from route 1.
A detailed description follows, linked to photos which will appear in the survey. The numbers relate to observations recorded on this GPS track through Viewranger.
Walked from Halesowen to Romsley
1 Start from Halesowen Bus Station
1A Photo
Hagley Road steadily uphill, not much traffic
2 Photo
Quarry Lane quiet level suburban road
3 Photo
Footpath downhill off Quarry Lane just before Inkberrow Road
4 Photo
Footpath doubling back from Blakedown Road steeply downhill to A456
4A Road crossing A456
This crossing has no road markings but there are advance notices to motorists in each direction warning that pedestrians may be crossing. Each exit from the central reservation has short white and red posts. There may be times of heavy traffic which make the crossing hazardous.
5 Photo
Waymarked stile at start of right of way beside stream. There is an option at this point to continue on the track to a footpath/track on the left which leads back to the original RomHal1 route, going through a gate on the left into the field with kissing gate at Waypoint named 14 on that review/survey
6 Photo
High and awkward stile leaving farm track. This path is shown on the OS map but not when the scale is enlarged. It is clearly waymarked at intervals. There is a lightly trodden way across pasture. 0.9 miles
7 Photo
Affirming waymark along undefined path
8 Photo
Rough ground and mud around stile, leading to steep steps up 1.12 miles
9 Photo
Approx position clear path ahead
10 Photo
Stile and waymark as path ascends gently
11 Photo
approx position of stile and waymark 1.45 miles
11B-20210502_165754 Walton and Adams Hill
12 Photo
Stile and waymark as ascent continues
13 Photo
Short length of path through corner of large field with distant cows.
14 Photo
Very narrow (leg width) gap in boundary fence instead of stile
15 Last photo due to low battery
Last photo due to low battery. Typical of the rest of the clearly waymarked route which includes waymarked gates and stiles
16 River Stour
Wide track over bridge very rutted by cattle tracks would be extremely muddy when wet
17 No way through Fishery
Potential link to start or RomHal1 route through Hunnington Fisheryclearly marked as Private - No Right of Way
18 Narrow
Very narrow (leg width) gap in boundary fence instead of stile
19 S W
Enter wood edge over waymarked stile along clearly defined path
20 S W
Exit wood to left as path joins from right, up short steep steps and continuing steady ascent well waymarked 2.16 miles
21 S W Junction
Turn left at cross track at rear of Back Lane Farm into clear enclosed path
22 K W
Route end at layby with village noticeboard
Status
This route has been reviewed by 2 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Romhal two
Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.
Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 2
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (2)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 3
Surveys
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Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Romsley
Grid Ref
SO9625579985
Lat / Lon
52.41786° / -2.05648°
Easting / Northing
396,255E / 279,985N
What3Words
office.punt.green
Halesowen
Grid Ref
SO9648083422
Lat / Lon
52.44876° / -2.05321°
Easting / Northing
396,480E / 283,422N
What3Words
impose.dice.leader
| Romsley | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | SO9625579985 |
| Lat / Lon | 52.41786° / -2.05648° |
| Easting / Northing | 396,255E / 279,985N |
| What3Words | office.punt.green |
| Halesowen | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | SO9648083422 |
| Lat / Lon | 52.44876° / -2.05321° |
| Easting / Northing | 396,480E / 283,422N |
| What3Words | impose.dice.leader |
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reviews
Ken
18 Mar 2023I walked Romsley to Halesowen which offers a downhill route with excellent views while walking through pasture. A mix of gates and stiles and some mud at the crossing points but generally an easy walk even after snow and lots of run off. The two Romhal Slow Ways follow different paths so I highly recommend both which used together offer a good 5 mile circular walk starting at either Halesowen or Romsley.
Hugh Hudson
19 Nov 2022 (edited 14 Sep 2023)Walked from Halesowen to Romsley. I enjoyed most of this route, which has fine views, though much of it is on muddy field paths, and the A456 crossing may require patience.
From the meeting point, we follow the bus station left round the corner and use a pelican crossing the Queensway then turn right onto Hagley Road. Note that I made a mistake here, crossing to the south side, and the pavement on the south side leads to steps (photo 2) which force the walker to turn left away from the road. I retreated down the steps and crossed to the north side of Hagley Road. So a hyper-critical review would suggest amending the GPX file to make it clear that we follow the north side of the road. At the top of the hill we can use a pelican crossing to cross to the south side of Hagley Road, then we turn left onto Quarry Lane, where views of the Clent Hills soon emerge. Take the alleyway down to Blakedown Road, where we go right a short way to another surfaced path sharp left which takes us down to the crossing point of the A456 (Manor Road).
This is a busy fast dual carriageway, and there is no pelican crossing, but there is at least a clearly marked crossing point with a safe central refuge that staggers the crossing (photo 4), so the two carriageways can be crossed separately and there is no need to climb barriers. Beyond the main road, we go straight on down the narrow Quarry Lane, which we leave on a farm lane just before it crosses the river Stour.
Our route soon leaves the farm track over the first of many stiles to follow the river left along a field, staying closer to the river than the GPX plot does. There is one slightly awkward place where the path goes steeply upwards to escape the river bank, but beyond here it becomes a wide grassy track, which was rather wet in places when I did it. All of the gates on this track are padlocked, so a number of stiles have to be crossed. The track gives way to a field path further up the hill, and from here onwards the GPX plot is very good, including the little detour from the right of way line left along a very muddy farm track (photo 8) which we use to cross the nascent Stour. The views from this path improve as height is gained, so apart from the mud and the stiles it is very pleasant.
On the edge of the village the direct way forward is blocked by a locked large metal gate, and we take the path left that leads out past a scout hut onto an open playing field, which we cross to an alley that we follow right to St Kenelms Road, which we follow left to the Romsley meeting point.
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Ken
18 Mar 2023If Helenix134 could please offer a review of this route that they plotted we could get it snailed.
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