Rowbir two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

This is a solid Slow Way and a good way to walk between central Birmingham and Rowley Regis.

I enjoyed walking this route.

My favourite bits were walking down the canal, the old railway that's now a cycle/foot path and Warley Woods Park.

When cross Brandhall Golf course the footpath may be tricky to follow through the woods. Just follow the path around and you'll get back on track.

This walk went pretty well. I loved walking through the woods. The route went through a lot of green spaces which many would seen as an upside (for good reason), although I am not the type of person to usually enjoy green spaces. The urban section was very fun and I am very happy to endorse this route.

Starting at the Birmingham end a short wander via Holliday Street takes you out on to the canal near the Tap and Spile. You pass the restaurants and bars of Brindley Place before they make way to modern apartments. Staying on the west side of the canal you go as far as the remains of an old railway bridge in Ladywood. Leaving the canal you soon join a footpath which follows the route of the old railway which went as far as Harborne. Starting in Summerfield Park it then becomes a wooded path on its own and abounds with wildlife. You leave at Hagley Road and walk along the pavement of this busy main road for a while. This is the first access to numerous shops and takeaways as well as number of low budget hotels. You leave Hagley Road to enter Bearwood and cross the High Street. This is halfway and gives access to the best shops and eateries. Beyond here is a short bit of pavement pounding through residential streets before a short climb (if you look back you can see downtown Birmingham) which brings you to Warley Woods, which with its parakeets and wide open spaces, is a highlight of the walk. The next section is very residential and not particularly interesting (what was I expecting The Hanging Gardens of Babylon?) but has a number of pubs and takeaways. Just before reaching Rowley, through a narrow entrance, the walk crosses what is marked as a golf course, although no golf appears to have been played on it for a while. The path across is mown so is very easy to follow but gets muddy. Having found the seemingly unofficial exit (the gates were locked but there was a gap to get through nearby) the route follows the pavement under the M5. The last section is via footpaths and a park, plus a couple of pavements. Overall I thought this was a pleasant walk although not as direct as it could have been. Saying that, the best sections are what make it less direct so there is a trade off here. Not perfect but very good all the same.

This is an amended version of Rowbir 1 which addresses the access issues.

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