From the centre of Oldbury, where there are bus stops and shops, we walk past the railway station, then down a road between the car park, Network Rail and the police station. We rejoin the route from the next road bridge, a ramp down to the towpath....

Hiking Historian

This is a great route, but I feel I need to fail it because of a towpath closure which has existed for ten months and Canal and River Trust have still not given a date for reopening. See Oldsme Two for the diverted route, and further details....

Mary Oz

There were some interesting buildings on leaving Oldbury - some classic municipal buildings including The Big House, and the Art Deco factory building opposite Sandwell and Dudley railway station (on the West Coast main line). After a while I walked through Galton Valley, all very interesting with its double level railway station, high bridges and short canal tunnel....

Mary Oz

On looking at my photos, I realise there were some interesting buildings along the way, starting with some classic municipal buildings in Oldbury, including The Big House....

Mary Oz

Walking from Rowley Regis I found the busy main road section rather tedious, although there were shops here, including food opportunities....

Mary Oz

From the centre of Oldbury, where there are bus stops and shops, we walk past the railway station, then down a road between the car park, Network Rail and the police station. We rejoin the route from the next road bridge, a ramp down to the towpath....

Hiking Historian

The canal continues ahead, first through residential areas; past a mosque; over a few aqueducts and then into a wooded area; and we also cross, and pass, a couple of junctions with other branches or canals....

Hiking Historian

Like Dave says, it's a decent route, but it fails at the exit to the bridge on Bromford Road, where the map shows it's on the opposite side to where it actually is! Apart from that, straightforward canal route....

Hiking Historian

This is a good route, though the pavement walking out of Dudley is a little tedious. My reason for not going to 4 stars was mostly the amount of pavement walking, and now that the canal path has been widened, it looks possible that the west end of DUDOLD 1 could be combined with the east end of this one to make a more satisfying route....

Hugh Hudson

I don't have much to add - it was a great route that mostly followed the Birmingham Canal towpath. I loved our diversion to the ghostly Netherton tunnel - (torch/ headlight recommended if you're planning to wander down). Highlights include lots of nature, a wondrous aqueduct and lunch at the cosy House of Chai - a really pleasant Slow Way + a lovely day with a lovely friend!!...

Saira

A short pavement-pace from the centre of Oldbury took us past the station and the Art Deco building of BGN Boards Co Ltd to the Birmingham Canal towpath, accessed by three steps then a slope....

Mary Oz

The last section of the mapped route along the canal here is not actually allowed as this short section is privately owned by the 'Dudley Canal & Caravans co.' (photo 12), but the different route is only a 200 metre diversion and as such I don't think warrants a whole new route being created....

Steve Litchfield

After leaving the start in Smethwick (photo 1), a footbridge with steps (photo 2) seems the only way to get to the canal towpath. The route is quickly regained and takes you under the tall M5 bridge (photo 9), before soon arriving at the bridge to take you to the opposite side of the canal (photo 10)....

Steve Litchfield

After leaving the embankment and crossing the A4123 Wolverhampton Rd, you quickly leave the road behind and reach the next highlight of a pylon. It seems a shame to leave it behind, but once you do, you quickly reach some playing fields which, if you're lucky, may have a game of football on you can watch. After leaving the playing fields, you then reach the intriguingly named 'The Chilterns', which eventually leads you to the rather busy and dull Oldbury Road....

Steve Litchfield

It was the first part of a circular walk stitching together four routes around Sandwell totalling 9.5 miles involving Rowley Regis, Smethwick and back to West Brom....

Steve Litchfield

We follow this unsurfaced path and bear left into playing fields, taking a diagonal line across it avoiding the football pitches if games are in progress. Where it ends we take a paved path between houses straight on and turn left down Blakedown Way to reach the busy Birchfield Lane, where we turn right and cross at the next junction using pelican crossings....

Hugh Hudson

I walked the remaining part of this route from the station up to Oldbury yesterday as part of another long walk finishing at Bromsgrove...

Hugh Hudson

All routes already had a good review so I concur that they are good or adequate plots. I could almost hear the presenter's voice as my thoughts returned to that era which then skipped to a comic sketch by Michael Bentine, reading the results in that measured BBC voice, his excitement growing as he thought he had a winning coupon....

Ken

Leaving Oldbury I found it safer to use the zebra crossing before the ring road then head left a short way to a light controlled crossing and another controlled crossing before turning right off the main road. There is no controlled crossing here and the direct route has a gap in the narrow central reservation which perhaps explains the kink in the plot. The way ahead is another unsigned footpath but then it's follow the overhead power lines across the sports field, no games in progress on this Saturday morning, to a surfaced path, also unrecorded, to an estate road. A footpath, hidden between houses offers a strip of green which leads to the meeting point at Rowley Regis rail station....

Ken

We started walking down the hill for a short while alongside the main road from the centre of Oldbury, but after that the route was entirely alongside the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line built by Thomas Telford in 1827. The businessmen who commissioned Telford to build this canal wanted him to make it as straight as possible to speed up traffic, and Telford certainly delivered: the path is arrow-straight for most of the way to Tipton. There is no way you can lose your way on this route!...

swebbews

Although this route is very much in the heart of the Black Country, it was a delightful walk along the canal that was for the most part very quiet. Previous reviewers noted the temporary closure of the footpath between Spon Lane and Steward Aqueduct; as of mid-September it’s still closed, and shows no indications of reopening any time soon. The diversion along the older (pre-Telford) canal was however very easy to follow, and did not detract from an enjoyable afternoon....

swebbews

The tow path was temporarily closed between Steward Aqueduct and Spon Lane due to a crumbling wall, but you can easily rejoin the path at Spon Lane....

Saira

A fairly no frills but safe and straightforward pavement only walk between Oldbury and West Bromwich....

David Sanderson

A pleasantly relaxing stroll along the Birmingham Canal, followed by the pavement of an A-road into Oldbury....

David Sanderson

Between SO 9961 9038 and SO 9971 9053 this route uses an alleyway between allotments which can only be accessed by keyholders. An alternative route along the parallel street will be submitted as Oldbwes 2...

David Sanderson

Cross the road via the bridge and access the towpath on the opposite bank....

David Sanderson

Starting by looping north out of the bus station and touching the main A459 route, rather than continuing along the main road, it turns off and follows quieter back roads towards Tividale. The next section through Kates Hill follows the pavements of a predominantly residential area before coming out at a crossing of the A4123....

David Sanderson

The pavement beside the busy A4034 is wide but you don't follow it for long as you turn right and then go offroad along a footpath adjacent to a massive electricity substation. The path is on a slope at times and it might suit some walkers and wheelers to follow the pavement of the main road instead....

David Sanderson

I wouldn't have felt safe on my own, so was grateful to be in the company of 3 other Slow Ways route reviewers while walking this route....

Lorna Prescott

I would walk it again but not for pleasure, merely as a means of getting from A to B in an area where I can't imagine there are significantly better alternatives....

Dave4

The walk out of Oldbury is fairly functional along the main road but having the passed Sandwell and Dudley Railway Station (direct trains to Edinburgh and London, not just local stations) you walk down the side of the car park and follow a track to the towpath of the main branch of the Birmingham Canal. In 4km, 3 of which are offroad, you access bus routes, 3 railway stations (Galton Bridge is accessible via steps from the canal and Rolfe Street is at the end of the route), wildlife, industrial history (Galton Valley Pumping Station) and it's one of the easiest Slow Ways I've ever had to follow!...

David Sanderson

I can't add anything to the reviews above by Pddys and David - a really good Slow Ways route. Thoroughly enjoyed walking it...

Dave4

This includes going underneath the M5 and the Spon Lane junction, underneath Smethwick Galton Bridge, through the Summit tunnel, underneath the Summit Bridge, and past the Galton Valley Pumping Station, and some Ironworks bridges....

pddys