Walk the Worcs & Birmingham Canal - Alvechurch to Bromsgrove

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Lowland and Hill Walks
May 11
2019

21 people attending

4 places left

Your price
£10.00
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7 miles mostly on the flat

Join me for the second of three day walks following the full length of the Worcester and Birmingham canal through the green hills of Worcestershire.

The canal played an important role throughout the 1800s and well into the last century, linking the industrial powerhouses of the Midlands to the world via the river Severn and Bristol. Nowadays it is popular with boaters, joggers, cyclists, gongoozlers and OutdoorLads alike.

Today's route starts where the previous walk ended in Alvechurch. It's a much shorter leg at just 7 miles and far more rural in character but takes in some interesting features along the way (not least the pub)!

Having made the first 14 miles from Birmingham without a single lock, the situation changes dramatically at Tardebigge - home to the longest flight of locks in the UK. The canal drops some 220 ft through 30 locks in just over 2 miles - bizarrely a number of boat hire companies operate from here so the poor customers have to get to grips with locks very quickly!  It's also here that the canal company began to run out of money so the width of the canal halves. Even so it racked up costs of around £36 million in today's money.

Near the end of the lock flight we'll reach our pub stop at Stoke Pound for lunch before the short walk over to Bromsgrove station for the journey home.

This is where it all began for me 3 years ago: my very first walk with OutdoorLads. Now I'm setting out to complete the 30 mile journey in 3 parts, this time as a leader. You can view and sign up for the other walks here:

Walk the Worcester & Birmingham Canal part 1 - Birmingham to Alvechurch

Walk the Worcester & Birmingham Canal part 3 - Bromsgrove to Worcester

Getting there and away

Trains run every 20 minutes from Birmingham New Street to Alvechurch. With the return leg being on a slightly different route you should probably buy a return to Bromsgrove. I'm sure the railways wouldn't endorse my approach but there are no ticket barriers to worry about!

There's some free parking at Alvechurch. You may, however, find it easier to park at (equally free) Longbridge station and get the train. It makes for a much quicker and simpler journey overall as you won't have to change trains on the way back.

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