Get away from it all on two wheels

Birmingham’s canal network is a great resource for cyclists with a range of routes of varying lengths, heading out through the city and beyond.

The quickest way to reach the countryside is to head east into Warwickshire or south into Worcestershire, although heading west through the Black Country also takes you through some surprisingly tranquil spots, interspaced with architecture from the region’s industrial past. As Birmingham is fairly high up, riding out of the city tends to be mostly downhill – complete with some spectacular flights of locks – but it is worth remembering that the return journey will require some uphill pedalling.

Gas Street Basin – just off Broad Street in the city centre – marks the central point of Birmingham’s canal network and most routes can started here, although it is, of course, possible to join the canals at many points en route.

The main routes out of Birmingham are as follows:

Worcester and Birmingham Canal

Heading south out of the city, this route passes through Selly Oak, Bournville and Kings Norton, where the junction with the Stratford Canal is situated. This part of the route is fairly well-used most of the way, with wide, surfaced paths. If you make it as far as Wast Hills Tunnel, you need to leave the canal for a short distance, as the tunnel has no towpath. It’s worth the effort, though, as the canal takes on a much more rural character after that, passing through the villages of Alvechurch and Tardebigge before descending the spectacular 30-flight Tardebigge Locks, and then on to Worcester – a total ride of about 30 miles. 

Stratford Canal

Coming from the city centre, you will need to take the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to the junction with the Stratford Canal at Kings Norton. From here, this route is less well-used and the towpath varies in quality, but – apart from a brief break for the Brandwood Tunnel – this route continues past Solihull and into open countryside, before you reach the 26 locks that make up the Lapworth Lock Flight. A further journey down a fairly narrow and overgrown path will ultimately take you to Stratford-upon-Avon – a journey of about 30 miles in total – or it is possible to turn onto the Grand Union Canal at Kingswood Junction, near Lapworth, allowing you to leave Birmingham via one canal and return via the other, for a varied journey of about 40 miles.

Grand Union Canal

This canal ultimately runs all the way to London, but Warwick or Leamington make for a more realistic day trip, particularly if combined with the Stratford Canal (see above). Heading out from Gas Street Basin via the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth, the initial stretch is one of the more industrial sections of canal in the city, before turning south at Catherine de Barnes, down the Knowle Locks and joining the Stratford Canal at Kingswood Junction. Beyond this point, it is a fairly flat and easy ride to Warwick and Leamington (about 25 miles), from where most riders might turn back, but it is also possible to carry on further towards Banbury, or branch off north towards Rugby or south to Oxford.  

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

The main route heading north-east out of Birmingham again gets off to a fairly industrial start through Aston and under Spaghetti Junction, but it is probably the shortest route to the countryside past the village of Cudworth and towards Kingsbury Water Park, which offers riding opportunities of its own. Beyond that, the route remains quiet until you reach Tamworth, and from here, it is possible to ride on to Nuneaton and Coventry.

New Mainline Canal

Heading west from Birmingham towards Wolverhampton, this route passes through Smethwick, Oldbury and Dudley, and is surprisingly quiet and rural in nature in many parts. Branches off the canal serve other Black Country destinations including Walsall and Stourbridge, while from Wolverhampton, the canals continue south to Kidderminster, north to Stoke or west towards Wales.

In the current climate, maintaining social distancing remains important, and the wider paths towards the centre usually leave enough room for everyone, while the narrower routes further out are quieter, so you are less likely to meet someone, but if you do, towpath users tend to be a considerate bunch and will be quick to move aside to let others through. Cyclists are urged to show consideration for pedestrians and use a bell to alert people to their presence.

For more information about the Birmingham Canal Network, and a map of the main routes, visit the Canal and River Trust website.