The route takes you away from busy roads, which is a feat in itself considering it takes you into the heart of the city....

Steve Litchfield

A great route worthy of five stars as it mainly goes through Sutton Park....

Steve Litchfield

Part of the route near Birmingham is impossible to follow due to access....

Mr Tippy

Definitely not a good option for anyone with mobility issues or with a pram - the paths from Middleton onwards are through fields and very narrow, there’s at least one stile to cross, and the bridge over the canal at Fazeley end involves climbing/descending a small, steep, narrow spiral staircase....

Emma

The road through Roman Road Little Aston is marked as a private road with warnings that it is not a public right of way....

Mick Sadler

Leaving the meeting point at Sutton Coldfield, we follow Upper Clifton Road down the hill and turn right onto Park Road, continuing through the gates into Sutton Park. At Old Oscott Hill we turn right and follow this road past the schools and round the bend to a roundabout, where we turn right into Dyas Road....

Hugh Hudson

We follow Drayton Lane right beyond the church, and turn left into the field path (the sign could easily be missed). We cross Portleys Lane (there is a stile on the far side, and I inadvertently missed the point where the right of way crosses the first field by following a local dog walker along the edge) and follow the field path to Middleton, crossing the HS2 site on an obvious fenced path. We eventually reach the edge of Sutton Coldfield, crossing Lindridge Road and following the pavement to Whitehorse Common Road, where we turn right and use the pelican crossing just beyond the garage to cross left to Barnard Road, which we follow down to Bedford Road. We turn right along the north and west sides of Good Hope Hospital to reach Rectory Lane, where we turn right, going right again up Coleshill Street....

Hugh Hudson

The path south from Home Farm starts with another well cut field path and crosses a few smaller fields with more stiles, and Moor Lane is easily reached. We start off on a pleasant green lane, but there is a locked gate beyond which the path diverts into the edge of the field on the left (east) where the map shows the right of way continuing along the lane. We then follow the quiet Forge Lane to the A454 in Little Aston, and follow the pavements through suburbia to Streetly, where we enter Sutton Park....

Hugh Hudson

Lovely walk, well worth exploring more of Sutton Park if you haven't before. Shenstone is lovely and the day I went there was a classic car show up at the church....

Max

You can avoid going through Good Hope Hospital by carrying along Rectory Road and turning left into Bedford Road. The bridge at Gallows Brook has now been replaced so easy passage....

Nigel Cull

Around Footherley the route crosses a couple of farm fields which could get muddy after wet weather and near the water works the path crosses scrubland which was still a bit boggy the day we walked it....

Mr Tippy

Found Path had a locked gates so no access along Handsworth Drive plus no underpass or footbridge over M6 motorway. Use Gresut two as this is a shorter route and approved Slow Way...

Nigel Cull

An easy to follow and enjoyable route both ways with Sutton Park being the highlight....

Paul McGill

I started this walk from the Sutton Coldfield end. The rest of the pavement pounding through suburban Sutton Coldfield offers plenty of stops and shops at this early part of the walk. Crossing the road into Withy Hill Road, to leave Sutton Coldfield, proved a bit of a challenge, the roads are well used. Withy Hill Road itself has no pavement but is very long and straight....

David Sanderson

At SP 1294 9677 the route takes you away from a road which takes you out of the grounds of Good Hope Hospital and takes you on a route to leave via a car park through a gate....

David Sanderson

Good Slow Ways Route apart from the last part which i have now managed to walk with no shooting going on, but recommend following the track straight on which comes out at the same point only a bit muddy as foot path to the left is very overgrown with brambles...

Nigel Cull

I've also had a good look on aerial maps and Google street view at the section requiring you to walk on the railway and the River Rea, and it looks completely unwalkable....

Mary Oz

This path was quite short though, and soon emerged to reach the Tame Valley Canal which was accessed next to a lock. After this, works for the new HS2 became apparent, then there was another, quite wide, tunnel – Curzon Street Tunnel. From here we reached the end of this branch, and emerged (via a ramp I think) onto street level, and it was only a short walk under Moor Street Station and past Bullring shops to reach New Street station entrance....

Mary Oz

Good direct route though Sutton Park, easy to follow and suitable for all users....

Nigel Cull

Good route through Sutton Park from Streetly to Sutton Coldfield. Can be muddy when wet just before Blackroot Pool, but enjoyable....

Nigel Cull

Easy route through Sutton Park suitable for all users. Good Slow Ways Route....

Nigel Cull

Good direct route easy to follow Along pavements taking you past shops and pubs for stops if required...

Nigel Cull

Good route easy to follow and suitable for all users...

Nigel Cull

Needs more navigation than Aldsut one and easy to miss turn in Sutton park care needed by Golf course Still a worthy Slow Way...

Nigel Cull

Good route taking in Sutton Park though fields to Shenstone Can be a bit muddy in places after the water works but enjoyable...

Nigel Cull

Passing through Middleton with The Green Man pub worth a visit Bridge over Gallows Brook by Middleton still not repaired so a scramble...

Nigel Cull

Care is needed crossing the narrow bridge into Water Orton and crossing the A446 but overall a very good route. There are several pubs along the way and in Coleshill to choose from as well as shops in Walmley and Water Orton....

Mr Tippy

A bit muddy in places, and a fair bit on roads or verges, but most of route is on solid terrain and easy to navigate. Funky bridge too...

james

At the roundabout at the end you turn right into Erdington Road which you follow straight into Aldridge a few metres from the meeting place. The only places to take particular care are crossing the road at the Bourne Vale/ Erdington Road roundabout and also where you have to cross Erdington Road at the edge of Aldridge itself....

David Sanderson

Fairly late on the route takes a turn to the left which is really easy to miss. The route snakes its way through quiet suburban neighbourhood streets before coming out on to the main, Hardwick Road. The next section, Bourne Vale is a 40mph main road past Streetly Cemetery and a couple of sports grounds. You are directed up an alleyway which takes you up a hill and along a road to a spot where.......

David Sanderson

It also had the odd surprise of walking at ground level underneath Spaghetti Junction - a man was barging a barge full of grass cuttings at around 2mph down there (photo), a heron was posing (photo), and there were a couple of joggers and a man walking his dog. The first part of canal was a bit isolated, and there were a couple of long-ish tunnels, but soon it morphed into narrow-boats and locks and people on holiday with time to chat, and 'Just Eat' delivery cyclists waiting for jobs....

Jane Taylor

There are crossing points for the main roads and plenty of local shops on route....

Mr Tippy

The walk out of Coleshill towards the station (Coleshill Parkway) actually accounts for a sixth of the walk! The centre of the village is pretty and historic and you cross a pedestrian bridge which runs parallel with a single lane road bridge for cars. You walk along a short section of the A446 and I'm pleased to report that crossing it, to gain access to Water Orton Road, taking you under the M6 Toll and M42 was actually easier than I though it would be. On the other side of the village is an old single lane bridge with spaces to step into....

David Sanderson

The route is really easy to follow and all the road crossings are via pedestrian crossings with the exception of the M6 which is by underpass. The only problem I had with the route was on Calshot Road where my GPX told me I was off the route when I clearly wasn't. In summary, it's direct, very safe, very easy to follow, very well served by food and transport services and beautiful in parts....

David Sanderson

I started this walk as Birsut 1 but soon had to make my own version in order to get to Salford Junction. After Aston University campus the route turns into the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal with Spaghetti Junction in the distance. You leave the canal at Stockland Green walk under the lowest motorway bridge I've seen (pictured) to cross the M6 and are soon in a residential street which leads to Brookvale Park. The walk continued pleasantly from the glorious isolation of Spaghetti Junction I was now in popular green spaces with people going about their Saturday....

David Sanderson

Park Street is temporarily closed in Digbeth for the building of Curzon Street HS2 Station (this will be for years)....

David Sanderson

Uses a busy private road with signs at either end. Shesut 2 is a usable alternative...

David Sanderson

It's not far from here that you enter Sutton Park and the walk here accounts for the first third of the walk. Sutton Park is very popular amongst the locals as a place to run, cycle or walk and is friendly. As you get to the other side of Little Aston you join the Walsall Road and having had to circle around the historic old way of Ryknield Street (privatised and renamed "Roman Road", not a public right of way) you reach the other end and actually start to follow the ancient way in the shape of Forge Lane....

David Sanderson

Starting from outside Sutton Coldfield Town Hall the route curves around and downhill towards the entrance to Sutton Park. The last section passes through a residential street in Streetly prior to crossing the Chester Road to reach the Streetly meeting point by a Tesco Express....

David Sanderson

Starts by the Chester Road and then follows a quiet residential street to the edge of Sutton Park....

David Sanderson

Pelican crossing by the golf club for the busy Thornhill Road and a Zebra crossing at the bottom of Upper Clifton Road. There is usually an ice-cream van by the Jamboree Stone in the centre of the park which also sells soft drinks....

Mr Tippy

From Aldridge walk through the park and quiet back roads to join the main road. This road and the road past Bourne Vale are both fairly busy but there is a footpath all the way. Past the Hardwick Arms pub the route takes back roads to Sutton Park....

Mr Tippy

The route uses Roman Road which is part of a private estate with no public right of way. To avoid this road use Walsall Road & Rosemary Hill Road....

Mr Tippy

The route through Sutton Park uses an uneven dirt path which gets muddy when wet. There is also a short steep section near to Blackroot Pool which can be tricky. There is an alternative route which uses the main paved path....

Mr Tippy