Cotteridge Park: the park near the Cross City Line

Getting off the 11C bus on the Pershore Road in Cotteridge. I usually head up Breedon Road past Cotteridge Junior & Infant School. Crossing into the park over the Cross City Line. There is many paths to take. Last couple of times I ended up at Bournville Station. The bridge over the railway still has the mural painted in 2012.

Cotteridge Park dates to the Victorian period. The park is near Franklin Road and not far from Bournville. One way into the park is over the railway bridge that you can cross from Breedon Road. The No 11 Outer Circle bus route (11A and 11C) passes nearby on the Pershore Road and Linden Road. The Friends of Cotteridge Park  was established in 1997 and they celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2017.

 

December 2013

Approaching the bridge from Breedon Road. Vehicles can't go over it so there are bollards there.

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Painted in 2012 on behalf of the Friends of Cotteridge Park, Birmingham City Council an Network Rail.

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Welcome to Cotteridge Park.

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Path into the park. Not sure what used to be on that stone plinth in the middle.

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A look at the skate park.

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The path leading to Franklin Road.

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Playground view probably seen from Franklin Road.

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August 2018

The view from the bridge crossing the Cross City line. A pair of West Midlands Railway Class 323 trains passing each other. By this point the electrification to Bromsgrove was complete and you can get electric trains all the way there on the Cross City Line.

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Another view of the playground. Trees lush and green.

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Logs on the lawn. Trees and a path. On the way to Bournville Station.

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This tree has been sculpted to read Cotteridge Park.

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September 2019

Heading over the bridge from Breedon Road again. There is this view of the skyline towards Five Ways / Broad Street. From Park Regis Birmingham to The Bank Tower Two. Didn't see a train until I entered the park again.

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Took a different path this time. Saw a West Midlands Railway Class 323 train passing by. It wouldn't be long before I found myself at Bournville Station yet again.

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A container covered in graffiti.

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Curved benches, looks like some kind of school camping area?

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Noticeboard from the Friends of Cotteridge Park.

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Squirrel on a tree.

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Playground again and the skating ramps.

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A wider look at the camping area.

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Feels like a forest in Cotteridge.

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Or a wood.

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Path up to Franklin Road.

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More photos on my Flickr here Cotteridge Park.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

A late Autumn Photowalk in St Paul's Square in the Jewellery Quarter

Daniel took a stroll in and around the beautiful St Paul's Square in the heart Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter containing St Paul's Church and a haze of autumn colours from all the various plants and trees, great late afternoon sunlight too! See the full gallery...

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Photos by Daniel Sturley

Westley Vale Millennium Green in Acocks Green

When a former allotment was turned into a green space at the turn of the Millennium in Acocks Green it was named the Westley Vale Millennium Green. Located on The Avenue, it runs alongside the Westley Brook towards the Grand Union Canal. The area is quite small. Visitors are expected to take their litter home with them. Street art by Hoakser was unveiled in 2015 at The Avenue entrance.

Westley Vale Millennium Green

The Westley Vale Millennium Green was created as one of the Millennium Greens to provide Breathing Spaces in the early 21st Century. The New Labour Government in 1998 gave support for schemes like this, and this one opened in the year 2000. The area is leased to Birmingham City Council, and a group of Trustees supported by local volunteers manage the site, clean it up, plant and maintain the site as a conservation area.

In 2015, the Birmingham street artist Hoakser was hired to paint a wall at the entrance path from The Avenue. With various birds and animals on it.

Acocks Green Station is a short walk away from the site (as well as the shops on the Warwick Road high street).

2014

I first walked past the Westley Vale Millennium Green in February 2014. This was after a short walk from the Grand Union Canal at Lincoln Road North, I found this gate on The Avenue. I did not enter it at this time, but would a year later.

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On the railings was this Millennium Greens Breathing Spaces sign. A Millennium Project. An initiative of The Countryside Agency.

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2015

My first proper walk into the Westley Vale Millennium Green was during May 2015. Entering from The Avenue, the street art mural by Hoakser was on the right. With owls, foxes, badgers etc.

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The far end of the mural had various birds painted onto it.

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Many different paths to take around the Millennium Green.

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Cow parsley near the footbridge over the Westley Brook.

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An area with benches. It looked like the turf was newly laid at the time.

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Following the path past the cow parsley on the left.

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Another bench and another path to the left.

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The path continues. Lots of tree and very green in the spring.

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Now a dirt path through the trees.

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Some steps to go up.

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Railings on the left. The Grand Union Canal was nearby, but you can't get onto it from this side.

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A gate with an exit to Woodcock Lane.

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A look at the steps down from Woodcock Lane North onto the towpath of the Grand Union Canal.

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Just a look at the steps, I don't think I went down to the canal towpath for a walk down there that time around.

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This is a view of the Grand Union Canal from the Woodcock Lane Bridge. I've not walked that section. Sometimes the towpath can be muddy or wet. This is the direction towards Yardley Road, South Yardley and towards Tyseley.

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Back into the Millennium Green, and heading around the paths towards Malvern Road.

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The path leads to a closed gate at Malvern Road.

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Another path from near Malvern Road leads back to The Avenue entrance / exit.

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The gate is closed, so you have to use the latch to open the gate, then close it behind you. This was on Malvern Road.

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The Millennium Greens Breathing Spaces, Westley Vale Millennium Green and Conservation Area signs at the Malvern Road entrance.

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Close up of the Westley Vale Millennium Green signs. Don't dump your rubbish. Pick up and bag your dog waste.

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Close up of the Conservation Area sign. Please respect the environment. Bin or take your litter home. Clean up after your pets. Do not damage trees or pick the flowers. No motorcycles or other unauthorised vehicles.

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2020

Didn't get around to coming back to the Westley Vale Millennium Green until doing an afternoon walk around Acocks Green during July 2020. Weren't here for long, before walk a stretch of the Grand Union Canal as well.

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The footbridge over the Westley Brook. Everything looking lush and green in the summer.

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The grass near the path looked to be cut short near the bushes.

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Straight on the path under the trees.

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Google Lens says this flower is called Asian pigeonwings. But who knows, Google Lens might be wrong?

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Up the steps on the path towards Woodcock Lane.

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No sooner had we got here, we were almost out of the Millennium Green.

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The area is quite small anyway.

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A bag on the tree for litter (I think).

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A look at the Grand Union Canal. You can not get onto it from this side.

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Back to the Woodcock Lane gate. Next headed over the bridge then down onto the canal towpath.

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Near the Woodcock Lane Bridge was these signs from the Canal & River Trust. This area is adopted by Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum.

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A look at the Woodcock Lane Bridge from the towpath of the Grand Union Canal. Walked towards the Lincoln Road North Bridge. The Millennium Green is to the far left of here. It is Grade II listed, dating to the late 18th Century, and made of red brick. The canal was built as the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. It later became part of the Grand Union Canal from 1927 onwards.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.

A walk on the Harborne Walkway back in 2016

A former railway line in Birmingham had been turned years ago into the Harborne Walkway. Starting from Harborne close to Park Hill Road, the route passes several bridges via the Hagley Road before heading towards Summerfield Park. I'd say it ends just after the Selwyn Road Bridge in the park. Although the paths continues towards Northbrook Street in Summerfield.

HARBORNE WALKWAY

The Harborne Walkway forms part of the route of the former Harborne Railway, which had trains going from Birmingham New Street, leaving the branch line at Harborne Junction with the Stour Valley Line (Birmingham to Wolverhampton). The railway opened in 1874, with four railway stations at Harborne, Hagley Road, Rotton Park Road and Icknield Port Road. The line closed to passengers in 1934. The line remained open for coal to be carried until it closed for good in 1963.

Today the line is now of course the Harborne Walkway. It starts in Harborne at Forest Drive. It then crosses over Park Hill Road on a bridge. All other bridges, you can walk, run or cycle under them. Following along the Chad Brook (although you can't see it). The first bridge you walk under is at Woodbourne Road, then Hagley Road.

There is an exit / entrance to Station Avenue and Percival Drive. Which lead to Stanmore Road. Passing through Ladywood, the next bridge to go under is at Portland Road, followed by Rotton Park Road. The final bridge to pass through is at Selwyn Road, before entering Summerfield Park.

The paths split off in many directions in the park, but the route of the former railway line continues towards Icknield Port Road, then Barford Road, before ending at Coplow Street and Northbrook Street.

There used to be a railway bridge over the Birmingham Canal Navigations Mainline and the Birmingham to Wolverhampton railway line. But all that remains now is the brick buttresses.

 

Forest Drive / Park Hill Road

I did my first half walk on the Harborne Walkway from Harborne towards Hagley Road on the 5th February 2016. As I felt it was too far for me to walk all the way in one go to the end of the line.

First up a look at the Park Hill Road Bridge in Harborne.

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Heading around to a cul-de-sac called Forest Drive, I followed the public footpath onto the Harborne Walkway.

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The Park Hill Road Bridge is the only bridge you walk over. The other bridges you walk under them.

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The views from the bridge looking down at both sides of Park Hill Road in Harborne. The Harborne High Street in this direction.

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Beyond Park Hill Road, it leads onto Moor Pool Avenue.

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The other side of the Park Hill Road Bridge in Harborne, as seen on the 13th March 2016.

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There is an entrance path on the right from Park Hill Road.

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Turning around, you can head down to or up from Park Hill Road from the path on the left.

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Woodbourne Road

Coming up to the Woodbourne Road Bridge.

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The Woodbourne Road Bridge from the other side.

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Hagley Road

Coming up was the Hagley Road Bridge.

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I exited here at Hagley Road, but would resume the walk 3 weeks later to complete it. Was a man running under the bridge, looks a bit like a tunnel.

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20 days later on the 25th February 2016, I headed back to the Hagley Road, to resume my walk on the Harborne Walkway. First up on the left was the exit / entrance to Station Drive and Percival Road. It leads to Stanmore Road.

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Portland Road

Passing through the Portland Road Bridge.

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It looks like exiting a tunnel under the Portland Road Bridge.

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Rotton Park Road

Not too far from the end of the Harborne Walkway now. Passing the Rotton Park Road Bridge. From here it is a short walk towards the Edgbaston Reservoir.

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Selwyn Road

The final bridge to pass under is the Selwyn Road Bridge, before entering Summerfield Park. I'm not sure why this section is fenced off, unless there is still railway sleepers here.

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The open gate seen from under the Selwyn Road Bridge, the entrance to Summerfield Park.

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A look back at the Selwyn Road Bridge from Summerfield Park.

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Beyond Summerfield Park there is no more bridges to walk under. But there is a bridge on Icknield Port Road, but the exit gates are at road level so you don't go under that. The only time I went into Summerfield Park, I exited at Dudley Road.

The path towards Barford Road, now runs alongside the Barford Primary School football pitch. There is also a housing estate on the other side of that road, but no bridge.

The footpath ends at Coplow Street which leads onto Northbrook Street. There is the remains of a bridge on one side of Northbrook Street near the canal.

Northbrook Street

That day I did end up on Northbrook Street, so got to see the remains of the railway buttresses over the existing canal and railway line.

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While the viaduct that used to cross the railway and canal is long gone, there is a lot of old brick walls that remains, but covered in graffiti near the towpath. Can see the BT Tower and Library of Birmingham from here.

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First look at the massive red brick buttress that used to carry the Harborne Railway over the Birmingham Canal.

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A Cross Country Voyager (Class 220) heads towards Birmingham New Street, it's last stop was probably Wolverhampton.

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Of course the trains that would have gone on the Harborne Railway a century ago would have been steam engines, and not the modern diesel or electric trains we have today.

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One last look at the large brick buttress in the middle of the canal from Northbrook Street. A relic of a lost railway line.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.

 

New Hall Valley Country Park: From Sutton Coldfield Town Centre towards Pype Hayes Park (January 2019)

I initially became aware of New Hall Valley Country Park during the Christmas Day 2018 walk up from Pype Hayes Park along the Plants Brook. So a month later in January 2019, got a bus up to Sutton Coldfield Town Centre, and made my way to the park. And walked down the path. Passing the New Hall Water Mill and Walmley Golf Club. Eventually back on the same paths I was on the month before.

A walk through New Hall Valley Country Park during January 2019. Starting from Sutton Coldfield Town Centre and heading in the direction of Pype Hayes Park.

First up some information taken from the Wikipedia page (link above). It is a country park located in the New Hall Valley between Walmley and Wylde Green in the Sutton Coldfield. Birmingham City Council created the park in 2005. The land was formerly part of the New Hall Manor Estate. There is ancient woodland, historic wetland grazing meadows, former farmland, and part of Plants Brook within the country park. There is also a 17th Century listed watermill called New Hall Mill.

 

During a Christmas Day 2018 walk from Pype Hayes Park (link to the post is above), on a path along the Plants Brook, I got to this point where I saw a fingerpost for the New Hall Valley Country Park. Making a mental note about this park at the time. It was just beyond the railway line for the Sutton Park Line. We turned back in the direction of Pype Hayes Park from near here. I would be back a month later.

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In January 2019, I ended up getting a National Express West Midlands Platinum bus all the way to Sutton Coldfield Town Centre. After a coffee stop, I started my walk to the park. These fingerposts were on the South Parade near Lower Queen Street.

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Some more signs on the National Cycle Network route 534. Seen on Ebrook Road. I was only about a quarter of a mile away from the Newhall Valley Country Park (seems to be two spellings). Sutton Coldfield Town Centre was three quarters of a mile in the other direction.

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I got into the park at Ebrook Road from this path near the Plants Brook.

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Below the bridge on Ebrook Road was what looked like a small waterfall.

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The path towards the Sutton Park Line Tunnel. The former railway line crosses over the Plants Brook at this point.

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From the other side of the Sutton Park Line Tunnel. Graffiti on this side.

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A look back down the path along the Plants Brook towards the tunnel.

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Heading forward saw this footbridge cross the Plants Brook.

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Saw an electricity pylon to the left of the path.

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Checking out this wooden decking. Looked quite icy on the grass and on the decking so wasn't on here for long.

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A no cycling sign. The path to the right is a bit too muddy, so cyclists should stick to the main path. But it's suitable for walking (if you want to get mud on your shoes etc).

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Another footbridge over the Plants Brook.

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The Plants Brook was looking quite calm from this side of the footbridge.

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Back to the main path, as I followed the Plants Brook in the direction of the mill.

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First glimpse of the New Hall Water Mill. Trees in the way.

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Another view of the mill. Would try and get better views when I shortly after this walked up a path towards it.

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The path and the Plants Brook close to Wylde Green Road.

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Saw this stone house near Wylde Green Road. It is time to get a proper look at the nearby mill.

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Close to the end of the path as the Wylde Green Road Bridge was straight ahead over the Plants Brook.

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Bollards for New Hall Valley at Wylde Green Road. Before I continued, I turned left to check out the mill.

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On the way to the road to the mill, I went past this gate for Wincelle House.

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Wincelle House is a Grade II Listed Building dating from the early 15th century. It is a timber framed building, which was removed from Wishaw in 1910.

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Continuing on, saw this sign for New Hall Hotel & Spa. B76 1PH. The sign was for the Emergency Access to New Hall Health Club & Spa.

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Side view of Wincelle House from a nearby field as I headed to see New Hall Mill.

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First proper look at New Hall Mill, without too many trees in the way.

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New Hall Water Mill is a Grade II* Listed Building. It dates to the 18th century.

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As it was during winter though, the mill was not open. I think it is open on open days, but it is quite a distance to travel back  there to properly explore this mill.

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Fingerpost for visitors to use. You can go on the Tree Trail, go to the Cart Shed and more.

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One more view of the mill. A bit hard to see behind the trees. But now it was time to resume the walk towards Pype Hayes Park.

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Back to Wylde Green Road for the last leg of the walk in the New Hall Valley Country Park. Another pair of bollards.

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Fingerpost near the Wylde Green Road entrance. Sutton Park and Coleshill Road to the left. Walmley to the right.

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Saw this Birmingham City Council map of New Hall Valley Country Park. Was looking a bit dirty.

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Another bridge crossing the Plants Brook, this one with yellow railings.

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A look down the Plants Brook. Appeared to be a bricked channel of water on the left near the path.

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Better view of the Plants Brook not obscured by the trees.

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At the end of the New Hall Valley Country Park near near the Plants Brook walk. Another part of the old Sutton Park railway line passes by near here.

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Fingerpost near the Plants Brook walk just outside of the Country Park. Sutton Coldfield was not a mile and a half away on foot and on a bike.

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Passing through these gates as I exited the New Hall Valley Country Park and followed the Plants Brook back to Pype Hayes Park. On a path I had walked on the month before.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020