Route Developer: CH

Route Checker: HT

[1] Start from the corner of Bath Row and Cregoe Street, with the Health Centre at your back. Turn left onto Bath Row (Busy Road), and walk until reaching Wheeley’s Lane. Turn left into Wheeley’s Lane, following it until the pelican crossing at Lee Bank Middleway. (Slippery in icy weather). Cross over to the other side of Wheeley’s Lane. The pavement here is narrow, with overhanging bushes. Then, using the next crossing, cross over the Middleway to Wheeley’s Road. Walk along Wheeley’s Road, using the right side of the road to the junction with St James Road. (Be careful, narrow pavement and uneven paths).

[2] Turn right into St James Road and walk along, crossing over George Road. Once again. On the corner of George Street, there is a Quaker Meeting House. Continue to the next street, Frederick Road, and turn right. Walk along Frederick Street to reach the Middleway again, then turn left, walking beside the parade of shops which face onto the Middleway; (Be aware of cyclists). Walk along the front of the shops, then follow the ramp to walk through the underpass and over the central part of Five Ways roundabout. Cross over the central garden area and take the second underpass on the left, which leads to No. 1 Hagley Road. Turn to the right, taking the ramp up to come out on the left side of Ladywood Middleway. Tesco will be on the opposite side of the road. Note: Do not cross the Middleway. Walk along Ladywood Middleway, pass the old Children’s Hospital, arriving at Broadway Plaza.

[3] Turn left just past the casino, into the plaza. The AMC multiplex cinema is on the left, and on the right of the central area is the Bowlplex, which has bowling lanes, pool and snooker tables. Walk through the central area and turn right into Francis Road. Staying on the right side of the street, walk down the incline and cross over Leyburn Road. Ladywood Working Men’s Club is on the corner of Leyburn Road and Francis Roads. Follow Francis Road, past the back of Ladywood Police Station, arriving at The Welcome pub. Directly across from the pub is the (A) Deaf Cultural Centre.

In addition to services for deaf people, the Centre offers courses in British Sign Language and interpreting services, and includes a café.

Turn right onto the path running between the Welcome pub and Ladywood Police Station. The path leads to a pelican crossing at Ladywood Middleway. Cross over the Middleway.

[4] Having crossed the Middleway, turn to the left. Almost immediately, turn right into St Vincent Street West. A short distance from the corner, Ladywood Community and Health Centre is across the street.Birmingham Inner Circle Community Credit Union has its main office in the passage to the left of the community centre, at the start of the row of shops along St Vincent Street West. Keeping of the right side of St Vincent Street West, walk past St John’s Primary School. As the road turns to the left at the Methodist Church, there is a rough uneven sealed path narrowed in places by vegetation that turns to the right and goes through a green open space. Keep to this path across the field, avoiding litter and dogs’ dung, to the beginning of Ryland Street. A doctor’s surgery will be on the left when the path arrives at Ryland Street. Follow Ryland Street up the hill to the busy Broad Street.  (B)Broad Street has a Hollywood-style “Walk of the Stars”, featuring such luminaries as Ozzy Osbourne and Noddy Holder of “Slade.”

[5] At Broad Street, turn right and walk past Tesco to the underpass leading through Five Ways. (If a stop is needed, Tesco has a café and toilets). Walk through the underpass, over the central area, and going to the left, take the underpass leading back on to Broad Street on the south side taking care as before. Go straight onto Broad Street, towards the city centre. After a short distance, the Cineworld multiplex will be on the right, at the corner of Bishopsgate Street. After crossing the street, turn down the left-hand side of Bishopsgate, passing the City Tavern at the next corner. Continue down Bishopsgate until reaching Bath Row (note there is access by stairs down to the canal towpath at this corner). Turn left into Bath Row, and continue past the Queen’s Close student residence to the zebra crossing just before Granville Street. Cross here and return to Colston Health Centre.

Solo and vulnerable walkers may feel especially vulnerable at points on this walk, especially the underpass at Five Ways and the path off St. Vincent Street West.