Route Checker: Kelvin Roberts.

Starting outside the Bournville Factory, Birmingham.

[1] Turn left out of the factory exit at Main Street South, and walk along Bournville Lane.  Take care walking through the railway bridge, as the tunnel is narrow.

[2] Cross Bournville Lane here and continue down the right hand pavement across Victoria Road and Lea House Road to the T-junction with Hazelwell Street. Cross Hazelwell Street with care, turn right, and follow the road to the point of the triangle. Cross Pershore Road here.  (These two roads form a one way system, so although it is a busy road, you cross one  flow of traffic at a time.)  Turn left back down Pershore Road and right into Hazelwell Lane, whose boarded up Victorian villas are evidence of a busy industrial history. At the end of Hazelwell Lane take the path straight ahead over a bridge and enter Hazelwell Park and turn left following the tarmac track all the way to Cartland Road, taking the left fork where the path divides.

(A) Hazelwell Park is on the site of the 17th Hazelwell Corn Grinding Mill, which was converted in the 18th century to bore gun barrels.

[3] Cross Cartland Road at the Pelican crossing and continue in the same direction along the River Rea Heritage Trail, again taking the left fork where the path divides.  At the road turn left down Dogpool Lane until you reach Pershore Road, where you turn left again and walk to Cartland Road.

(B) The River Rea Heritage Trail follows the river 14 miles from its source in the Waseley Hills to its convergence with the Tame near Spaghetti Junction

At waymark [3], the route can be shortened by turning left down Cartland Road to the traffic lights.  Cross over Pershore Road and turn left. Rejoin the longer route at waymark [4].

[4] At the traffic light junction, cross Cartland Road and continue along Pershore Road, past Stirchley Bowl and Fitness First on the left, where you should use the pedestrian traffic lights to cross over the road.  Continue walking in the same direction, passing the Co-op Superstore on your right,  to the junction with Bournville Lane and Hazelwell Street, where you turn right and retrace your steps, crossing Bond St, Regent St and Oxford St,  through the railway bridge to the factory exit.

If you wish, you can cross Pershore Road outside Stirchley Bowl, and fork left down Ribblesdale Road.  Take the left fork at the end of the road into Bond Street, and almost immediately right into Oxford Street.Note: right-hand the pavement ends half-way along this road, so cross to the left-hand side in good time. Follow this round to the T-junction with Bournville Lane, where you pick up the main route back to the factory gate.  This route is slightly longer, but takes you into much quieter roads.