Route Developed by: Lucile Bleuh

Start from South Birmingham College, Balsall Heath Women’s Academy, B12 9LB

[1] Leave the Academy and turn left intoEdward Road. Walk along to main junction with Moseley Road, cross carefully right, then go right again into Clifton past Shia Mosque to a brick railway bridge go through the railway arch to Seven Streets Village.

The tunnel back housing in the seven parallel streets hereabouts grew up during the 1880s alongside pubs, schools and churches of many denominations. A century later it had became one of the city’s most crowded, insanitary and salacious suburbs, with 50% unemployment. It took direct action by local people and a bold urban renewal plan to create today’s thriving district of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities.

[2]  Walk on briefly past the Community Farm (the animals are looked after by young offenders) to a former pub on the corner of Malvern Street. Turn right across Clifton Street and follow a tarmac path through a small park, beside the railway embankment.

At the end of the park turn left into Runcorn Road and walk along past some terraced houses. These rows have unusual mansard roofs, varied finishes (timber, render, brick), and are separated by short avenues named after types of tree. Turn right at the end of Runcorn Road into Ladypool Road. Walk along Ladypool Road to the crossroads by The Brighton pub (built in 1875 as a hotel to serve the nearby railway station) and turn left into Taunton Road. Cross Taunton Road immediately and go through a gate into the corner of Balsall Heath Park. Birmingham’s smallest Victorian Park was laid out over the filled in Lady Pool. Many of the park’s mature trees were felled by the tornado that devastated this area in 2005. Your exit from the park is a gate just beyond the play area on the left, but to get there keep right and follow the tarmac perimeter path around three and a half sides of the park.

Turn right at the end of Runcorn Road into Ladypool Road. Walk along Ladypool Road to the crossroads by The Brighton pub (built in 1875 as a hotel to serve the nearby railway station) and turn left into Taunton Road. Cross Taunton Road immediately and go through a gate into the corner of Balsall Heath Park.

Birmingham’s smallest Victorian Park was laid out over the filled in Lady Pool. Many of the park’s mature trees were felled by the tornado that devastated this area in 2005. Your exit from the park is a gate just beyond the play area on the left, but to get there keep right and follow the tarmac perimeter path around three and a half sides of the park.

[3] Just before reaching the play area turn right through the gate onto Taunton Road. Cross Taunton Road and continue ahead down Roshven Road. At the end of Roshven Road turn left into Clifton Road and follow it past St Barnabas’ Church (1904, ruined by the blitz) to the crossroads. The Clifton pub on the opposite corner was named after Brunel’s suspension bridge. Turn right into Ladypool Road, the main drag of the Balti Triangle.

This district is home to some fifty Balti restaurants and sweet centres. The balti dish was first introduced to Britain here in the 1970s by local Pakistani and Kashmiri communities. Fresh ingredients and spices are fast cooked over dangerously high flames and served in the cooking bowl. Traditionally they are eaten with the hands using naan breads – some as large as the glass topped tables.

[4] Continue past sari shops and Balti Houses to turn right into Brunswick Road and then take the first turning left, through an Islamic style arch, onto a tarmac path across the narrow end of a large open area. This breathing space was created, as part of the urban renewal plan, on the site of former terraces. At the next corner of the open area turn left through another arch into the end of Leamington Road and follow it back to Ladypool Road. Turn right into Ladypool Road, walk past more Balti Houses and the former Congregational Church, then turn left opposite The George pub into Oldfield Road. Follow Oldfield Road to the corner of a park and turn left through a gap into it. Pickwick Park is another open space created by demolishing the houses that stood here. For thirty years it has been the finishing point for the local street procession. Turn right onto the perimeter path and follow it round to the diagonally opposite corner. Turn right off the perimeter path, just before the play area, and leave the park at a corner gap opposite The Crown pub.

[5] Turn right into St Paul’s Road and follow it past Victorian terraces to the brick railway bridge (emblazoned with the Seven Streets shield and motto – ‘Aspire’). Continue on beneath the railway bridge and past small motor mechanic workshops to the junction with Moseley Road. The plaque on the end of the last factory unit reveals that this was the site of St Paul’s Parish Church built between 1852-1977. Turn left into Moseley Road and follow the left-hand pavement, past the main road coming in from the right, into the old town centre.

Balsall Heath was incorporated into the City of Birmingham in 1891. On the right two brick and terracotta Renaissance style edifices – the Free Library with its clock tower, and the Public Baths with an ostentatious coat-of-arms. On the left the School of Art in ‘Wrenaissance’ style with Doric columns and wreaths. Other notable buildings here include the former Church of Christ built in 1912, and the stone banded Butchers Printed Products with its Arts & Crafts villa.

[6] Taking the first turning right into Edward Road, using the pedestrian lights just beyond it to cross Moseley Road, and follow the road back to the Academy.