Bournville to Birmingham Canal Walk

4.3 miles (7 km)

This walk follows the Worcester and Birmingham Canal from Bournville into the centre of Birmingham. The route runs for just over 4 miles, following the towpath north from Bournville station towards Edbaston, passing the famous Cadbury World on the way.... The route continues past Five Ways to finish in the centre of Birmingham.
This attractive urban waterside walk showcases Birmingham's remarkable canal network, much of which dates from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Once used to transport coal, iron, chocolate and manufactured goods, the canals are now lined with restored towpaths, historic bridges, converted warehouses and an increasing number of waterside cafés, apartments and green spaces.
Bournville is one of England's best-known model villages, created by the Cadbury family for workers at their chocolate factory. Wide tree-lined streets, open green spaces and distinctive Arts and Crafts architecture give the area a character quite different from much of the surrounding city. As the route heads towards the city centre, the canal passes through a mixture of peaceful suburban stretches and increasingly urban surroundings, with frequent narrowboats and restored canal infrastructure adding to its historic interest.
Approaching the centre of Birmingham, the canal passes through the regenerated districts around Five Ways before reaching the city's extensive canal basin. Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice, and the historic waterways remain one of its defining features. The walk finishes within easy reach of Brindleyplace, the Gas Street Basin, the International Convention Centre, Symphony Hall and the vibrant canalside restaurants and bars that line this revitalised part of the city.