Costa Coffee, city centre

Eighteen riders led by John P to Costa Coffee in the city centre.  Out via the QE and Harborne Walkway, back via the canal.

Morso café, Alvechurch

A glorious summer day.  Eight riders led by John P to Morso café in Alvechurch, returning via the canal and Hopwood hill.

The route is here.

Alvechurch fisheries

John P led a group of 17 on an enjoyable ride to Alvechurch fisheries, one of our more demanding routes.  

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

Richard and John led a group of five to Beckett's Farm via roads which are familiar in the other direction but looked different going this way round.  The return route included going up Wast Hills Lane to Redhill Road, which is harder than going down.  

The route is here.

Sarehole Mill

Richard led a group of twelve to Sarehole Mill.  There were signs of damage caused by flash floods on 27th May, including a collapsed section of the towpath beyond Brandwood tunnel, erosion of the path leading from the towpath to Yardley Wood Road and flattened undergrowth along the Cole river bank.  Both the mill and the café were open, although some buildings on the site have been closed since they were flooded when the river burst its banks. 

The route is here.

Warley Woods

A glorious sunny day.  Richard led a group of four to Warley Woods, with some variations on the route we've taken before to avoid some busy roads and crossings.  We added a loop round the very scenic community park and golf course before taking a return route via Harborne and the Bournbrook walkway, now reopened after a long closure for flood prevention works.   

The route is here.

Woodgate Valley

Alan led a group of 19 to Woodgate Valley, via a route which took us out via the reservoir and back along the north edge of the park, ie not including the newly improved path, which is now open across the middle of the park.

The route is here.

Latif's, Digbeth

A group of five rode to Digbeth via the towpath into town and the Fazeley canal towpath under the city centre.  The newly opened path through Edgbaston tunnel is a big improvement, wide enough for two bikes to pass.  We were diverted off the Fazeley canal by a closure somewhere near Nechells, then expertly navigated back to the canal via the road by Richard and John.

The route is here.

Two rides today

1.  Regular Saturday ride

A group of eight led by John B via the byways of Edgbaston to Morrison's at Five Ways

2.  Longer ride

An enjoyable ride for a group of twelve, led by John T to Arrow Valley country park.

Thanks to Jane for photos below, taken during a short pause near the junction with Watery Lane while Mark fixed a back wheel puncture, and to John T for the group shot taken outside the visitor centre.

The route is here.