Solihull to Birmingham by canal

The Grand Union Canal connects Birmingham with the outskirts of Solihull – and if you keep going, Warwick and London. However, until you reach the locks at Camp Hill, the surface is uneven, and its situation in a wooded cutting means it can be muddy.

Ward End Route from Castle Vale

This is a signed, on-road alternative to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, starting near Castle Vale with its own extensive network of cycleways.

Cole Valley Route

This traffic-free route from the eastern edge of the city is less well known, but well-surfaced and traffic-free. At present it peters out at Small Heath; you can make your way to the Grand Union Canal here and continue to the city via Digbeth.

Rea Valley Route

Birmingham’s best-known and busiest traffic-free route, this length of NCN 5 runs from Lifford to the centre. It’s traffic-free for the first 60%, passing through Cannon Hill Park, then drops onto quiet roads. (NCN 5’s entrance to the city centre, via Hurst Street, is admittedly horrible.) A very worthy alternative to the Pershore Road, it’s popular both with rush-hour commuters and weekend leisure riders. The tarmac surface is preferable to the canal alternative.

Sutton Coldfield to Birmingham

The Bike North Birmingham project has created two good-quality routes from Sutton Coldfield, starting in parkland before delivering you to the canals for the bulk of the journey. NCN 534 goes via the New Hill Valley; NCN 535 is a westerly route past Witton Lakes. The Birmingham & Fazeley Canal then continues to the city centre via Spaghetti Junction.

The canal climbs through 25 locks to Birmingham, so it’s not flat. The surface is mixed, sometimes good-quality brick or tarmac, but with rough cobbles past locks. Though clearly slower than the A5127, this is a much more enjoyable route.