Dorridge & District Residents Assocition A Wlk From Dorridge to Bly Vlley Nture Reserve This is circulr wlk. It is wlk of round 5 miles from centre of Dorridge, though obviously, those nerer Four Ashes cn strt from re Drum nd Monkey being s good lndmrk s ny. There re few styles nd it is muddy in prts when wet. It crosses min rods in couple of plces, so children would need to be crefully supervised t those points, including wlking long Gte Lne which locls will know is less thn idel with no sfe hven to wlk voiding trffic. If trffic concerns you, you cn drive to Bly Vlley prk, but report to gte house for prking permits nd directions (see www.blyvlleypeople.com). The strt nd end section of this wlk through open fields would be destroyed by building of motorwy services t junction 4. Strting from centre of Dorridge, it cuts through plesnt open spce retined fter Four Ashes development ws built. It n dodges few golf blls round driving rnge nd cross to Gte Lne. It finds hidden pedestrin bridge cross to Bly Vlley Business Prk. Although wlk next to motorwy is not peceful, countryside nd wildlife re mke stisfying contrst tht compenstes for nuisnce. Skirting round outside of business prk wlk finds substntil nture re set up jointly by business prk opertors British Lnd nd Solihull Council. The wlk n returns vi min exit bridge of prk, nd cross fields to Solihull Riding School, nd bck down Conker Lne to return to strt. 1: Strting from sttion go down to min rod nd turn left Assuming you re t sttion, descend hill to left (cycle shop is n hed of you) nd turn left, crossing t zebr crossing under rilwy bridge. Turn right t green islnd into Mnor Rod. 3: Left into smller footpth. 4: Through Four Ashes Driving rnge. A short wy long, nor footpth ppers on left. This winds through open spce retined s prt of Four Ashes development. Follow footpth through this plesnt re, n on cross Chdworth Avenue until end of this green venue. 2: At end of stright, continue on to Conker Lne. Continue up Mnor Rod, first pssing St. Phillips Church on your right, n crry on stright over mini-roundbout. In short while rod bends shrply left, you crry stright on onto Conker Lne footpth. At end of pth you rech min Four Ashes Rod by Althorpe Drive. Cross Althorpe Drive nd n cross Four Ashes Rod. (My tree identifiction is not up to scrtch, but this is site of four Ashes which were fmous lndmrk, recorded on mps couple of hundred yers go). Wlk up rodwy to Four Ashes Driving rnge. Where lne splits, go left nd continue digonlly left to fr corner of cr prk. Pge 1 of 6
5: Wlk down left side of buildings 6: Tke pth behind fence. By crzy golf course, wlk long edge of grounds nd pst left of buildings. As you Pss buildings you will see driving rnge behind you to your right, but crry on down, protected by high hedge t first, n follow edge of fields round nd long bottom s field sends you gently to right. 7: Hed stright cross field. The pth continues between telegrph poles nd wire fencing. A short wy long pth turns shrp left cross bridge. Tke this turn. 8: Tke style The pth goes stright cross middle of field over smll bridge crossing hidden strem nd on to field edge. Sfety note: very occsionlly cly pigeon shooting is held in this field. The shoot should be mnged to llow you to pss without concern it is your right of wy nd set-up of shoot should not be cross footpth, though debris indictes this is not cse. At field edge re is style which tkes you to left of hedge. Follow hedge nd you will emerge onto Gte Lne. 9: Turn right nd creful wlk to end of Gte Lne. 10: Cross Strtford Rod to left to pth Crossing style into Gte Lne, turn right. At first you cn keep to verge, but s you pproch corner you hve to wlk in rod. Tke extreme cre nd fix steely stre into eyes of oncoming drivers, who re not used to seeing mny pedestrins long here, to be sure y hve noticed you. At end of Gte Lne, crefully cross to left towrds Hockley Heth. About 20 metres long rod on fr side is signposted footpth. Eir wlk long nd cross opposite, being wry of very fst trffic, or cross t pedestrin crossing t lights, being wre tht re is only rough verge on fr side of Strtford Rod. 11: Follow wide grssy footpth 12: Follow trck to bridge Follow grssy footpth which first psses between hedges nd fencing, n opens out nd eventully drifts to left, pssing quite close longside southbound M42. Pss to right of mobile phone mst. Pge 2 of 6 The trck rrives t pedestrin bridge which we use to cross M42. As you wlk this re, keep your eye on sky for birds of prey such s sprrow hwks nd kestrels, nd listen out for birdsong bove hum of motorwy.
13: Tke trck on left 14: Join grvel tril n immeditely turn left You re now on edge of Business Prk, though you would not know it. Turn left nd follow cler tril. Keep eyes peeled for wide vriety of birds insects nd plnts. The prk is home to newts, snkes, birds, butterflies, otters nd bdgers. 15: Continue onwrds The tril turns right nd n joins grvel trck t its corner. Just s you join it, re is rough wooden bridge to left nd grssy tril cn be seen. Turn left here to continue round outskirts of prk. 16: Continue on This mown tril firstly turns left, pssing close to motorwy n drifts to right. 17: Emerge t bck entrnce to Business Prk....pssing through couple of gtes. 18: At roundbout, left The pth emerges t bck of business prk. We now thred our wy through to Virgin Active. Firstly, cross nd turn right... 19: Follow footpth stright hed You n rrive t roundbout, turn left long footpth which n turns into grvel trck round rer of building, turning right. 20: Turn left by cr prk Follow this trck stright on (building work for phse 2 of Prk mens tht pth left round edge cnnot be followed t moment). Pge 3 of 6 You emerge by cr prk, which is t rer of Virgin Active. Follow pth forwrd round prking.
21: Turn Left nd go pst Virgin Active. 22: Ber left to rejoin footpth. At junction in pthwys, turn left. Note lrge grssy picnic re on your right with fllen trees mrked insect hbitt. There re bird feeding res nd sightings book re. Crry long pvement, pst entrnce to Virgin Currently, rod to left is ded end, but my soon be opened out into next field being developed. From Virgin, tke this left turn, cross rod nd in corner, tke grvel pth by trees to right. Active nd down to rod junction. 23: Follow pth grss snkes. 24: Sty with pth to left The grvel pth curves round to right. To your left re Illshw Pstures - you cn if you wish explore se s long s you wtch out for nests. The River Bly runs long bck of this re it provides home to skylrks nd 25: Continue onwrds The pth psses some lrge ponds on your right se re not nturl, but re prt of site dringe system. Swns, coots nd or birds live here. There is recently instlled hide to observe birds. 26: Continue to rod Ignore pths tht turn right; we crry stright on. The pth runs longside strem for while (which is not Bly which is little furr cross to your left). The pth chnges to wooden sltted wlkwy for while, nd goes The pth emerges from woodlnd Through gte, pth bers slightly left, out to nor gte nd on to rod entrnce to business prk. though wooded re. 27: Turn right At rod, turn right. (To your left is A34 nd Big Tescos ). If you ever re brve enough to cycle to Tescos, this is recommended cycle pth which voids doing bttle with J4 (you will lose!). 28: Before roundbout, cross rod. The footpth/cyclewy crosses rod t clerly mrked crossing, nd we follow it but tke cre s trffic does enter business prk t speed. Pge 4 of 6
29: Turn left t roundbout, over bridge 30: At trffic lights, cross A34 The footpth rrives t roundbout, we turn left nd n cross over to right hnd side of rod to tke footpth over bridge, vguely reminiscent of Newcstle or Sunderlnd, depending on your Stying on right, we rrive t busy A34. The trffic lights hve pedestrin crossing fcility on right which we will use. Once cross rod, turn left towrds motorwy nd Gte Lne. lleginces. 31: Cross Gte Lne 32: Strike out cross field. Continue towrds motorwy islnd. Cross Gte Lne (tke cre, you cnnot see trffic lights to judge trffic movements). Continue until you re lmost t motorwy roundbout, keep looking up t hedge on right nd style cn be seen up bnk. Turn right nd cross this style. 33: Aim to right of lrge tree. The pth goes stright cross middle of field. At roughly crest of field, wobbly pole cn just be mde out, which mrks wy. Orwise, im for gp in sprse hedge pointed to by dotting of trees nd shrubs to your left. 34: Pss to right of tree. Pssing through sprse hedge, hed in sme line is hedge with lrge tree to its right, with gp. You should see feint mrk of footpth leding towrds it. 35: Cross bridge in corner. The pth now follows hedge round to fr right corner of this smll field: hedge bends right, hiding corner t first. 36 Ber left through kissing gte. In right hnd corner of field, smll footbridge is found. Cross this nd follow pth. Pge 5 of 6 The pth briefly turns left to kissing gte, nd n resumes its course towrds Solihull Riding School.
37: Follow wymrked tril 38: Tke to lne The pth now tkes right hnd edge of somewht untidy field filled with riding school odds nd ends. 39: The trck emerges t cr prk As this field opens out, cottge cn be seen on right, nd just beyond it, by tree is gp for wlkers which gives pth ccess to trck. 40: Before ny houses, ber left. The trck joins min riding school cr prk. Turn right nd n left to join concrete rod, continuing on in similr direction s before. Hlf wy long, wy breks wy from rod to left, down nrrow trck. By wy, Solihull Riding Club hve specil rrngement where y llow dog owners to join club nd hve rom over significnt re of its grounds. We, however, must stick to rights of wy. 41: The trck emerges on Four Ashes Rod nd turn right. 42: Turn Left The pth psses bck of some houses, nd trck fills out s it ners rod, nd becomes ccess rod for hndful of houses. On left footpth cn be seen which goes to Bentley Heth cemetery, but we crry on to Crefully crossing rod, turn left through pedestrin ccess into cul-de-sc, which is Buckminster Drive. On your right, notice lrge pond, gin prt of open spces retined s prt of development of Four Ashes re. rod nd turn right. 43: Follow Drive to Mill Lne 44: Return to Conker Lne Wlk through Drive until emerge t entrnce onto Lne. Cross over turn right. you its Mill nd Shortly long Mill Lne, Conker Lne ppers on your left. You cn now follow length of Conker Lne bck to Mnor Rod. In turn, follow Mnor Rod down to its end. Turn left under rilwy bridge nd you re returned to centre of Dorridge, with sttion up hill to your right. If you notice ny problems or hve ny suggestions for improvements to this wlk, plese let us know t info@dorridge.org.uk in fct we'd enjoy ny feedbck on se wlks. Pge 6 of 6