This is an approximately 3.5 mile flat (some stairs) walk from Harborne to the Edgbaston Reservoir along minor roads and the Harborne Walkway.
Starting outside Harborne Leisure Centre, the route first visits the Moor Pool Estate.
Moor Pool Estate is a meticulously designed Garden suburb, which was the vision of John Sutton Nettlefold, consisting of around 500 houses designed in the Arts and Crafts style between 1907 and 1912 in response to overcrowded urban dwellings, and to provide residents with extensive green space, fresh air as well as community and sporting facilities. The estate boasts two community halls (Grade II listed) with a ‘hidden’ Edwardian Skittle Alley, a snooker and billiards hall, two tennis clubs, a bowling green, fishing pond and allotments all designed to improve the physical and social wellbeing of the residents and encourage a sense of community. We walk around the estate and to the middle, “The circle”, and visit the pocket garden.
From there we join the Harborne Walkway, going north on the traffic free route towards town. At the end of the walk we’ll visit the Red Shed Cafe and take in part of Edgbaston reservoir.
The Red Shed Community café is part of the Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, an eco-site demonstrating what can be done at local level in the fight against climate change. Situated inside a unique eco-friendly building with views over the beautiful field and the reservoir it makes an ideal end to our walk to enjoy a cup of tea/coffee whilst supporting a local initiative. They usually have a good cake selection as well.
From the cafe it’s a short walk to catch a bus back into town.
Please meet outside Harborne Leisure Centre ready to start at 10.30am. Please note that since the walk is organised under the auspices of the Ramblers, we are unable to accommodate dogs on the walk.
There are no toilets during the walk, but they are available at the Leisure Centre at the start of the walk and at the café at the end.
