Aston Station to Gas Street Basin canal Short Walk on 6 November

P LEASE NOTE THAT THE DURATION OF THIS EVENT SHOWN ABOVE IS ONLY APPROXIMATE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED; IT WILL DEPEND ON FACTORS SUCH AS THE WEATHER AND THE WALKING PACE OF THE GROUP.

Join this leisurely ramble with a Birmingham Ramblers group leader and enjoy social walking with our friendly members.

It is very helpful for the walk leader to have prior knowledge of numbers that will be on this walk. We ask you to complete this very brief form to help with our planning of the walk to ensure that we can safely accommodate all who wish to join us. You will receive an automatic acknowledgement when you submit this form, and also a reminder of the details 2 days before the walk.

If you later find that you are unable to join us it would be helpful if you let us know by sending an email to bhamramblersenquiries@gmail.com - this will be passed on to the walk leader and will prevent any delay to the start of the walk should the leader be waiting for you. Please note that some walks have a waiting list so this will be passed on to the walk leader and will prevent any delay to the start of the walk should the leader be waiting for you.

Walk leader: Paul Hatton

This is a 2.7 mile walk along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal from Aston Station to Gas Street Basin. This walk complements our walk from Aston Station in the opposite direction to Perry Hall Park, splitting the walk from the City Centre to the Alexandra Stadium along the Birmingham and Fazeley canal and the Tame Valley canal into two shorter walks.

Meeting arrangements:

We will meet under the bridge on Lichfield Road down the steps at the exit from either platform at Aston station by 10.50 am. The 10.36 am Cross-City train from New Street station, where the walk leader will be joining the train, arrives at Aston at 10.43.

If joining at New Street Station meet the leader by the head of Ozzy the Bull on the concourse by 10.20 am to catch the 10.36 train, or remain on the train if you are already on the train passing through New Street.

If making your own way to Aston Station: There is a Cross-City train from the opposite direction that arrives at Aston at 10.42. Aston Station is also served by buses 65, 67, 68 and X64. Since this is a linear walk and parking around Aston station is limited and difficult to find, using public transport is strongly recommended.

This walk takes us from Aston Station along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal past Aston Junction and into Gas Street Basin where there are ample pubs and cafes for refreshment at the end of the walk.

Approaching Aston Junction the Birmingham and Fazeley canal rises through the eleven locks of the Aston flight, the first locks after Salford junction, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away beyond our joining point. We reach Aston Junction after 1.3 miles (2 km) where the 0.9 miles (1.4 km) long Digbeth Branch heads south-east to Typhoo Basin on our left. The name Typhoo Basin, which is also known as Digbeth Basin or Bordesley Basin, comes from the well known brand of tea which was frequently offloaded from barges there. Aston Junction is notable in having two bridges serving the same lock; an iron Horseley bridge at the top and a brick bridge at the bottom. There is some seating at Aston Junction to rest our legs for a coffee break.

From Aston Junction, we continue along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, heading south-west for 1.3 miles (2.1 km). 2 miles (3.2 km) into the walk we pass under the Snow Hill bridge, then we ascend through the 13 Farmers Bridge locks, passing the Post Office tower on our left, rising 81 feet (25 m) to reach Farmers Bridge Junction and Gas Street Basin.

The Farmer's Bridge Locks Flight is one of the outstanding sights on Birmingham's canal network where the canal rises through dramatically floodlit archways, office undercrofts, and tunnels. It is a truly atmospheric link to the past in the middle of a modern city. After the walk ends at Brindleyplace the walk leader will be heading for well-earned refreshment at The Prince of Wales, a beautifully-refurbished traditional Black Country Ales pub tucked away behind the new developments along the canalside. All will be welcome to join him.

Expressions of Interest for this walk will close at 06.00 on Tuesday 4 November 2025. After this, please email bhamramblersenquiries@gmail.com to enquire about any late availability for the walk.

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If you later find that you are unable to join us it would be helpful if you let us know by sending an email to bhamramblersenquiries@gmail.com - this will be passed on to the walk leader and will prevent any delay to the start of the walk should the leader be waiting for you. Please note that some walks have a waiting list so tickets are NOT TRANSFERABLE; if you are unable to join us then please cancel your place to free it up for someone who may be on the waiting list rather than passing it to someone else.

General Information

This is one of several walks and activities offered by the Birmingham Ramblers. If you have found this page through a web search or other means and would like to find out more about the group then please visit the Birmingham Ramblers web site; new members are always welcome.