If anyone would like to join the group who have a shortish (3-4 miles ) walk on variable days during the third week of the month, usually followed by a drink and snack in a café/pub you would be very
welcome. A WhatsApp group is being set up which is where details of future walks will be found. It is going to be administered by Rose – please contact her if you wish to be included.

Please Note All walkers and those leading walk should ensure that they have read and understood the Safety guidelines that are available from the FCWI secretary.

2026

Wednesday 14th January – led by Alison Glover.   It will start at 10.30 from the golf club car park at the bottom of Rose Hill, Rednal (B45 8RT) and will take in Bilberry Hill and Cofton Hill. It will finish back at the Duckpond Cafe in time for a drink/snack and for those who want to travel to Rubery Great Park to get there for 12.50

2025

Wednesday 3rd December – led by Jane Lodge – a walk along the newly refurbished towpath in Droitwich.  Full details will follow on the walkers’ WhatsApp group.  Anyone else interested should contact Jane.

Wednesday 19^th November – Led by Rose.  This month’s walk will be starting at 10.30 am from outside The Rose and Crown, Feckenham. The pub does not have a car park but there are a few parking spaces on the street outside; otherwise, you could park in The Square which is nearby.
The walk will be on country lanes and through some fields. It is 3.7 miles and will take about 2 hours. Afterwards we can have coffee or a bite to eat if you wish in The Rose and Crown.
There are four stiles which are not very well kept – two have a steep step down, one is very rickety but manageable with two helpers holding it, and one is best negotiated by bending and getting under it. But – if I can do the stiles, you can!
There were three or four short wet and muddy rutted sections when we did the recce, so suitable footwear is needed and a stick might be helpful

Thursday 16th October – Meet by 10.30 in the Church car park at Cofton Church, down Cofton Church lane. This walk has been done before, but will be done in reverse this time. Led by Pat R.

September walk was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Monday 18th August – Arrow Valley Park, Redditch – a walk round Arrow Park, Redditch led by Mary. Meet at the Countryside Centre to walk the Woodland Trail.  It is 2.5 miles, they suggest 2 hours, but it maybe less.  No Stiles, flat tarmac surfaces, flyer states some steps, grass fields, some woodland paths and can be muddy. Mary parked at Proctors Barn Lane carpark which is a 3 minute walk from the Countryside Centre, there are 3 carparks here very close to each other, Mary chose the middle as this carpark was virtually empty, it is close to Redditch Sailing Club. Proctors Barn Lane is narrow, there are other carparks at the Arrow Valley Park but there is a fun-fair on at present.There is a note about algae in the water and dogs should be on leads. Will need water, suntan lotion and hats.

A leaflet was placed on the notice board and it can be found here https://arrowvalley.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/The-Woodland-Trail.pdf if you want a copy.

Monday 14th July – around Chaddesley Corbett woods

Tuesday 17^th June – meeting up in the car park at Tardebigge Church at 6.30pm. The walk is just under 3 miles along the canal to the reservoir and back through fields and along the lane back to our cars. The thought is some may like to go for a drink afterwards so we can then go to the Tardebigge Pub.

Wednesday 14th May – 10:30 at St Michael’s Church, Cofton Hackett, B45 8DB. 2.5 mile level walk with some steps and one stile. Coffee afterwards at The Barnt Green Inn.

Monday 14th April – Beginning from Hanbury Church, or Hall if the drivers are NT members at 10:30.

Wed 19 March 13:30 at The Cross to include our annual litter pick

Wed 19 February Meet at the Rose and Crown, Rosehill for a 3 mile walk led by Pat R. Coffee and snacks in the Golf Club.

Wed 15 January  10.30  will start from Bromsgrove Cricket, Tennis and Hockey club in St Godwalds Rd, Aston Fields B60 3BW where we have permission to park, walking to the canal, along the tow path and over footpaths  and having coffee at either The Queen’s Head or Bremis in Aston Fields both of which are dog friendly. 

2024

Wed 18th December – from The Cross Inn.

Wed 20th November at 10.30 at Forge Mill/Bordesley Abbey B98 8HY for a walk to Arrow Valley Park.  Anyone wishing to visit the museum on return will need to pay £6.80 entrance fee.

Wednesday 16th October – 10:00 at Finch End Farm, Upper Gambolds Lane, B60 3HF when following a car share the walk will be around Barrow Hill at Feckenham followed by drinks at Feckenham Village Shop. Amended to a local walk due to a worrying weather forecast.

Mushrooms, hornets’ nest , sloes and deer as well as glacial boulders en route

And a great cup of coffee in Bremis

Wednesday 18th September – 10:30 Clent Hills, Led by Alison Glover and meeting at Walton Hill Car Park B62 0NQ, which is free. Note: NOT Nimmings Wood car park.

Wednesday 21st August – from Beacon Hill car park. A walk of about 3 miles led by Pat R

Wednesday 17th July – from The Swan at Fairfield – please contact Alison if you wish to go.

Wednesday 19 June 10.30. A 3 mile walk from the Queen’s Head along the canal and across fields, with a few stiles, to the Navigation and back.

Wednesday 15 May 10.30 am. Led by Rose H. Starting and finishing at The Cross Inn, Finstall. Sign-up sheet.

Wednesday 17 April, 10.30 am. Led by Jean H.
Starting from Finch End Farm, Upper Gambolds Lane at 10.00 am. We will head to the canal via Grimley Lane, then Patchetts Farm, coffee at Queens Head then back to the start via Lower Gambolds Lane. Sign up sheet at April meeting.

Wednesday 20 March, 10.30 am from CROSS INN CAR PARK. It will include a LITTER PICK for The Great British Spring Clean and will probably be followed by a visit to The Cross Inn. Signup sheet so that Alison will know how much equipment to get from the council.

Wednesday 21 February at 10.30 am, walk led by Alison. It will start at 10.30 from the station carpark at Alvechurch which is free to park in. It will be mainly along gravel footpaths and the canal towpath but there will be a short stretch through the hamlet of Withybed, about 200 yards on a B road and a
couple of fields to cross. These weren’t too muddy last week so fingers crossed. There are 2 stiles and the walk is about 3.5 miles. We can decide whether we want to call in at either the Crown or the Weighbridge for drink and possibly a snack towards the end of the walk. Please let Alison know (or via finstallcrosswi@gmail.com) if you hope to come. Jean has kindly volunteered to lead a walk this year, thanks Jean, but more volunteers would be appreciated.

Wednesday 17th January –The walk will be along one of the trails in Arrow Valley, Redditch.
I am hoping that these will be less wet and muddy than other footpaths. I expect
we won’t escape the mud altogether so please wear suitable footwear and bring
a stick if you think that would help. We will meet at the Visitor Centre off Battens
Drive B98 0LJ at 10.30 and can then decide which trail we will follow. The café
sells drinks and snacks and we can call in on our return. Please let me know if
you plan to join us and if you would like to lift share over to the start.

2023

Wednesday 20 December It will be the HADZOR CIRCULAR starting from St Peters church car park (WR9 7AN) in Droitwich. This is a large free car park but is next door to a school. If there happens to be a school Christmas event on we may struggle for parking in which case we’ll need to improvise by using the local residential roads. We’ll leave the carpark at 10.30 and walk a short way down roads, turn off into the golf club following the footpath to Hadzor then after a short stretch of country lane walking, we’ll join the canal tow path and make our way back to the park in Droitwich. The walk is easy with no stiles but a little longer than usual being about 4.5 miles. There will be some mud on the towpath so bring sticks if you have them. Hopefully it will take us about 2 hours. We’ll return to the car park via the café in the park which serves snacks and very good coffee.
If you are planning to join us and walk off calories from the night before please let Alison know so we can share lifts from Bromsgrove.

Wednesday 15 November. Led by Alison at 10.30 am
from the garden centre on Littleheath Lane, now called the Bromsgrove
Garden Centre (B60 1HY). It will be over footpaths, fields and quiet roads
around Burcot,Blackwell and Barnt Green There is one stile and it is about 4
miles. It is likely that there will be mud so please bring a stick if you are
worried about slipping. The cafe at the garden centre serves snacks and
drinks so we can reward ourselves once we’ve completed the walk. We
should get back to the garden centre about 12.30 where non walkers would
be welcome to join us. Please let Alison know if you plan to attend.

Wednesday 18th October – Led by Fran R. The Brook Inn at Elcocks Brook, leaving at 10:30. It will be a circular walk which skirts the grounds of Norgrove Court. It is roughly 2 1/2 to 3 miles long and has a variety of road walking, fields, woodland and parkland. There are a couple of streams with bridges, and 5 stiles, all of which are user friendly. It has been tested out by Labrador Cerys to be dog friendly, although she chose to use the shallow stream instead of the bridges. Fran can get 4 others in her car, so if anyone would like to go with her they are very welcome. Plus room for more dogs. Get to Fran at around 10.10 if you would like a lift. We will return to the Brook for refreshments after the walk. Please let Alison G know if you plan to attend.

Wednesday 20th September – starting at 10:30 from the car park at Tardebigge Church. The walk will be along roadsides and lanes via Tutnall and including coffee or lunch at The Courtyard Cafe. About 3.5 miles. Let Alison G know if you want to attend.

A very wet walk!

A well deserved coffee

Wednesday 16th August – around Ombersley

Wednesday 19th July – starting at 10:30 at The Queen’s Head, Stoke Pound. Led by Jane Hipwell. The walk will be about 3.5 miles. They will follow the canal for a short distance before heading off across the fields to re-join the canal at the Harris Brush Works and from there back to the Queen’s Head. Split into two walks – one dog friendly, but they all met up for coffee.

Wednesday 21st June – 10.30 am, meeting at the BEACON HILL CAR PARK at the end of Monument Lane, to be led by Pat Rogers. Going across Whetty Lane bridge then up to the top of the Waseley Hills with lovely views, on to the café (good snacks, drinks and toilets) then back along the lower route. It will be about 4 miles and will involve some uphill climbing which can be tackled with lots of rests as needed.

Photos taken after toasted bacon butties and coffee!

Wednesday 17th May – Starts at 10:30 at Walton Hill car park (B62 0NQ). We will end at the Café in the National Trust car park. You may want to bring a walking pole. For further details contact Alison.

Wednesday 19th April – Starting at 10:30 from Finch End Farm, across the fields, along the canal to the Queen’s Head for coffee and back again.

15th March – started and ended at The Cross Inn, Finstall

First signs of spring

15th February Started at Sanders Park – a walk round Bromsgrove including a Treasure Trail

Looking for Aliens??!

18th January – start at The Cross Inn, Finstall at 10:30

2022

14th December – Starts from Lickey Hills Visitor Centre.

A cold and frosty walk

16th November – Starts from Bromsgrove Golf Club at 10:30am. There are two options depending on how wet it has been.

Option 1 is through the golf course into Burcot then head back via a footpath through fields [ 1 stile].

Option 2 is to try and find our way through the labyrinth of the Oakalls to Aston Fields and
back mainly using pavements.

Either route will be about 3 miles and we should be back at Edwards bar and restaurant at the golf centre between 12 and 12.30 in time for coffee or a light lunch . Non walkers are welcome to join us there.

Well deserved ‘après walk’ refreshments

October – Astwood Bank

September – Morton Stanley Park

August – Tardebigge

July – Romsley

June – Sanders Park & Rock Hill

May – Astwood Bank

April – Lickey Hills & Broadmoor Wood

March – Tardebigge

February – Stoke Prior

January – Lickey End & Blackwell

2021

16 June – Waseley Hills

19 May- Dodford Woods

21 April- Tardebigge

No walks permitted due to Covid Lockdown, January – March

Monthly walk on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

September 2020 – social distancing!

16th October 10.30 at The Queens Head

September – Churchfields Farm, Salwarpe

July – Hanbury

June – Fairfield

May – The Boat Shack, Upton Warren

Toddington Train and Walk taking in Hailes Church and Hailes Abbey

Bodenham

Birmingham walk