| 1. This route utilises canal towpaths, cycle tracks and quiet roads. Its easy to navigate and doesn't require much effort as there is only one hill worth mentioning.
When you get on the Walsall canal at Baileys lane Tipton head right but almost immediatley take the bridge over the Walsall canal to join the Tame Valley canal. Stick with this canal until just after you cross the bridge at the junction of the Rushall canal. At the next bridge cross onto the opposite side of the canal and head under the motorway then take a signposted right turn onto a cycle path. Follow this path to its end where you will turn left onto a lane.
Before you get to the end of this lane turn right and head towards the river where you will find a path that goes under the dual carriageway, take this path keeping the river Tame on your right hand side. In time you will have a large pool on your left and you'll come to a footbridge over the river that you need to cross.
From the bridge look to your left for a tarmac path throught the trees and head up this path until you come to a road. Cross the road and make your way through the car park to Swan pool. Head anti-clockwise round the pool so that it is on your left side. You will come to a crossroads in the path, head right over the motorway bridge and take the 1st track on your left after crossing the bridge, continue along this path and on your left you'll dee the Sandwell Valley Park Farm which has a small shop to purchase drinks and snacks. Its a good place to take a rest if needed.
Now from the shop head to the far end of the carpark to find a gated path. This path is another bridge over the motorway but instead of crossing the m'way turn right just past the gate you've just gone through. At the end of this path you turn right onto a tarmac road. At the end of this road turn left and follow the road through the estate, you'll need to turn left when you see the hotel on the estate, this is a climb past the hotel, under a dual carriageway to a T junction. At the T junction turn left and before the next T junction you'll see that the footpath to the right becomes a cycle path. Follow the cycle path across the main road and past the fuel station on the left then turn left and fo all the way to the bottom of the road and use the underpass. At the crossing on the dual carriageway go straight over and follow the cycle path to the left adn down to a quiet road that you need to join in the straight ahead direction.
At the end of this road you will see a steep track to your left down to the Birmingham canal. Ride this canal in the direction you approach it from the steep path (towards Wolverhampton).
You'll have to cross onto the other side of the canal after a while, theres a bridge to ride across, keep cycling and after a few minutes you'll come to pudding junction which has the Walsall canal branching off to your right. To get onto the Walsall canal you'll have to use the road bridge, crossing Albion Road to join the Walsall canal. Stay on the canal and you'll end up where you started near the junction of the Walsall and Tame valley canals. |