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It's Aston-ishing

TELL ALL of your friends around the country – a restoration project in the big heart of Birmingham has created one of the wonders of the Midlands.Read

Urban Walk: Walking a good talk in the village

BORDESLEY Village is a recent development built in the 1990s and, I admit, I was dubious about such a recent set-up and how it would look and feel. Read

A Walk in the Park: Weston Park, Shropshire

THE ultra-green, subdued light across the lake where swans were gently gliding with their cygnets was impossible to resist.Read

Family days out in Birmingham this summer

Birmingham City Council has put families to the front of the queue this summer with a vast array of value for money fun days and many free to ensure every child is kept active over the summer holiday. Read

A Walk in the Park: Earlswood Lakes

WE HAD, in fairness, driven all the way out to Earlswood to visit the Red Lion pub on nearby Lady Lane for a meal.Read

Release the strain with a wander

WALKING in the rain this week has given me the grit needed to motivate myself after some lazy, hot summer afternoons languishing in an office or worse still, journeys to, from and including the London Underground. I was glad to be outside getting wet in the warm weather. In many parts of the world the rains are a real thrill. My only problem is that my specs get wet and I can’t see where I’m going... a good reason to bring a friend along! This week’s walk was created by another wonderful volunteer, Margaret Clewett. The additions of history and architectural styles mentioned make an urban walk such as this a revelation.Read

Vineyard visit turns out to be real corker

THE initial joy of visiting this hillside retreat was to see a pair of swallows swooping down to feed their young, which were waiting patiently in a nest we could see indoors at first hand.Read

Urban Walk: Pond life is highlight of nature stroll

THIS is a walk I did about a year ago but is ready to revisit to see what is happening. It is a nice thing to do to go back at a similar time of the year to see what the plants and other wildlife are doing and notice what has returned and what has changed over the year. This is a serene and beautiful spot, especially for those looking for a calm and therapeutic break listening to birdsong.Read

A Walk in the Park: Folkes Park, Tipton

WHILE Birmingham continues to promise a new park for the city’s Eastside, the Black Country Living Museum has just got on with the job – and built one from scratch.Read

Real mansion magic at Witley Court

WE HAD only just arrived at Witley Court’s grand entrance when I felt like we were in Italy.Read

Getting out of the mud for a picnic

HAVING spent last weekend at Glastonbury plodding through mud (there is always mud, come rain or shine on a farm and even rock legends get muddy!), I decided a chilled-out walk to the centre of Birmingham would provide a nice way to ease me into city life again.Read

A guide to your future in a visit to the past

IN THESE recession hit times, facilities like Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery have never been more important.Read

A Walk in the Park: Drayton Manor Theme Park

USUALLY when you’re out and about in a park, the worry is that you might get bitten by a ‘trophy’ dog whose owner has no idea how to control it.Read

Urban Walk: Beautiful buildings a real treat

MY OLD stomping ground in Aston has had its moments and does not have the cleanest reputation. I love it all the same and was proud to show it off to my New York friends this week.Read

A Walk in the Park: Cole End Park

ENGLAND has what’s left of Hadrian’s Wall to try keep the Scots out and China still has the Great Wall to bring the tourists in.Read

National Football Museum offers a champion day out

I’VE GOT the best left foot that was never selected for England and my son, Louie, trains in search of a 21st century £1 million-a-year contract.Read

Cotswold Motoring Museum - sights and smells of petrolhead paradise

IMAGINE a cross between the Heritage Motor Museum at Gaydon and the Land of Lost Content at Craven ArmsRead

Urban Walk: Pupil's walk starts from school door

OUR volunteers always come through for us at the Ramblers. This week’s route was designed by Fred Willetts and Tony Holmes after we booked a last-minute walk programme with Leigh Primary School, in Washwood Heath.Read

A Walk in the Park: Walsall Arboretum Park

EVERY town and city likes to take pride in its own flagship park.Read

Woolly friends prove perfectly idyllic fun

WHEN I travelled in South America I saw countless alpacas in the distance – and never expected to be able to get so close to them right on our Midlands’ doorstep.Read