Wythall to Shirley Railway Stations, Rail Trails

Start : Wythall Railway Station (B47 6HE) Grid ref. SP 092 757

(S) If arriving from Birmingham, walk up the path from platform 2 and turn right over the bridge.
If arriving from Stratford, walk up the path from platform 1 and turn right on the right-hand pavement, immediately bending right into Lea Green Lane.

(1) Walk ahead for 5⁄8 mile on the pavement to reach a crossroads, where you turn right onto Houndsfield Lane. Walk ahead 30 yards, cross the road to a driveway opposite. Turn right on the pavement with the hedge on your right. Cross the side road (Houndsfield Close) and in 40 yards cross the driveway.

(2) Turn left at the footpath signpost and climb over the fence (stile is broken). Ahead on the left-hand side of the field, through a gap in the corner, cross the stile and turn right with the path. Cross the plank bridge, cross the stile. Turn left on the drive. Follow North to the road.

Turn right on the pavement. Where the right-hand pavement ends at the 40mph signs, cross the road and continue on the left-hand pavement.

(3) Immediately after passing the entrance to Trueman’s Heath Farm and Trueman’s Heath Riding School, turn left between fences (footpath signpost), through a metal kissing gate then a small wooden gate. Note that the following section goes through the riding school, so watch out for horses in the fields and their muck anywhere!

Ahead along the left-hand side of the field, cross a stile on the left, and ahead on the path, passing the riding school buildings on the left. Follow the home-made footpath signs which the owner has thoughtfully provided: turn left off the path to cross the footbridge.

(4) Then, turn right onto the gravel track. Follow the track between fields. At the end of the track, through a small metal gate into a field. Turn right through the metal kissing gate then bend left with the path, barbed wire fence on the right.

(5) At the start of the third field on the right, turn right, cross the stile (public footpath waymark on post) and ahead across the field, aiming to the right of a white house. Turn left to cross a stile in the corner to the right of a large metal gate. Walk ahead along the right-hand side of the field. Cross a stile to the left of a large metal gate, and go ahead on the track.

(6) Where the track bends right, fork left on the path through trees (waymark on post). Go through a small metal gate and cross a field to go through another small metal gate (electricity pylon on left). Cross the field, down a bank to cross a footbridge and up the opposite bank. Cross a small field and cross a stile to the road.

Cross the road and turn right on the left-hand pavement. At the junction, turn left on the road which goes under the canal aqueduct (care – no pavement). Walk ahead for 400 yards, with River Cole on the right, to a junction.

(7) Cross the road and turn right on the left-hand pavement. Walk ahead for a further 400 yards to the next junction, turn left onto Haslucks Green Road, over the railway bridge, and turn left to Shirley station. (E)

Start : Wythall Railway Station (B47 6HE) Grid ref. SP 092 757

Transport : Wythall is on the North Warwickshire Line running Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Wilmcote between Birmingham & Stratford-upon-Avon. There’s
Stratford-upon-Avon an hourly service to both Birmingham Moor Street (via Whitlock’s End and Shirley) and to Stratford-Upon-Avon (via Earlswood and Henley-in-Arden and all stations beyond).

Facilities : There are limited facilities available at Wythall Railway Station.

Refreshments : For a halfway pitstop you could make a quick diversion to the Drawbridge Inn, renowned for its steaks (and food challenges!). Alternatively head for the diverse mix of cuisines, bars and cafés you’ll find in Shirley itself.
The colebrook : A comfortable local Ember Inn, with real ale and traditional pub-food, roaring log fire and award- winning cask ales on tap. Offering a fixed price lunch and dinner menu, a buffet and a Sunday roast menu.
The Drawbridge Inn : Named after the adjacent drawbridge on the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, this “flaming great pub restaurant” is famous for its food challenges, flame- grilled steaks and moreish burgers.

Discover the Heart of England by rail at Heart Community Rail Trail here.

The Transport Museum : Home to over 90 buses and to the largest collection of battery electric road vehicles, including over 30 electric milk floats! You can also indulge at the cafe or ride some smaller rails at the miniature railway.
Did you know?
From 1939 to 1959 Wythall was home to a Royal Air Force station, initially housing a barrage balloon facility. The Transport Museum is on part of the site.

Beckett's Farm: Farm shop, restaurant, cookery school and conference centre. The Becketts have been farming in Wythall for 80 years, with a mission to bring fresh food and farming closer to people. A top place to stock up on walking provisions!

Berry Mound : An Iron Age hillfort dated to the 1st or 2nd century BC, covering 11 acres and surrounded by a 24 ft (7.3 m) wide earth rampart. The bank and ditch in the southern sector are in particularly good condition.
Did you know ? The Berry Mound has been known as “Danes camp field” and “Danes bury field”. The term Berry or Bury comes from the old English “Burgh”, meaning defensive position. Local tales concern King Alfred doing battle with the Danes here and excavations certainly showed signs of fortifications that fit the story!

Wythhall Park : 37 acres of parkland managed by the Wythall Community Association. If you happen by on a Saturday morning, make sure to check out the Country Markets, held in the Scout Hut!