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Edgbaston Reservoir Local Nature Reserve

Ladywood · 1.9 miles

70 acre site, less than two miles from the City centre is a site of historic importance, designed and built by Thomas Telford in 1827 to supply his new Main Line Canal. Friends of the Reservoir came together in 1990 to protect and promote the site.

Galton Valley Canal Museum

Smethwick · 1.9 miles

Visitors to Smethwick can explore the development of the Galton Valley canals at a modest museum set beside the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line, on the town’s border with Birmingham. The exhibition explains how the canals were designed, constructed and operated, and it is run by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Admission is free, although the venue does not provide wheelchair access. The museum is listed by Historic England and forms part of the heritage centre that occupies the former New Smethwick Pumping Station. The pumping station itself opened in 1892 to lift water from the lower Birmingham New Main Line to the higher Old Main Line, a function that ceased in the mid-1920s as canal traffic fell. After a brief wartime use and a period of vacancy, the building was restored in the late 1980s and later incorporated into the Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre. In 2011 the museum moved from its earlier Brasshouse Lane location to this historic site, where it is opened occasionally by the Sandwell Museum Service and the Friends of Galton Valley. Because of limited space, many objects were transferred to the Smethwick Heritage Centre in Victoria Park. The site also references James Watt’s original Smethwick Engine, now displayed at Birmingham’s Think Tank Museum, with tours of the original location arranged through the Galton Valley museum. The attraction earned a Silver award for Best Small Visitor Attraction at the 2009 Black Country Tourism Awards.

Chamberlain Memorial Fountain

Chinese Quarter · 1.9 miles

The Chamberlain Memorial, also known as the Chamberlain Memorial Fountain, is a monument in Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, England, erected in 1880 to commemorate the public service of Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914), Birmingham businessman, councillor, mayor, Member of Parliament, and statesman. An inauguration ceremony was held on 20 October 1880, when Chamberlain himself was present.

Forge Mill Lake

Newton · 2.5 miles

A 63-hectare wetland reserve on the edge of West Bromwich provides a mix of open water, wildflower meadows and planted woodland, all linked by a network of footpaths, a cycleway and a bridleway. The lake, also known as Sandwell Valley Storage Lake, lies alongside the River Tame and was completed in 1981 as part of flood-alleviation works; its original capacity was 498,000 m³. Managed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, the site was designated a local nature reserve in 1991, and a portion—including one of the two islands—is overseen by the RSPB as part of the adjacent Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve. A visitor centre at Forge Mill Farm offers information for those exploring the area. Wildfowl are a regular feature, with winter sightings that can include wigeon, snipe and water rail, while spring and autumn migrations bring a variety of rarer birds through the lake. The reservoir continues to be altered; as of 2020 work was under way to remodel the lake and increase its capacity within the Perry Barr and Witton flood risk management scheme. Access is straightforward from the nearby town of Newton, and the surrounding pathways make it suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders seeking a natural setting within Sandwell Valley Country Park.

Forge Mill Lake Local Nature Reserve Black Country Geosite

Newton · 2.5 miles

A 63-hectare lakeside reserve in Sandwell Valley provides a mixture of water, meadow and woodland habitats close to West Bromwich in the West Midlands. The lake, also known as Sandwell Valley Storage Lake, lies alongside the River Tame and was completed in 1981 as part of flood-alleviation works. Managed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, the site was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1991 and forms part of the wider Sandwell Valley Country Park. One of the two islands in the lake falls under the care of the RSPB, linking the reserve to the adjacent Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve. A footpath encircles the water, while additional pathways, a cycleway and a bridleway connect surrounding wildflower meadows and planted woodlands. The visitor centre at Forge Mill Farm supplies information for walkers and birdwatchers. During winter the lake attracts wigeon, snipe, water rail and other less common wildfowl; in spring and autumn migrating birds may be observed passing through the area. As of 2020 the lake is undergoing remodelling under the Perry Barr and Witton flood-risk management scheme, which is increasing its storage capacity. The reserve is operated by Sandwell MBC, with the nearest town listed as Newton, and can be accessed on foot or by bicycle via the network of paths that link the site to the surrounding parkland.

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

Digbeth · 2.5 miles

Thinktank, Birmingham is a science museum in Birmingham, England. Opened in 2001, it is part of Birmingham Museums Trust and is located within the Millennium Point complex on Curzon Street, Digbeth.