Spring Slade Lodge

Wryley & Essington Canal Local Nature Reserve

Wallington Heath · 8.1 miles

The waterway that runs through the countryside near Wallington Heath carries the dual identity of a historic canal and a protected green space. Known locally as “the Curly Wyrley”, the stretch of the Wyrley and Essington Canal was formally designated a Local Nature Reserve on 7 May 2008 and is managed by South Staffordshire Council. Its status as a reserve adds a wildlife-focused dimension to a route originally cut to move coal, limestone and other mineral products across the English Midlands. Construction of the canal began after the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act received royal assent on 30 April 1792, authorising a link from the Birmingham Canal near Wolverhampton to Wyrley Bank. The appointed engineer was William Pitt, and the level section to Sneyd Junction opened in November 1794. Subsequent legislation in 1794 extended the line past Lichfield to Huddlesford Junction and added branches to the Hay Head Limeworks and various coal pits. While the original main line reached Ogley Junction near Brownhills, parts of the network are now derelict and the navigable section terminates at that point. The canal’s historic role in supplying cheap coal to Lichfield and supporting local collieries and ironworks remains evident in the landscape that now supports the nature reserve. Visitors can locate the reserve using Wallington Heath as a reference point; the council’s stewardship began with the 2008 designation. No admission charge or visitor facilities are recorded in the supplied material, so access is governed by the general rights of way that apply to the canal corridor.

Bliston Craft Gallery and Library

Bilston · 12 miles

A substantial craft venue occupies a former stone house on Mount Pleasant, just off Bilston town centre. The two-storey residence was erected in 1905 for the Harper family, noted local lock manufacturers, and replaced an earlier Regency building, Brueton House, dated 1818. After serving as Bilston Girls High School from 1918, the property was remodelled with a rear extension and, from 1937, housed the Bilston Art Gallery and Museum before being re-styled as Bilston Craft Gallery in the 1990s. The building now also accommodates Bilston Library and is listed by Wolverhampton City Council. The gallery’s permanent display, titled Craftsense, juxtaposes eighteenth-century industrial objects with contemporary pieces that employ similar techniques, centring on a collection of nearly one hundred Bilston enamels. These enamels, removed to Bantock House during the 1990s re-organisation, were reinstated in 2005 when the Craftsense gallery opened, forming one of the country’s largest enamel groups after the Victoria and Albert Museum. Temporary exhibitions showcase modern craft, while the Crafts Council Photostore offers access to over a thousand designer-makers. Educational provisions include the pre-school-focused Craftplay area and a hireable First Floor Gallery for community exhibitions. A sizeable garden at the rear features floral planting together with craft works such as two carved wooden dragons by Graham Jones and a circle of stone sculptures. Admission is free, opening times are published on the listing, and the venue is readily reachable from Bilston.

Rising Brook Community Green Space

Rowley Park · 4.3 miles

This open space alongside the A449 Rising Brook stretching between West Way and Hesketh Road is now being managed by the local community action group with the support of Streetscene from Stafford Borough Council

Pelsall North Common Local Nature Reserve

Pelsall · 8.1 miles

Site of Importance for Nature Conservation

Walsall Wood Colliery Pit Head Monument

Shire Oak · 8.7 miles

At 10+ tonnes, and one steel Racing Pigeon (Break Away, Walsall Wood world record breaker), the replica Headgear, life-sized and visually on the same site as its original, stands as a monument to the people of Walsall Wood who worked in the pit.

The Royal Oak

Bentley · 11 miles

One of four stones excavated from Bentley Hall, surrounding Bentley Cairn, tells the story of King Charles II sheltering here after losing the English Civil War. Engraved with a depiction of the oak tree he hid in.