Birmingham to Shrewsbury - National Cycle Network - Quiet Roads & Traffic Free Cycling
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- In this video we make our way from Birmingham city centre, 53 miles to Shrewsbury. We use as many traffic free cycling routes as possible, including 4 canals and 1 disused rail line. We also take in some lovely quiet lanes as we escape to the countryside.
We use the Birmingham mainline line canal to leave Birmingham and pass through the Black Country to Wolverhampton. From here we use the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal and the Shropshire union canal to get to the edge of Wolverhampton. We then use quiet lanes to get to Telford, passing RAF Cosford. We pass through Telford on mostly traffic free cycle routes and get to Shrewsbury on more quiet lanes. A great bike packing route!
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Route:
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Videos mentioned in the video are below as well as more videos on the routes used:
Route 84 - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
• Route 84 - Chirk To Th...
Route 55 - Coalport to Stafford
• Route 55 - Coalport to...
• Route 55 - Coalport to...
Route 5 and 81
• Route 5 and 81 - Birmi...
• Route 5 and 81 - Birmi...
• Route 81 - Wolverhampt...
• Route 81 - Shrewsbury ...
• Route 81 - Shrewsbury ...
Took us the best part of 3 years to repair the concrete on that M5 viaduct. During which we had to slow down the traffic going over it. I spent the entire three years working under it. We did open it back up to 70mph for a short while. But during the repairs we had been taking pollution samples and we noticed that the pollution shot straight up once we made it 70mph again. So it was quickly decided to drop it back down to 50mph and the pollution dropped back down and there it will stay forever. So worth remembering when trying to decide if you want to travel alongside a 50mph road compared to a 70mph one especially if the traffic is above you.
Not something I would have thought about before, but a very good point. Thanks for watching!
Great video, very inspiring! I've been procrastinating about trying some national cycle routes - now I'm going to do it.
Glad it had inspired, the national cycle network had some great routes, and my channel has videos on lots of them. Thanks for watching!
I've just followed part of this route from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury, connecting with the train at both ends. Followed your route on my Garmin which worked well and gave me more confidence. Thanks. I can recommend the One Shot Cafe in Albrighton and the Village Store at Upton Magna for refreshment stops.
Thank you for the refreshment tips, and glad you enjoyed the route. Thanks for watching!
Brilliant thanks very much
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
not my type of video to watch, but i was intrigued to find out & watch that it is possible to travel from city centre to Shrewsbury via the canal system, brilliant,
you should trade in your bikes for a gravel bike as it will provide you with the best of both worlds, i raced for years on road mainly & occasionally on mtb, i now own a good gravel bike, on today's roads it's perfect whilst being fast & economical on the road with the added bonus of being able to ride on ruff terrain also, brilliant, my gravel bike has injected a new lease of life to cycling & i have been using the canals whenever i can to commute with no fear of damage or punctures, I live around the Moseley area & travel to Yardley wood to gain access to the canal system were i can happily travel to Stratford upon avon with a few roads to navigate, all good fun, i would like to see just how far the canal system can take you as i know a lot of the canals have changed greatly.
I recently got myself a gravel bike and wish I had got it earlier, absolutely love it and suits my rides perfectly with a mix of trails, towpaths and generally bumpy country lanes. You might find my Black Country Loop video interesting, and you can see the bike in action. Thanks for watching!
Discovered this channel by accident and must say great video and editing and so interesting as well, will be riding the Birmingham to Shrewsbury route when everywhere dries up.Oh an ive subscribed as well.
Thank you! Happy accident finding my channel I hope 😀 thanks for the sub, appreciate every single one! Lots of other videos on the channel of rides around the midlands, and more to come. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 Just watched 4 now.
Good vid.I like the local history you relate to your viewers.
Thank you! I love a bit of history so nice to mix it in with my passion for cycling. Thanks for watching!
Loved this video! Ironically, I watched it while Zwifting (I'm a fair weather cyclist), and enjoyed following you on this journey while I was pedalling along. I had no idea this channel was here - can't figure out why CZcams algorithm hasn't pointed me towards these videos. I'm in south Birmingham (close to Worcester canal), so canal journeys are of particular interest to me.
In particular, I thought the smooth editing and calm commentary made it an enjoyable watch. I have no interest in the current fad of cycling "route" videos that consist almost entirely of a cyclists' breathless, jabbering "selfie" while steering one-handed.
Thank you for your comments, I’m really glad your enjoy the style of video. I think if I tried steering one handed while talking to the camera I would end up in the canal so glad I don’t feel any pressure to do that! Hoping to get a video heading south out of Birmingham done at some point. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 if you're heading south on the Worcester canal, there are three tunnel bypasses on the route (Wast Hills, Shortwood(?) and Tardebigge) They are all, to differing degrees, complicated to figure out - especially the one before the Tardebigge series of locks. If you follow one route often suggested online, you have to clamber with your bike over two awkward barriers and then negotiate a very fast, busy dual carriageway (A448/Bromsgrove Highway) - not very pleasant. When you get to thinking about that video (or even now), let me know if you want any tips on the easiest route. [Edited to add: It looks like you mainly focus on NCN routes - not sure if the Worcester Canal falls under that, but if it does and you plan to take the canal to Worcester, as above, I'd be happy to send you some advice on the three tunnels]
Thanks so much for the advice, I’ll be sure to drop you a message if I have any questions when I’m planning! Thanks!
Superb ride, cycle Brum / wolves and most canals in the black country regular. Your vid was ace, just subscribed to your channel impressed.👍👍
Thanks for the sub! Plenty of canals in the Venice of the north, many I still plan to explore. Thanks for watching!
Lovely video again, Nate. Keep them coming. Looking forward to taking the bike by train to Shrewsbury and doing this in reverse if it ever stops raining 🌧. Everyone I've ever known from the town pronounces it "shrew" not "shrow", which they say is a posh/out-of-town pronunciation.
Thank you 😀 hopefully the rains stops so I can get out for some more filming too! I always thought those that pronounce it ‘shrow’ were a bit posh lol thanks for watching!
Me as well rode a bit aound Birmingham years ago when the canals where a bit dangerous, but now looks great to ride, hopefully when its drier.
Being from Shrewsbury it can only be shrew. I hope that helps - enjoy your journey!
@@user-so7yz2qi7s I’m not from Shrewsbury but definitely agree! Thanks for watching!
Many thanks for taking the time to post such a brilliantly edited and detailed video. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 👍👍👍👍
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
I run down there occasionally and where you come off for the first time under the M5 is the most confusing complex of canals ever.
The diversion under the M5 is far from ideal and has been in place for a long time now, seems a shame as it is confusing. Thanks for watching!
Love this channel. Showing me how I can improve my vids. This is what biking is all about - getting out and exploring. Epic.
Thank you, glad you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 You must live near me ! I go Stratford a lot on my bike , great area to ride and no idiots doing 100 in a 30 zone like Brum ! Weather is ruining the spring this year and hope it changes soon before cycling collapses in the UK altogether
I’m from Telford, not yet cycled to Stratford but it has some cycle routes down that way so would like to explore! Thanks for watching!
Very good, informative video.. I live in Coseley, near the tunnel.. I frequently ride into wolverhampton then up to Birmingham and back,. It's usually a 30 mile round trip!! 👍🏻😎
Thank you 🤩 it’s a great route between the cities, biggest drawback is the towpath closure near the M5 which has been closed for ages now. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 it was open a few years ago when I ran the wolverhampton to Birmingham half marathon.. Ain't sure why it's closed..
@@the_trooper_72 apparently an unsafe wall from an adjacent building
See youve just tipped over the 1k subscribers, well deserved
Thank you, I was over the moon! Thanks for watching and happy cycling!
Wow what a different style, excellent commentary full of interesting info, - without any annoying music in the background - He He I did feel a little queasy during the sped-up sections, kept on thinking and hoping you would not crash, especially in the tight bridge sections! - Really like your style.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the videos, lots more to come. Thanks for watching!
Brilliant thanks. I have done the Brum to Wolves bit many times and the Shrewsbury area less so. I just need to join it all together this summer. Thanks again.
It makes for a nice ride linking it all up, and you can even catch the train back from Shrewsbury. Thanks for watching!
Nice video taking in routes I know well, but perhaps had lacked some knowledge on background history. Given some of the challenges of the cycle network I often take more road sections. Especially if I’m riding a cargo bike as those gates like the ones at 15:23 can be a real pain.
Thanks again for the vid and well done on 1K+ subscribers.
Thanks 🤩 those gates really grind my gears ⚙️ definitely do more harm than good in my opinion!
I'd like to take a gravel bike along that route. Thanks for such an excellent video.
A gravel bike would be the perfect tool to tackle that entire ride. I keep looking at getting one but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Thanks for watching!
Thanks!
Thank you so much! My first super thanks! 😍 much appreciated and all funds go to making more content. Thanks for watching!
A superb and informative video
Thank you 🤩 glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Great video, very informative, thanks for posting.
Thank you 🤩 glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, I'm in my 50s and really out of shape. But I still want to do this route (very slowly) on my Brompton this summer.
It is generally pretty flat, but still one you could take your time with. Hope you get out and get to do it. Thanks for watching!
The “rialto bridge” of Birmingham is a must see 😂
Not to be missed in the Venice of the north 😃 Thanks for watching!
great video, so calming. from west brom originally so recognise many places
Glad it had a calming effect for you, I have been told I have a soothing voice lol Thanks for watching!
Excellent vid, thank you!
Your welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great vid, a frequent ride of mine is to take this to Wolvo and then get on the South Staffs Railway Walk down to Himley and then loop back around.
FYI when you come off at Coseley you don't need to live the bike over anything, you turn off the road and up the path and then cross straight over the little road which has a path between the railway and the field.
Thanks for the info, I may have taken the wrong route at Coseley as the signage wasn’t great, so good to know there is a gate free route. Thanks for watching!
@cyclingn8 there's also an easier way to navigate the Wolverhampton bit, once you get passed the first few bridges you can go through the park to miss out some of the more difficult sections and then there's an offroad bit that cuts more out and pops you out at that bridge you turned right on to head up towards Telford
Perfect, I will take a look, thanks!
All the roads out of town (Wellington) towards Shrews are grimy at the moment 😂. I might try this in reverse in better weather as my son lives in Brum. It’s a great video! Thanks for posting.
I filmed most of Telford to Shrewsbury last Friday and you’re right, the lanes were mucky! A few had been recently flooded, ended up with a puncture not far from Charlton 😫 Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 hehe my club is based in Wellington. Now we are considering a boating sub-section 😂😂😂
@@alanjgoneaway 🤣
Great Video. Just walked Wolverhampton to Birmingham route with my 5yr old son last week. The section at Spon lane is still closed unfortunately but we didnt have to go up on the main road. Theres a small path that goes under the M5 and onto the old main canal route towards Birmingham.
The closure definitely doesn’t appear to have an end in sight unfortunately, but glad there is a better diversion. Thanks for watching!
I rode over the section ot towpath by the Wolverhampton top lock a couple of weeks ago. I was riding a full 29er, 160mm rear 170mm front enduro bike. It wasn't any better. I have also ridden it on a hybrid with 700cx 32mm tyres. That part and Coseley tunnel are the only 2 sections were would use the Sustrans route. As the bars on both mt mountain bikes are too with. Or depending on the bike I'm riding waybe walk pass the top lock.
It’s a shame they can’t improve things around the locks in Wolverhampton because other than that it’s a great section! Not much they could do about the tunnel though, I can understand why people would avoid that! Thanks for watching!
Hi ...you didn't mention Tipton near Watery Lane Bridge.... Thank you for the video.
I have another planned video in the area soon, will be sure to mention Tipton. Thanks for watching!
My best friend is descended from Harry Fowles, member of the Peaky Blinders. He's the one that comes up when you search them on wikipedia😅
Sounds like someone you don’t want to get on the wrong side of lol. Thanks for watching!
Loving this ride and plan to do it later this week (late May 2024). Can you tell me when you made this video? The amount of fallen leaves suggest Autumn 2023? Or, now that I've watched a little more, perhaps you rode it in stages over a number of weeks/months?
Most was filmed in October 22, so that explains the fallen trees. The leg between Telford and shrewsbury was filmed this year. Thanks for watching!
Great video👍Will cycle in the area sometime👍Anyone know of the best cycle hire shop in Birmingham city centre please?Or those 'rent a bike' where you download an app and off you go? Nextbike?
Thanks again for your interesting video🚴👍
Glad you liked the video, I haven’t rented a bike in Brum before so can’t help with that I’m afraid. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 No problem👍
Did similar thing on my meta sx years ago from London. 76km.
Sound like fun! Thanks for watching!
Ive just happened across your videos today, Ive really enjoyed this latest one and makes me want to ride in this part of the UK, I live in the North East and have the C@C, the Reivers and the Hadrians cycleway all on my doorstep I can recommend any of these tracks for you to explore.
Glad you found the channel and enjoy the videos! Hadrians cycle way, route 72, was one of my first videos, although before I found my current style of video. Would like to ride it again and the routes you mention, some great riding up there and would make great videos 😀 thanks for watching!
To get to Albrighton you would be better staying on Husphins Lane ( becoming Beamish Lane) and cycling across the A41 * along a continuation of Beamish Lane . Follow to end and turn right into Albright High St.
*Crossing the A41 at this point gives you good visibility as the A41 rises up towards you.
I’d agree, that would avoid the small stretch of the A41 and this is what I would do in future. The only reason I think the cycle network avoids this is you have to cross the A41 while it’s a dual carriage way, but if visibility is good I’d rather do that. Thanks for watching!
great video, new subscriber, here in south wales valleys, even on the paltry cycle network, you still need thighs, like a tour de france cyclist, due to the hills
Thanks for the sub, much appreciated. I hope to get down to south Wales at some point for some filming, but the hills to scare me a bit. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 mate, down abergavenny is fine, lovely canal pathways, but near merthyr, the hills are insane, and i like your videos, your down to earth, unlike some videos, where they are using 6k plus gear and still moaning about it, you just get your head down and get on with it. BRAVO :)
I try to keep the focus on the route rather than my gear, with general advice about road or mtb. Glad you enjoy them, got another Welsh based video coming out tonight 🏴
What a lovely route try a gravel bike
A gravel bike would be the perfect tool for the job! Thanks for watching!
I want go there myself from London via bike 🚲👏
Cycling the whole way from London? Or train to Birmingham then on the bike? Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 by bike eventually once I get the skills and a new bike.
blackcountry starts at smethwick
Thanks for clarifying and thanks for watching!
Do route from London to Birmingham and any routes from Halesowen
Planning on it, thanks for watching!
Really nice interesting vlog thanks. Did u feel safe at all times. Spaghetti junction doesn’t look too nice
I did feel safe but I can imagine at night I would not! The diversion around the closed tow path is not great and definitely a little dodgy feeling as you go under the M5 motorway! Thanks for watching!
Pass through there quite often.... it's very quiet, you will mostly see cyclists and the occasional walker. Presently the underside of the M5 is being worked on..so plenty of workers in Hi-viz jackets.
7:03 The diversion is still in place and got worse because of construction works under the M5.
It’s so frustrating this hasn’t been sorted in over a year, shows the councils priorities unfortunately, would never happen with a road. Thanks for watching!
That dangerous wall has been like it for about 2 years. I dont think anything will get done
Yeah doesn’t look like it’s getting sorted anytime soon unfortunately. Thanks for watching!
I want to commute this way but unsure if road tyres will be sound on the tow path. I'm going from bilston to Handsworth. Do you think I'd make it?? 😂
Honestly I think you would be fine, it’s actually a decent surface most of the way, I only used the MTB as I wasn’t sure what it was like. Thanks for watching!
Was just wondering where do you park your bikes. Are there any private services which offer secure parking?
I never did any overnight stays so always had the bikes with me. Thanks for watching!
The bull's name is Ozzie
Thanks for the that! I’ve seen he has now taken pride of place in new street station. Thanks for watching!
Is there still a requirement for cyclists to display a badge from the CRT when using the Towpath?
No, this is no longer required. Thanks for watching!
I’ve enjoyed vicariously travelling through a part of the country I’d like to explore more. Way too many ads though which disrupted the experience. *addendum* I gave up before the end due to this.
Glad you enjoyed the part you watched, ads are an annoying part of the CZcams experience I agree, but also what makes the whole platform possible so it is what it is. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 agreed that they are a necessary evil. Just surprised at how many were present and the frequency of them. With no disrespect to the amount of views you’ve had, I watch channels with huge viewer figures and relatively few ads in comparison. Not sure if that’s something you can turn off or not?
As far as I know, and I am very new to this, you either have ads or you don’t, but something I can look into when I get time. Happy Cycling!
You must have some proper bullet proof tyres walk and ride around there and the amount of glass and debris on the route I've lost count the amount of punctures I've had
I must of been lucky, didn’t get a single puncture! Thanks for watching!
how long did it take you to do that ??, did you have a break along the way ?
This is a few videos put together, filming ads a lot of time compared to a normal ride, but its possible to do this in a day without rushing, would probably look to take a break around Codsall or Albrighton. Thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 I'm trying to find cycling buddies around Coventry any idea where to look ?
I normally cycle alone so not sure on this, but maybe try local Facebook groups.
Can you get canal maps on your Garmin ?
I don’t think you can get a complete map but I just pre plan my ride the download to my Garmin. Thanks for watching!
Quiet roads and traffic but not the commentary😳
Thanks for watching! Too much commentary for your liking or literally too loud?
You have to slap yourself on the wrist at sometime for calling the towpath a cyclepath ( as you turned onto the shroppie )
Ha ha I think I can justify calling it a cycle path as it’s part of the national cycle network, but definitely a towpath first and foremost!
Great vid, nicely done mate. I’m considering doing Leicester to Albrighton (my sister lives there) this summer, by the look of it my mountain bike might be a better option than my road bike.
Thank you 🙏 The whole route could be done on a road bike, it’s just a bit bumpy in places - a gravel bike would be the optimal bike for it!
@@cyclingn8 Thanks, it’s really interesting to see how far we can get down canal towpaths and on lesser used lanes. Looking forward to the mud drying out! A Gravel bike is on my birthday list! ( I can only go up to 25’s on my road bike). Cheers.