This half-marathon route starts in the Gas Street Basin, where you can enjoy the smells of great foods (don’t worry, you can grab a bite here after your run), past Digbeth, known for its graffiti, Millennium Point, Witton Lakes Park, through Aston Park, and end at Edgbaston Reservoir. The route is all paved and uses mostly quiet roads and streets.
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Route overview
Gas Street Basin reminds us of Birmingham’s industrial past. It was a transport network along the canals. Today, it is more of a foodie basin with some of the best pubs and restaurants in the city. Ironworks, tube works, lead works, and swords were once manufactured in these buildings; some have been Grade II listed and house some shops and bars now.
Gas Street Basin. Credit: Escape
Leave the Gas Street Basin, walking over the bridge towards The Mailbox. At the end of the bridge, turn left towards the glass building and walk all the way through to come out onto Royal Mail Street and turn left. You can start running from here. Turn right to go under the bridge, cross the road, then turn right again along Suffolk Street. Turn left onto Lower Severn Street, National Cycle Route 5. Turn right onto Hill Street. Watch out for pedestrians here. Follow the curve of the road to the left, Station Street, around the glass building.
Part 1 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Turn right along Dudley Street, under the bridge and keep left at the circle onto Edgbaston Street. At the end of Edgbaston Street, turn right onto Moat Lane. Follow the curve of the road to the left to turn right onto Digbeth.
Part 2 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
You are now in Digbeth. You can continue with our graffiti walk or turn left onto Meriden Street to complete this route.
Part 3 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Digbeth has become synonymous with stunning graffiti murals by well-known local and international artists. For a tour of the area and its artists, see our Graffiti Art of Digbeth walking route here. The area has some points of interest, such as the famous Custard Factory, covered markets, Bullring and Grand Central, and some super hip bars and clubs.
Digbeth. Credit: Secret Birmingham
After about 780 metres, you will see Millenium Point and Eastgate City Park. To continue the run, turn left up Cardigan Street.
Part 4 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Millennium Point is a stark building in the Eastside which serves as a conference, events, and exhibitions centre. The commercial profits made here are pumped back into their charity which supports STEM initiatives in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Outside the building, you will see the Science Garden where children can play and learn for free after 3 pm.
Millennium Point. Credit: Millennium Point
Take the short pedestrian pathway to cross both roads and turn right onto Jennens Road to run with the traffic, not against it. At the pedestrian crossings, cross over Dartmouth Middleway to continue along Nechells Parkway. At the next road, turn left and follow the curve along the walkway on Rupert Street.
Part 5 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
At the end of Rupert Street, turn right onto Walter Street. At the roundabout, take the first exit onto Thimble Mill Lane.
Part 6 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Just before the roundabout, keep to the right to continue on Thimble Mill Lane. Just after the bridge, turn left onto Holborn Hill, then right onto Lichfield Road. Turn left onto Sutherland Street and follow the curve to the right.
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Continue straight and over onto Aston Hall Road. At the roundabout, continue on the footpath just ahead of you to the right towards Aston Reservoir. Run around the reservoir to the right along the River Tame. Pass the sports fields to your right to reach the main road, turn left onto Lichfield Road and continue under the bridge. In the middle of the bridge, turn left along the path that zig-zags down towards the canal and turn left.
Part 8 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Run up the ramp of Witton Turnover Bridge and cross to the other side, continuing in the same direction along the canal. At the next bridge, at Deykin Avenue, run up the ramp onto Deykin Avenue and turn left onto and along the pathway and through the short tunnel. Turn right onto North Park Road, then left onto Muscovy Road, and right to stay on Muscovy Road. At the end of the road, turn left onto Lakeside Walk which passes Brookvale Park Lake.
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Turn left onto George Road using the pedestrian crossings, then right onto Brookvale Road which becomes Marsh Hill. Just to the left, after the road splits, is a walkway through a green patch towards Witton Lakes.
Part 10 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Witton Lakes Park was formed around a pair of decommissioned drinking water reservoirs completed in 1880. Today, they have been repurposed into nature conservation and leisure areas. One of the leisure activities includes model boating showcases and testing at one of the lakes and nature watching and wildlife expansion at the other lake. The lakes are not used for fishing but serve as spawning lakes, and often, duckling-watching patrols are held here by the local community. The Eco Hub also has a cafe and other facilities.
Witton Lakes. Credit: Birmingham Live
Retrace your steps to Marsh Hill Street, this time going right along Brookvale Road which becomes Witton Road.
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At the roundabout, turn left onto Witton Lane. Just after the intersection with Trinity Road and Holte Road, turn right to Aston Hall and Park. When you reach the Hall, turn left along the path straight.
Part 12 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
The path becomes Upper Thames Street. Follow it to the right of the roundabout onto Victoria Road. Just after Upper Sutton Street, at the bus stop, turn left then right onto the pathway. Turn left where the pathway runs between houses onto Brooklyn Avenue to turn right, then left again to continue on the pathway. Follow the pathway to cut through the green patch to turn right onto Park Lane. Cross over the intersection onto Newbury Road using the pedestrian crossings.
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Newbury Road becomes Clifford Street. Turn left through Yellow Park. Continue diagonally through the park to turn left onto Guildford Drive, then immediately right and left again to start on Lennox Street. Turn right onto Guthrie Close, then turn left onto the first footpath through Great Kings Street Park.
Part 14 of A Great Birmingham Half Marathon Route
Cross over New John Street West at the pedestrian crossing just before the roundabout. Turn left onto Well Street, right onto Stainsby Avenue, left onto Great King Street, and right onto Barr Street. Turn left along the pathway next to Boulton Middleway. Just after the roundabout, cross over to the other road, and turn left along Icknield Street.
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Turn right onto Pitsford Street just after exiting the bridge. Turn left onto Clissold Street until you reach the Clissold Passage along the canal. Take the ramp up onto the main road and turn right onto Dudley Road. Just after crossing over the bridge, turn left onto Barford Road, then right onto Coplow Street and along the footpath.
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Turn left onto Icknield Road, then right towards Edgbaston Reservoir to end your run. To return to the Gas Street basin, retrace your steps to the bridge at Dudley Road, and turn right onto Northbrook Street along the Birmingham Canal Old Line.
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Edgbaston Reservoir is a stunning oasis within the city. In the 1800s, a wealthy family controlled the area and banned factories and warehouses from being built there. This restriction made the area highly desirable for wealthier residents. Edgbaston became known as the area “where the trees begin,” and it is obvious why. Edgbaston is also home to the Archery and Lawn Tennis Society, the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. Nearby, on 21 Yateley Road, is a Grade I-listed private house that is open to the public for tours.
Edgbaston Reservoir. Credit: Birmingham Heritage Week
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Resources:
If you enjoyed this route, see our Half Marathon Run Loop.
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