I want to know the real Black Country tour please!

[dudleylad]

Whilst down Highbridge Road you could visit Saltwells Nature Reserve and Doultons Claypit which is a site of scientific interest

Ive never been round Saltwells Nature reserve but have been too the Saltwells Inn which is located in the reserve

[Northern Lass]

Brilliant DL thank you!
I am updating this info in our Black Country History section as we go .....getting a real itinerary going!

This sounds like it could be a good trip!

any more at netherton or do we move on to another local village?

[dudleylad]

Has the statue of Jumping Joe Darby been mentioned yet?

[peterd]

Has the statue of Jumping Joe Darby been mentioned yet?

think there a picture in the gallery ?

[Northern Lass]

Has the statue of Jumping Joe Darby been mentioned yet?

Yes I took it! it is oppo the Old Swan!

So where to now?
any more in Netherton?

if so how about BlackHeath?

[dudleylad]

Blackheath now your talking....

Start off at St Pauls Church, where most of my relatives on my moms side were either christened, married and buried

[Rob]

And then?
Turn left to Blackheath or right to Shell Corner?
Mind you it would depend on which way you was facing of course?

[dudleylad]

We could then pop into my Edwardian Terraced House for a nice cup of tea before moving off

[Rob]

I've been thinking Dudleylad after tea at your house we could turn up Long Lane and at the top ,opposite The Stag and 3 Horseshoes,turned right down Mucklow's Hill you would eventually on your left see Halesowen Golf Course and Leasowes Park.Blue Bell Dell as we called it.This was one of our playgrounds as a child and although on the very fringes of the Black Country it's associated with the poet William Shenstone and Halesowen.
In fact it was,i think,Shenstone who designed it and his remains are supposed to be buried there.
I haven't been there since sunday afternoon august 4th 1965,i noted the date in my diary so it's probably changed a lot since then but by all accounts it's still a fantastic park.

[dudleylad]

Rob you would be in luck as Leasowes Park had been left to go to rack and ruin but the council has paid and the park has been refurbished (if thats the word) back to its original designs

[Northern Lass]

Ok starting to put this "tour" together in the Black Country History section

So any additions or amends let me know.

So pubs in Blackheath please or other things to see whilst there!

[Rob]

Pubs in Blackheath?
Well i found a really good one when i was last over there.The Hawthorns opposite where Lench's was and where they've built the new housing estate.A local lad from Powke Lane 's the Gaffer and he's really trying to make it work.
Open Mike evenings and good traditional ales make it,for me , a typical old fashioned Black Country pub.
Open fire as well!!
The Little Beech Halesowen Street is another good pub.Is Ken Platt still the gaffer there?
The Big Beech top of Gorsty Hill was closed.Still?
One of my dad's port of calls The Californian was also closed!! Bad times for pubs by all accounts!
What else has Blackheath to offer besides pubs?
The Market!! Anything else? Dudleylad? Help me here i'm from Whiteheath!!

[Northern Lass]

rite that's the pubs!

So what about things to see in Black heath? is there a market?
Tell me the things of interest there....

[dudleylad]

There isnt much else now to be fair Rob its still a decent town where you can get most bits and pieces from.

Think it maybe time to move elsewhere...perhaps up the Hill towards Rowley?

[Northern Lass]

Rite then Dudley Lad ....Rowley Regis....tell us about that wot to see etc
and of course anyone else!