Guided Tours
Birmingham Tours was set up in 2001 by Heart of England Blue Badge Guide Sue Behan. The Company specialises in providing friendly professional guides for walking and driving tours of Birmingham to make your stay in the city an enjoyable unique experience. Birmingham Tours run a number of guided tours in the Jewellery Quarter and surrounding areas including:
Jewellery Quarter Walk – Diamonds are Forever!
A unique guided tour around the Jewellery Quarter learning about its colourful past and present day glory. Visit St. Paul’s Square, the last remaining Georgian Square in Birmingham and the `jewellers’ church where Matthew Boulton, pioneer of the Industrial Revolution worshipped. Discover the architecture of the buildings around the square particularly those converted into workshops called `shopping’ where jewellery of all sorts has been manufactured over the centuries. Find the `Golden Triangle’ and marvel at the Chamberlain Memorial Clock, Key Hill cemetery – where many of Birmingham’s illustrious citizens are buried, Warstone Lane cemetery – site of the glacial War Stone and the Druids grave, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, the Pen Museum, the Assay Office to name but a few of the fascinating sites on this hidden gem of a walk!
Starting point: Main entrance of St Paul’s Church, finishing at the Lord Clifden Pub Great Hampton Street.
Dates: 4th April, 2nd May, 6th June, 4th July, 1st Aug, 5th Sept.
Time: 11.00am – lasting approximately 1 hour.
Birmingham Ghost Walks – Ghosts, Ghouls & Spooks – A Night on the Town!
Beneath the surface of modern, bustling Birmingham lies a long history of dark deeds. Let us take you on an alternative walk through the city’s past, retelling stories which may haunt you long after the sun has gone down. Our tour will take you from the heart of the city in Victoria Square to the chilling catacombs in the famous Jewellery Quarter. We can promise tales of plague, public execution, hauntings and murder most foul along the way – join us, and find out more about the darker side of Birmingham.
Starting point: Steps of the Council House
Dates: 19th March, 16th April, 21st May, 16th July, 20th August, 17th Sept, 29th Oct, 19th Nov, 17th Dec.
Time: 7pm – lasting approximately one and a half hours – finishing at the Red Lion Pub, Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter.
Birmingham Real Ale Trail
The Hockley Loop Real Ale Trail – meet the ales -Purity Mad Goose, Wye Valley Butty Bach, The Pride of Aston
John Nigel – Landlord of the Wellington – Winner of the 2009 CAMRA best real ale pub on a walk featuring some of the most exciting real ale pubs in the city. 700 micro breweries in the UK – two opening in Birmingham last year – the Birmingham Brewery and the Aston Brewing Company – real ale bucks the trend. A tale of real ale, architecture, history and culture.
Starting point: The Wellington Pub, Bennetts Hill, Birmingham.
Dates: 9th April, 7th May, 4th June, 2nd July, 6th Aug, 3rd Sept.
Time: 6.30pm – lasting approximately 2 hours.
More Canals than Venice Walks
A guided tour around the Silver Cross – starting from Gas Street Basin the walk encompasses the Old Turn Junction, Oozel Street Loop and the flight of Farmer’s Bridge Locks on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. Find out how the Duke of Bridgewater influenced the development of the canal network. Where was Birmingham’s first gas works? Can you find the site of Cadbury’s first chocolate factory and on the site of which restaurant was the first recording of the Archers made in 1951?
Starting point: Canalside Cafe, Gas Street Basin, off Broad Street
Dates: 3rd April, 1st May, 5th June, 3rd July, 7th Aug, 4th Sept. Time: 11.30am – lasting approximately 1 hour.
All walks cost £8 per person and can be booked through the following: -
Birmingham Box Office on 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghamboxoffice.com
Ticket Sales Line on 0844 8884415
In person at the Tourist Information Centre, Rotunda (0121 202 5000) or
Online at www.visitbirmingham.com.
For further information on all the tours on offer contact Sue at Birmingham Tours:
Tel: 0121 427 2555/078051 15998
Email: enquiries@birmingham-tours.co.uk
Website: www.birmingham-tours.co.uk
