Commonwealth Games

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
Quite looking forward to Birmingham 2022 on my doorstep. Games start at the end of next month.

Then hearing it's an awful place.
Minister sorry for 'godawful' Birmingham and Blackpool comment - BBC News

Not the first time we've heard this of course.

Hope you can come and enjoy it because that is not my experience of Birmingham and the Black Country.
Spend a few days, take in events, then choose from any number of recreations.

Pubs, restaurants, night clubs, cinemas, theatres, shopping centres, architecture, historic buildings, industrial history, museums, art galleries, wide open parks like Sutton Park, football, cricket and golf courses to suit all pockets, canals, amazing geological areas like Wrens Nest, wide variety of people and accents, zoo and castle at Dudley, Chinese quarter in Birmingham centre, Peaky Blinders district around Digbeth, viewpoints like Barr Beacon and Turners Hill.

Space won't permit me to list all attractions.
These are usually known as the friendly games and I'm sure this will be the case.
 

Carlwm

Active member
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Messages
147
Visit site
Not desperately interested in the Commonwealth Games but I'll certainly second Stefanovic's assertion that Heather Wheeler has been talking cobblers and Birmingham & it's environs are well worth a few days of anyone's time.

Plenty to do in the city and some surprisingly excellent countryside walking opportunities if you fancy some fresh air.
 

Mudball

Assistant Pro
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
4,343
Visit site
Quite looking forward to Birmingham 2022 on my doorstep. Games start at the end of next month.

Then hearing it's an awful place.
Minister sorry for 'godawful' Birmingham and Blackpool comment - BBC News

Not the first time we've heard this of course.

Hope you can come and enjoy it because that is not my experience of Birmingham and the Black Country.
Spend a few days, take in events, then choose from any number of recreations.

Pubs, restaurants, night clubs, cinemas, theatres, shopping centres, architecture, historic buildings, industrial history, museums, art galleries, wide open parks like Sutton Park, football, cricket and golf courses to suit all pockets, canals, amazing geological areas like Wrens Nest, wide variety of people and accents, zoo and castle at Dudley, Chinese quarter in Birmingham centre, Peaky Blinders district around Digbeth, viewpoints like Barr Beacon and Turners Hill.

Space won't permit me to list all attractions.
These are usually known as the friendly games and I'm sure this will be the case.

For people like her, anything outside Zone 3 is godawful... are you surprised. Personally, would love to go upto Burmiland if i could.
Never looked up the tickets, since not much interest in the CW personally. Is the CW relevant anymore?

Have a cracking time..
 

PhilTheFragger

Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
15,196
Location
Aylesbury Bucks
Visit site
Daughter went to uni in Brum and still lives there, it’s a decent place, plenty going on, good city

We have tickets for the hockey and rugby sevens ?
 

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site

Neilds

Assistant Pro
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
3,543
Location
Wiltshire
Visit site
I'm expecting this place to be very lively.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/brindley-place-birmingham-uk.html

It's the centre of the canal network. It's next to Broad Street's night life.
You might catch a concert in the adjacent Symphony Hall.

If you want something quieter a few yards further is the Library of Birmingham and a million books, some very rare.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Birmingham
We are staying at the Premier Inn just next to Brinkley Place, great area for bars and restaurants
 

SocketRocket

Ryder Cup Winner
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
18,116
Visit site
Bits of Brum are OK but most of it is awful. I have a daughter who lives there with her family and it's only around 45 miles away, but it's not a place for me.
 

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
Now you've got me started.
Just for today I am thinking of visiting Birmingham University campus and take in the Barber Institute of fine arts (free) and the Lapworth museum of geology (free).
If time permits I'll go along to the Martineau gardens (free), in between Edgbaston cricket ground and where they are currently holding a women's tennis tour event.

The place which was once referred to as the city of 1000 trades could now be described as the city of 1000 attractions.

Martineau Gardens – Connecting Education Wellbeing and the natural environment (martineau-gardens.org.uk)
 

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
Going to the Games?
Here are my handy tips.

If there are no trains take the bus or the tram.
Trams link Birmingham centre to West Bromwich (swimming) and Wolverhampton (cycling).
Then visit the Wolverhampton Art Gallery to listen to the Black Country beat.
Buy a phrase book to help find your way around. The local accents are not easy to understand.

If you are going to Sutton Park (triathlon) take a map and compass. It's easy getting lost there.
There may be disruption from yobs and travellers. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ne...-cause-havoc-birmingham-commonwealth-24546102

Cannock Chase is for the mountain biking, but I advise you leave before dark.
There are werewolves, black eyed children, and even vampires and aliens.
If you are confronted stand your ground and make a noise.
I'm not kidding here. Many people believe this.
Most sighting are near the German cemetery. A pity because this is a very moving place.

After the hockey at Birmingham University make your way to the Barber Institute of Fine Arts.
In the city centre is the NIA and the night life, but also pay a visit to Centenary Square and the Library of Birmingham.

The bowls in Leamington Spa is at the home of English bowls in Victoria Park.
Walk along the the River Leam toward the town centre to the pump rooms and cross the road to the Jephson Gardens for displays of exotic plants.

At Warwick the cycling road race starts on the other side of the River Avon from the castle, but check for better vantage points like Hampton on the Hill.

Smithfield Market near Birmingham city centre will host the beach volleyball and start/finish of the marathon.
Afterwards walk a few hundred yards and have a drink in the Peaky Blinders pub. Cheers.
 
Last edited:

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
That's easy for me because right now I am in Coventry.

If you are arriving by train at the rebuilt station there is a rail connection to Nuneaton via the Coventry Arena.
There are also special buses to take you straight there.

If coming by car the stadium has a large parking area and I assume that the adjacent retail park will also be available as overflow.

If you have a chance visit the Transport Museum in the centre of town, which is more that just old cars and bikes.
It's a fascinating place to spend and hour or two.
 

PhilTheFragger

Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
15,196
Location
Aylesbury Bucks
Visit site
That's easy for me because right now I am in Coventry.

If you are arriving by train at the rebuilt station there is a rail connection to Nuneaton via the Coventry Arena.
There are also special buses to take you straight there.

If coming by car the stadium has a large parking area and I assume that the adjacent retail park will also be available as overflow.

If you have a chance visit the Transport Museum in the centre of town, which is more that just old cars and bikes.
It's a fascinating place to spend and hour or two.

Train strike on Saturday ?
Also coming by car As at a wedding in Frome on Friday
 

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
The best way to see Birmingham is in your rear view mirrors

Clearly you don't know much of it.
It's just about the highest city in Britain.
The Hawthorns is the highest football ground in England at 550 feet.

Birmingham is best for trees anywhere you can name.
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/823/birmingham_earns_tree_city_of_the_world_status_for_second_year#:~:text=The Food and Agriculture Organisation,for the second year running.

There are wonderful parks and open spaces.
Sutton Park is one of biggest urban parks in Europe.
Sandwell Valley Country Park has lakes and tracks leading out from West Bromwich town centre.
Cannon Hill Park on the opposite side of the road from Edgbaston is where they will holding the T20 cricket.
Walk down there into the Rea Valley country park.

Gas Street basin the centre of the canal system.
The Black Country is a geopark that I never lose interest in exploring.

I could go on forever but my fingers are starting to ache.
 

stefanovic

Medal Winner
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,613
Visit site
Train strike on Saturday ?
Also coming by car As at a wedding in Frome on Friday

There is a train strike on 27th July but that's before the Games start. More are scheduled after the Games.

If it's Frome in Somerset then it would be M5 north - M42 - M6 south.
There are signs from the motorway to the Arena.
 

Neilds

Assistant Pro
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
3,543
Location
Wiltshire
Visit site
We ar going up on Sunday for the swimming, using P&R from West Brom and then parking car at Premier Inn off Broad Street until we leave on Saturday. We can walk to the basketball on Monday (including sport relief celebrity match) and then free local buses to the athletics for the rest of the week. Really looking forward to it and cannot wait
 
Top