The John Morris Jones Walkway in the Shire Country Park

In the Shire Country Park, there is a walk from Cole Bank Road (opposite Sarehole Mill) towards Robin Hood Lane in Hall Green called the John Morris Jones Walkway. The path runs alongside the River Cole. There is also a large open field, that gets used during Tolkien weekends. John Morris Jones was the headmaster of George Dixon Junior School from 1960-80. He wrote about the area.

JOHN MORRIS JONES WALKWAY

In our next walking post in the Shire Country Park we will be entering the John Morris Jones Walkway. There is entrances on Cole Bank Road in the Sarehole area (the modern Moseley / Hall Green border). This entrance is opposite of Sarehole Mill. There is traffic lights near the Sarehole Mill Car Park that you can cross at. The walk takes you along the Millstream Way, following the route of the River Cole towards Robin Hood Lane (near Brook Lane). So you won't be too far from Billesley. After the John Morris Jones Walkway is The Dingles.

The John Morris Jones Walkway was named after John Morris Jones, who was the headmaster of George Dixon Junior School from 1960 until 1980. He wrote many books about South Birmingham, including about the areas such as Sarehole, Hall Green and Yardley Wood.

The field close to Cole Bank Road was originally called the Cotterills Meadow. But has been known for the last century as the Colebank Playing Field. There had also been a ford at Robin Hood Lane, but there is now a road bridge at this site.

2011

I first walked up a bit of the John Morris Jones Walkway during January 2011. Starting at the Robin Hood Lane end, a look at the River Cole from the bridge. This would have been the site of a ford. While it is bridged now, you can see remaining fords at Slade Lane, Scribers Lane and Green Road. There was some snow on the ground at the time.

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Entering the John Morris Jones Walkway from Robin Hood Lane. Brook Lane is to the left of here.

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The Shire Country Park post, missing the directions to the other areas of the country park.

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Now onto the path heading to Cole Bank Road.

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The path was a bit of a dirt path at the time, so had not yet been resurfaced.

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I got to a puddle and mud halfway, and decided to turn back.

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Instead I left the John Morris Jones Walkway at Robin Hood Lane and walked up Wake Green Road instead. Would be another 5 years before I would do a full walk of this walkway.

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2012

In March 2012, I was heading into The Dingles for the first time, when I saw the new wooden fence and gateway entrance to the John Morris Jones Walkway. I was walking from Billesley to Yardley Wood at the time, on a nice warm Spring afternoon.

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2016

A May Day Bank Holiday walk in the Shire Country Park. Starting at the Sarehole Mill Car Park. Going through the John Morris Jones Walkway to get to The Dingles, Trittiford Mill Pool, Scribers Lane SINC and back. Saw some bluebells on the way.

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Near the River Cole, not far from the Cole Bank Road end, was this back garden with a fence and gate to the river. I would see it again 4 years later on one of my lockdown walks up here.

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A lock at the Colebank Playing Field. You don't just have to stick your walk to the main path, but you can walk through here, if the grass is dry. In the distance you can see the chimney of Sarehole Mill.

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I also saw growing at the time, Dandelions.

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2020

At least three walks through the John Morris Jones Walkway on lockdown, during March, April and May 2020. Changes every month.

The first lockdown walk was on the 26th March 2020, several days into it. I had come from the Trittiford Mill Pool and The Dingles, just had to go through the John Morris Jones Walkway. Getting in from Robin Hood Lane.

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The path was now more suitable for walking on. The trees had yet to grow their leaves back.

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All the plants along the path were quite low down at the time.

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First lockdown look at the River Cole, just off the John Morris Jones Walkway.

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A look in the Colebank Playing Field, as a dog runs after it's owner. View of the chimney of Sarehole Mill.

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Back onto the path as I got closer to Cole Bank Road.

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Houses on Sarehole Road have gardens that end a bit short of the river. But some have gates at the back. Maybe they have access to the other side of the river?

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Getting near Cole Bank Road and the end of this Shire Country Park walk.

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On month on in April 2020. Now the 25th April 2020. And what a change in a month on lockdown! Leaves had grown back on the trees, and the growth on both sides of the path was a bit higher up.

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Bright sunshine on the walk through the Colebank Playing Field.

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At the far end of the Colebank Playing Field, before returning to the main path. Sarehole Mill is in the distance.

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Another look at the River Cole.

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Back on the path to Robin Hood Lane.

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The canopy of trees do make the wooden gated entrance look nice at Robin Hood Lane.

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Bluebells were growing on the left side.

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A look at the River Cole from the bridge on Robin Hood Lane. Saw a heron, but it flew away before I could zoom into it.

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The third and most recent lockdown walk in here was during May 2020. Was on the 22nd May 2020. By now the River Cole was looking quite shallow, due to a month long drought. The walk started at the Sarehole Mill Car Park, and headed to The Dingles and back.

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The fence along the path. There was now cow parsley growing along the walkway.

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There's that garden with the wooden fence and gate on the riverside. I hope they don't get flooded.

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Back at the Robin Hood Lane end of the walkway before going into The Dingles again. The entrance to that part is up Coleside Avenue.

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Later coming back from The Dingles, and re-entering the John Morris Jones Walkway from Robin Hood Lane.

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This time walked back through the field. Part of the grass had been mown for social distancing.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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