Route developed by: Ted Spiller / Checked by: Ann Griffiths
Starting from Triplex House, Eckersall Road
[1] Leave Triplex House (A) by the main gate and walk along the left-hand pavement of Eckersall Road past the Triplex Sports Ground (B).
Triplex House was built in the 1960s for the Triplex Safety Glass Company (now Pilkingtons). At the time it was considered to be one of the best office blocks in Birmingham, much admired for its clean lines and aluminium-glass facade.
The sports ground is the home of the Pilkington XXX Football Club (formerly Burman Hi-Ton) which started up in 1931 when employees from the Triplex factory joined the Birmingham Works FA, the largest association of its kind in the world with a membership of 254 clubs. The Triplex men won the league cup twice and are now in the top division of the Midland Combination.
[2] At the junction continue ahead along Camp Lane to the first turning on the left.
The Camp Inn sign, in the left-hand corner, depicts the camp set up here by 5,500 Royalist troops during the Civil War, en route to join Charles the First's army.
Turn left into Station Road and walk up past the terraced houses (with 1870s dates) to the station.
Kings Norton Station, on the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway, has lost its old platform canopies but the Station Master's House (No.37) still stands at the top of the road.
Take the footbridge over the railway and proceed uphill to the crossroads. Careful as steps can be steep.
[3] Cross over the busy Middleton Hall Road, to continue along Station Road. At the junction with Northfield Road, carry on past the RC Church of Saints Joseph and Helen on the left (with 'Domus Dei' - House of God - carved above the entrance) and past the C19 houses with varied windows (No. 141-3 pointed with sea monsters, No. 145-7 three part with whirls).
[4] Turn left at the T-junction with Franklin Road and walk on to the next crossroads. Cross Selly Oak Road and continue ahead (slightly left) into Oak Farm Road past some half timbered brick buildings.
The long 18th century barn with waggon entrances, on your left, and the small house (No. 1), on your right, are surviving remnants of Rowheath Farm.
[5] Just beyond the farm buildings, turn right through a narrow gap at the start of the low fence, into Rowheath Park.
The lavish park and sports ground here was opened in 1924 for the Cadbury's workforce and supplementing the existing facilities at Bournville.
Keeping towards the right-hand side of the field, walk down to the corner of a hedge (by a telegraph pole) and follow it along to a tarmac path.
Look through the gate in the hedge to see the bowls greens and trim wooden club house.
[6] Turn left along the path for a short distance to then fork right through a metal gate to the lake.
Rowheath Pool, originally used by the Model Yacht Club, is now popular with anglers and waterfowl.
Turn right onto the lakeside path and when this curves sharp left, continue ahead on a path through a belt of trees.
A variety of native and ornamental trees scatter the park, including oaks from the farm hedgerows and an old Caucasian Lime.
Follow the path to the children’s playground.
[7] Then turn left to follow a straight path along the rear elevation (i.e overlooking the lake which is on your left) of the Pavilion to a paved patio overlooking the lawn.
The stuccoed Italianate Pavilion with round headed windows was built to service the 70 odd games pitches and courts at Rowheath. On a typical weekend it would see enough players to fill the 450 coat pegs in the changing rooms. After years of decline the building is now looked after by the Pavilion Christian Community who welcome the public to their Cafe (entrance at front).
[8] At the end of the patio go through the bollards, turn left down the steps and walk ahead across the lawn back to the lake. Turn right and follow the poolside path to a cross path. Walk left briefly to look at the park information board and the small pool (recently remodeled to improve its wildlife habitats), before heading back to the cross path and continuing ahead. Take the first path on your left, and go through a metal gate to the end of Oak Farm Road.
The Oak Farm estate, set amongst trees, was built on the site of Rowheath's striking modernist Lido which closed in the 1980s, following noise complaints and stricter H&S regulations.
[9] Walk ahead, past the incoming road on the left, to the opposite end of the Oak Farm Road cul-de-sac. Continue ahead on a gated path to the end of Wyndham Gardens and walk on past the school playing fields to the junction with Northfield Road.
[10] Turn left into Northfield Road and follow its left-hand pavement past the front of King's Norton School.
Opened in 1911 the school is now a Specialist Science College and Sixth Form Centre for 750 boys. In front of the arched entrance bays, a Memorial Wall displays the school badge (a double headed eagle) and names the 90 ‘old boys’ who died in the two World Wars.
At the next crossroads turn right into Selly Oak Road, crossing Northfield Road using the pedestrian island.
[11] Turn left at the end of Selly Oak Road into the busy Middleton Hall Road and walk along its left-hand pavement past various large, but crammed in, semi-detacted houses (with timbered fronts, diamond parapets, classical balustrades etc). At the next crossroads, by a large 1870 Gothic corner house, turn right across Middleton Hall Road into Station Road. Then retrace your steps down the hill, across the railway and down Station Road, back to Triplex House.