Had great fun here for my brother's birthday with a couple of mates…read more Small carpark out front and easy check in- though do remember you'll need a little time for this- people who've climbed more often can check in novices and it's good for a range of abilities. I was stupid enough to go still with stupid long nails, so as a little point i'll say maybe don't do that yourselves to make the most of your time £10 for a day pass (I think 8 for members maybe?). There's a little cafe with cake, toasties, hot and cold drinks (soy etc available), basic changing rooms, loos, car park, and they do hold classes too. They provide little chalk bags, and let you get on with it on a range of colour coded courses, downstairs, and the small upstairs. The crash mats are generously deep and squishy, and there are some good challenges to get your fingertips stuck into. It was cold, which is the nature of the building, so i'd advise a hoodie you can take off once you're into it in the winter. I don't know how warm it gets in the summer months.

Very cool place for climbing/bouldering!!! Suitable for…read morestarters novices and experts. Really enjoying every time I am there. Also a good place for a first or second date ;) Very exciting routes which changes monthly I think. You will pay 10 £ for a day pass incl. climbing shoes. Looking forward for my next sessions.

Great place, skate boarding, climbing wall, bmx bike riding, loads of good courses. Friendly atmos…read more Well recomended.

This place is ideal for families or just younge or old adults who like to be active, a lot of…read morepeople bring their skat boards or roller blades and skate on the ramp, which is wacthed by many people and many are welcome to go and wacth, they also have rock climbing for begginers and for the advanced, you can also get food and drinks here and listen to music, it is just full of options.

Bosworth Water Trust is a leisure park set over 50 acres, 20 acres of which is water - used for all…read moretypes of water sports. There you can go sailing, windsurfing and kayaking or have a days relaxing fishing. Day and season tickets are available for the lakes - there are two, a large and small. The small lake has less 'traffic' on it and is a quieter days fishing. There are hiring facilities for the water sports and you can pay for lessons. We've been a few time to use the caravan and camping site located on the side of the waters edge. The pitches aren't massive but it's not bad for a weekend.There are good washing and shower facilities for all who are camping. They have a small shop but it's not got loads in for the camper, I'd recommend bringing what you need. There is also a bar but I thought it was a bit expensive. For an afternoon it's a nice day out - there is a fairly good play area, space to kick a ball, a walk round the lake etc. I think it's only about £2 to get in. Outside the park, there is the town of Market Bosworth, Shackerstone Railway, Twycross Zoo and Bosworth Battlefield. Every year they host events such as the raft race or Hinckley half mararthon.

I've been coming to the Dance Workshop in Moseley for about 8 months now. It's right in the centre…read moreof Moseley and offers quite the variety of classes for children and adults. There are 3 dance studios located inside. One of them is a bit of a pain to learn in if your class is busy. It has a support pillar right down to the floor in the centre of the room. But the other two are brilliant with no obstacles and good sound systems to boot. What's nice about this place (besides it's great location, cafe on site and friendly staff) is the seasonal changing of the classes. I'm currently taking a beginners commercial dance that was just added in January. There is also a new dance fitness class that works every muscle in your body! Classes are generally between £5 to £7. You don't have to reserve a spot either. Just show up and pay that day. The only problem I found is if the class is not heavily attended it is cancelled. It's the drawback of offering drop in classes. People may not show! It happened to my zumba class twice. Which is why you should bring your friends! Whether you are passionate for dance, looking for a fun way to exercise, or just looking to meet people, Dance Workshop offers something for everyone!

If you're anything like me, you'll love to dance! Be it salsa, belly-dancing or bhangra; I have a…read morezest for learning different dance forms around the world. And this is precisely what the Dance Workshop in Moseley offers. You can even try out tango, ballroom and Latin, ballet, contemporary, tap, street dance, rock and roll and for those who are wildly adventurous - pole dancing! If you're more into keeping fit then there are zumba, tai chi, Pilates and karate classes available too. Prices vary but generally it's around £5 for a class, which is pretty average for the area. The joint is hip with a Bohemian feel to the reception area. The staff give a pleasant and warm ambience to the place so you feel relaxed as soon as you enter. The entrance opens up to a coffee shop where you can hang out with friends or grab a bite after a workout with sandwiches, cakes and hot drinks.

I discovered this just today by accident, by taking a wrong turning. What a nice surprise! I've…read morealways thought that Birmingham is well stocked with good public parks, and it seems that there are even more that I had no idea about. Cotteridge Park is really quiet for an urban park. Considering the fact that it's close to the Pershore Road, there is little by way of traffic noise. It's a great park: really spacious, with tree-lined paths, a car park, a kids' play area, some big open spaces, a skate ramp and some tennis and a basketball court! Who knew?! The only noise that I could hear (other than kids on their way home from school) was the bells from the carillon in Bournville. How very quaint and pleasant :) A train did rattle by while I was there, but other than that it was relative peace and quiet. 'Relative' due to the fact that it was home time from school so there were plenty of kids running around. Which is good. That is what parks are for. I've decided that I now want to live on Franklin Road (the road that backs onto the park)...

Cotteridge Park is a spacious with wide vast amounts of field which is great to walk dogs and hang…read morearound with large groups of friends on a hot sunny day. They also provide a miniature skating area and an abundant play area that consists of many arenas such as a climbing frame, rock climbing facilities, conventional playground swings and much much more! They have also assembled park like pieces of art such as their wick hut that satisfies both children and people of my age! It is definitely a place to be hanging out in the summer and is easy to gain access to as its location is situated between both train stations, Kings Norton and Bournville. Even for a nice little stroll, the area is very tranquil and peaceful.

Rebuilt or renovated a few years ago, the Leisure Centre has two clean swimming pools, one full…read moresize and a smaller for children, large clean changing rooms, good showers and welcoming staff. There are various aquatic events going on during daytime in the week, a raft and floating toys session at the week-end and swimming lessons. Ther is also a gym on site, and I have to say after having tried most in North Warwickshire at one point or another, that this one is by far one of the less intimidating and the best value for money. The gym has all the equipment you find everywhere, rovers, steppers, treadmills and weightlifting stations. They are all accessed through the fitlinx which allows you to chart your progress lesson after lesson. You can get e-mails sent home when you have reached milestones and the staff will give you motivational advice. They also offer body fat and muscle etc analysis and will keep a track of your records. The gym can get a bit busy in the evening, less so during the day, and you fast get to know the regulars who are a pretty friendly bunch. The changing rooms are fairly new, big and clean, the showers rather powerful. Did I mention the staff and their friendliness? I have to admit that I am not an all year round regular, but I do come back again and again. One last thing I like about the centre are the evening classes. They are held in the community centre just on the other side of the car park. You pay your ticket at the Leisure Centre and take it across. Fees are ridiculously low, my favourite class is the circuit training. That's really fun, I come out panting, tired, but exhilarated. Recommended.

Redpoint climbing center, the super friendly staff, the super yummy cakes/coffee are awesome…read more I am so shocked to see two reviews on here that are less than 5 stars, no disrespect intended but were you guys on drugs or drunk when you climbed there? A very clean and tidy place with great (real graded)routes, the staff are awesome there all great climbers so if you need advice /pointers/help with a climb or whatever they are always more than willing to ablige. Great work guys keep on rockin.

Booked my daughter's 11th birthday party at Redpoint for her and 7 friends - what a fantastic…read moreplace! The kids all loved it (even the ones that were scared of heights). The staff were brilliant - excellent team leaders and confidence builders. I just wish I could've had a go - but my daughter said I'd embarrass her too much! The party was 10 days ago and the kids are still saying it's the best party they've ever been to. I would highly recommend it!

Tumbling brooks, lush greenery, open fields - right in the centre of Birmingham!…read more Friendly walking / jogging / cycling / ambling / pushing prams people. This is a cycle path from the very heart of Birmingham's old industrial centre out into the countryside. You wouldn't believe it exists, until you have a go and navigate through it, down the Rea Valley Cycle route and beyond. Use the Sustrans Route 5 West Midlands Cycle Route Map (covers the bit from Derby to Oxford and part of the great mapped pathway north-south (or visa versa if you cycle backwards)). 162 miles for this section, but the map breaks this down into handy bite sized chunks so you can pick a ride to suit the distance and difficulty you want. Just completed the bit from Birmingham city centre (Selfridges by Moor Street Station) to Stratford upon Avon - on a Brompton just to add to the hell of it. Absolutely fantastic. Making friends all along the route, funny thing, just smile and say hello and maybe ask where you are and guaranteed kindness and welcoming assistance (though it helps not be wearing a hoody and gold chains and keeping the rottweiler at home). The route really does go through lush green pathways and spooky craggy woody bits following streams and canals almost from the off, after entering the wonderful Cannon Hill Park. Going this way also starts off nice and easy, flat for a gentle introduction. Gets a bit more hilly and urban once out toward Kings Norton, but still interesting and quiet back streets. The mapping gets quite complicated at a few points and you have to be vigilant with the little Route 5 signs and have a cute sense of direction - might even be useful to consider overlaying the urban bits with a street map before you leave maybe. Past Longbridge and out into the 'real' countryside - rolling hills, beautiful quaint villages, river fords, town centres of Catshill, Bromsgrove and Redditch make a constantly changing backdrop of scenes as you bowl along - stop for a Costa Americano in Bromsgrove high street, why not - (can you beat a Costa Americano with hot milk - maybe a Nero's - but they are different and equally as good in their own ways?). Finally come across Mary Arden's House looking resplendent in its rickety timber framed way and then onwards to the canal tow path to take you down and down past all the thousand and one locks right into Stratford itself - buzzing with international tourists, ducks and barges - what a place to end up and sit with a cool ice cream watching the world stroll by. Loads of trains back to Moor Street if those little legs won't go any further. Highly recommended for adventurous cyclists who: - don't need to get any where in a hurry, - want to see a wide range of scenes, - have the patience and nouce to deal with some confusing signage - want to avoid heavily congested roads, - want to see an amazing side of Birmingham that's a secret to all but those in the know - (of course now you know too). Hope this is useful.