Weoley Castle ruins are really quite hard to find - you'll need to head towards Northfield on a 29…read morebus and alight in the middle of the estate - even then it's worth phoning ahead as due to repeated attacks of vandalism the site can only be accessed via one of their open days or by a pre-booked guided tour (although you can peer over the fence and see a bit of the site). The ruins themselves are at least 700 years old and are what's left of a moated medieval manor house that formed the estate of William Fitz Ansculf - cool name eh? Weoley then changed hands several times between the centuries and fell into disrepair - stone from the castle was removed to build a nearby farm and the Dudley no.2 canal. According to the council run website the site is a now deemed an Ancient Monument of national importance. I have fond memories of visiting the site when I was a little girl - although I'll be honest with you there isn't a massive amount to see - recently they have started a programme of events which involve the local community and I'm actually rather excited by the upcoming 'Witches Promise' which is a co-production with the Birmingham Rep and will feature the people of Weoley Castle.

With the same protection rights as Stonehenge- Weoley Castle Ruins are a real historical gem. You…read morecan view it from the railings at any time BUT your best bet is to visit on an event day. They hold Bat Walks, Falconry Days, a Knight School for kids, craft activities and lots more. The site is certainly most interesting when you know what you're looking at so take a tour and let one of the volunteers bring the site to life for you! Take a look on the website for details of events.

In so many ways - uniquely understated English (well Roman) history. We just happened to be driving…read moreby on a nearby major road and saw a small pointer to this Roman site. Too late to veer off so I did a U turn and drove up the side street. All we see are typical (small by US standards) houses and a pedestrian sign pointing between two of them. I thought it was a mistake because the narrow walk way was SO narrow and a gent was trimming his hedge essentially blocking it. He moved a little to let me squeeze by - and lo and behold there is a large open field with two thousand year old ruins!!! Nice :) And it is FREE!!!

This is a National Trust English Heritage site. It's outdoors and there is no toilet in the area…read more There is free parking where you can pick up a map of the area (there is an honesty box to donate 10p for the map). The map details two walks around the site. It's educational and interesting for those interested in Roman history. There are extensive remains of a roman bathhouse and other buildings. According to the National Trust website there is a museum but we didn't see that when we went. I don't think that Wall could make a full day out as there is nothing else there but for those interested in this kind of thing, it's nice and a good place for a picnic on a nice day! And, it's only about 3 miles away from Chasewater Country Park!

This 18th century octagon-shaped monument stands proud just outside of Moseley Village. Both the…read morebuilding and the garden that surrounds it provide a strengthening heritage to the ever-cultural south side Brum. The gates aren't open to the public very often, and I've only ever been up into the dovecote tower twice. It's not very big inside at all, and a maximum of three people are allowed in at once. So make sure you don't bring too many children, otherwise it's likely that they'll get bored of waiting. Inside the tower, to my horror, the doves have become permanent fixtures (don't worry, they're only wooden, but it took me quite some time to realise that they weren't real, oops!). The outside area is probably better to explore because it is less cramped than the tiny building, which doesn't really reveal anything surprising anyway. I'm sure most people can imagine what dovecote interiors looks like. The garden is a beautiful replication of a Victorian era, with lavenders and other traditional herb bushes maintained to perfection.

The dovecote in Moseley is lovely, and random. Like a lot of Moseley. So, what does one do with a…read moredovecote exactly? I'm guessing that you errr store doves? Why would you do this? I have no idea, but that all lends to the mystery of this 18th century octagonal tower that is slightly set back from the Alcester Road. Obviously, people aren't so into storing doves in Moseley these days, so now it just functions as a historical point of interest - kindly looked after by the Moseley Society, who show people round the dovecote, when it's open. This isn't very often as they only open it to coincide with the Moseley Farmer's Market - so the fourth Saturday of every month. Inside the tower is very small, you can only go in about 3 at a time. There's not that much to see as it is essentially storage space, but it's interesting in a historical kind of way. It's great to appreciated from the outside though, with its old octagonal walls and the beautiful Victorian garden.

I used the services of this company and was most impressed…read more They painted and decorated, removed tiles form my porch, laid laminate flooring and put up window blinds. They also converted our shed into a studio. Andrew is a lovely, pleasant and professional person who is very knowledgeable and skilled. He is punctual and his communication is excellent. He demonstrates much attention to detail and takes pride in his work. He works in an orderly and clean fashion, always clearing away and hoovering prior to leaving for the day. I particularly like the style of the quote which he emailed to me. It was very detailed and informative as was the work schedule that he also emailed to me. I felt that I had all the information that I require. I have already booked him for other jobs. Elecia

Earlswood is packed full of little independent businesses, all set out in an old fashioned farm…read morevillage. Earlswood Interiors & Crafts in particular is one of the shops in this collection that truly maintains a unique feel, taking customers back to a bygone era surrounded with a love for handcrafted items. The shop aesthetics are all about the amazing, long-forgotten tradition of wood carving furniture. And for me, this artistic skill beats any cheaply mass-produced house items every time. It's so lovely to find out that places like this still exist, and more so, places that encourage customers themselves to have a go at making their own furniture/ornaments. That's right, the company aren't just selling their products, they're also a little workshop for budding creative people. When entering the small, cosy little shop, the smell of fresh wood immediately hit me. It's one of my favourite smells, and really captures my imagination. Exploring the shelves, I uncovered little wooden mice, mushrooms and owls, which all had unique features urging me to purchase them. If I had enough room at home, the carvings would all be sitting on the table next to me now as I write this review. But unfortunately, I had to leave them back at the shop until I make some space through my own clutter. The shop also sells bigger items, from walking sticks to tables and chairs, which have all been unusually and affectionally created. This little place deserves all the support it can get. Why not transmit the handcrafted passion and bring some character to your own home. I'm certain you won't regret it.

A lot of historic buildings are owned and run by either local councils, or other large bodies like…read moreEnglish Heritage. This one is neither, and as such provides a quirky and welcome anomaly in the landscape of heritage venues. Very unassuming, nestled between housing in a residential area - you might pass it and remark on how pretty a building it is, but really the beauty is inside. The building has higgledypiggledy narrow corridors and stairs with obligatory beamed ceilings and creaking floorboards. If any house was likely to open a doorway to Narnia, this would be it. Because it isn't supported by any larger organisation, accessing this beauty requires some planning in advance. I was lucky enough to attend a meeting by the Historical Society here (where they also served tea and biscuits and speakers retold their memories of the past - fascinating!) and was able to explore the building at the same time. Definitely worth a trip!

Handsworth Historical Society are an amazing bunch of people that helped to save the Old Town Hall…read more One half of this building is rented out to an artist whilst the other side is home to the Historical Society, a tea room and an upstairs full of old documents and postcards that pertain to the history of Handsworth. The Old Town Hall is a fin example of a 15th Centure Cuck built house and whilst I can't remember what that means, if you visit they will tell you. This building is a little gem that's lucky to be preserved and the knowledge about the local area is astounding, as soon as you get them talking you are lost in the history of the area. They even have a few books and bits and bobs to sell as well. As a member of the society they host regular outings and talks with guest speakers. As a visitor to the Old Town Hall you should attend one of their coffee mornings or free events they run over the summer. It's a quaint, fun trip out that is pleasantly surprising and it;'s great to support such a group to continue fighting for and preserving local history.

Planning a wild one on the streets of Birmingham? Rather not face the daunting prospect of trying…read moreto keep your kebab to stay down during the 30 minute taxi ride home? Well, the Arc Apartments offer a fine solution to your pickle. Not far from the similar proposition offered by Premier Apartments, Arc wins for me due to its even more effort-erasing location - you'll find it easy, the entrance to the lobby up on the second floor of the Arcadian complex. If one of your party's driven, you'll also be able to book a spot on the Acadian car park when you book the room. Of course, all this wouldn't matter if the rooms themselves were rubbish - but, thankfully, for what most people utilising them need this ticks all the boxes. You can choose between one and two bedroom apartments, each one offering a spacious general living room area and a dining table area if you happen to be planning on rustling something up rather than visiting one of the many neighbouring food establishments. The beds are comfy, the decor amiable enough, and there's free wi-fi too - a bonus considering Premier charges. Don't expect a great view or anything (you won't get one) but this is a great option if you're looking to accommodate a large party - spread two groups of four or five across two rooms and you're sorted for a stay!

Compared to some places that I've stayed in this had to be the Ritz. Central located near…read moreeverything that you could ever want, shops, bars, cinema, & restaurants. The rooms are self catering sort of places where you have a lounge area with kitchen fitted with all the essential selections that you would ever need. Beds where too comfortable, probably too soft lots of space to hang and store your gear. At night I could hear music from a nearby bar, I'd didn't help that they where under the building where we where staying. In the week that our group where there the apartments where not serviced once. At weekends if you go out and come in after 11pm there is a guy that stands at the entrance ready to interrogate you.

Really great venue where Tolkien got his inspiration for the Two Towers. Not open all the time…read more Check the Ikon Gallery for details as they have their art instillations there. Basically a really tall town with spiral stair case. Amazing views of the City and fab decaying decor.

You can find Perrott's Folly just off the Hagley Road - for a while it's future looked uncertain as…read moreit was in a bit of a state but thanks to a renewed interest in all things Tolkien-y (sorry, that's not really a word but hopefully you catch my drift) - it was renovated and in 2008 reopened. It's now owned by Trident Housing and mainly used for art projects - the tower itself has lots of little rooms which makes it conducive to that sort of thing and it's certainly a beautiful space. Built in the 18th century, it's rumoured that John Perrott built the tower so that he could see his wife's grave, 15 miles away - I'm not sure if that's true but records show that from 1884 right through to 1979 the tower was used as a weather recording station for the Birmingham and Midland Institute. And that in the 60s the Geography Department of the University of Birmingham took over the running of the observatory until operations were transferred to the main campus. As for the Tolkien connection - it's said that this inspired him to write about the two towers in Lord of the Rings - again I'm not sure if that's true but if you find yourself nearby it's worth popping along for a look.