
Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire Photo: robbiesilvester You can wander through the hills and beautiful fields of wildflowers, only an hour from the busy streets of Birmingham.Īn hour on the train from Birmingham New Street will get you to the town of Malvern. Details of the different routes often travelled by visitors to the area can be accessed on this handy website, which also includes maps of the routes. However, if you like a walk but you’re not up for a huge trek, there are walks of around a mile or so. The main walking routes use parts of the Worcestershire Way, which, in its entirety, runs for over 30 miles. You can also see snow-leopards, Sumatran tigers, rhinos and tiny antelopes of the dik-dik variety. The recent birth of a baby northern white-cheeked gibbon and a black-headed spider monkey is indicative of the huge part the zoo plays in the conservation of critically endangered species.

It’s unique in the UK, in that it houses every type of great ape, including bonobos, chimpanzees, orangutans and the king of them all: gorillas. Twycross Zoo is just a 40 minute drive from Birmingham city centre and it’s well worth a visit, even if just for the apes.

Twycross Zoo, Twycross Photo: Tywcross Zoo However, it takes an hour and 20 minutes to drive there.įarley Ln, Alton, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4DB 3. It’s not possible to travel all the way to Alton Towers on public transport from Birmingham, unless you’re up for getting a train and a bus, then walking for quite a while. Theme parks are notoriously expensive, but if you bring a packed lunch and buy tickets online in advance, you can save some money. There are over 40 rides at Alton Towers theme park and enough slides at the waterpark to keep anyone entertained for a day. With both a huge theme park and a waterpark, you could spend a few days here, exploring or simply riding Oblivion until you feel sick. Alton Towers, Staffordshire Photo: Alton TowersĮveryone in the UK has heard of Alton Towers. Find more information and tickets over on the website.

If you drive, there is a car park, but expect to pay to leave your car there. You can get a direct train from Birmingham to Warwick Station, which is around a mile from the entrance to the castle.
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The Great Hall is full of artefacts from the armoury and, when you get peckish, you can either eat in the Undercroft Restaurant or sit by the river Avon and eat your sandwiches. Peacocks call the gardens home, adding to the grandiose atmosphere an atmosphere wholly absent from the dark and spooky dungeons of the castle. There are 64 acres of gardens surrounding the castle, designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and landscaped to perfection. This is reflected in the architecture, which is diverse in style and character, because the castle has been refurbished many times. The original frame was erected in 1068 by William the Conqueror, so it has seen nearly 1000 years of British history.

Warwick Castle, Warwick Photo: Warwick CastleĪn hour’s drive from the centre of Birmingham lies one of the most magnificent castles in the UK. You won’t regret taking a break from Birmingham in one of these places. So, get your anorak out, put your sandwiches in the car, and treat yourself to one of these wonderful day trips from Birmingham. There are some spectacular day trips around Birmingham, from heart-racing thrills to jaw-dropping scenery.
