The West Midlands (more than three urban cities!)
If your picture of the West Midlands is just Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton, you’re not alone. Those places matter, but they’re only part of the story. Step a little wider and you get market towns with Saturday bustle, calm canals behind old factories, soft hills, big skies, and food that feels local rather than staged.
The West Midlands is a ceremonial county, and home to three cities, but also has lots of pretty villages, and is not that from the least populated county of Shropshire, on the Welsh border.
If out walking, follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe.
Birmingham (England’s second-biggest city)
Birmingham is England’s second-biggest city, and also one of its friendliest. Sutton Park is one of Europe’s largest urban parks (over 2400 acres) and nearby Sutton Coldfield is also known for its beautiful parks.
It’s one of the most multi-cultural cities, so don’t visit here if you’re a ‘little Englander racist’, as you will be made to feel most unwelcome, and rightly so! It gave rise to some of our best music – Joan Armatrading, ELO, UB40 (named after the benefits they used to claim) and Duran Duran.
It was also home to the wonderful late poet and animal welfare campaigner Benjamin Zephaniah. He called his home city ‘concrete with a heartbeat’, and did all he could to change the perception of Birmingham as ‘benefits street’ to the general public. Make a vegan Balti curry in his memory!
When I left Birmingham for London, I found myself passionately defending the city of my birth. As a proud Brummie survivor I’d like to think that my achievements are a model antidote to TV programmes that depicts Brummies as workshy.
Even though we have a proud industrial heritage to when Birmingham was ‘the workshop of the world’ and ‘city of a thousand trades’.
Dame Barbara Cartland (grandmother of Princess Diana) was born in Edgbaston. Aside from writing romantic novels, she helped design the first aircraft-towed airmail delivery glider (with two RAF officers). So not just pink dresses and heavy makeup!
The Birmingham Brewing Company makes local vegan beers (including stout) with many alcohol-free versions. It also sells wholesale (including draught) for pubs, restaurants and hotels.
Profits help local charities (air ambulances and people with alcohol and mental health issues). It also makes Brummie gin (by mixing leftover beer mash with six botanicals).
The Clean Kilo is England’s largest zero waste shop, started by a young couple who also sell drinks in the reusable Brummie Cup, which you take with a deposit, then return it next time you’re passing. For food, just take along your own clean jars and tubs, fill up and save money on packaging.
How George Cadbury Helped A Village (from the grave!)
Now here’s a story to make you smile! Bournville is a small village just outside Birmingham, built by George Cadbury, a devout Quaker, who invented drinking chocolate, to dissuade his workers from drinking gin (he was a strict teetotaller!)
He looked after his staff well, and built this village with nice houses and pretty green spaces, to give a good quality of life, amid the city slums of yesteryear.
A few years back, Tesco Express opened a store nearby, and applied for an alcohol license. It was refused, because local people were concerned about glass litter.
So Tesco Head Office went into action, and launched a legal challenge. And guess what? Clever Mr Cadbury had wrapped the deeds up so well, that it became the first store where it lost, and Tesco had to open this branch, with no alcohol. A triumph of the little man winning!
Alas, Tesco got around it by selling alcohol at a nearby petrol station.
Two More West Midlands Cities
Nearby Wolverhampton is home to the world’s friendliest people (Wulfrunians, that’s one to help you win at Scrabble). And beautiful medieval streets, outside of the main shopping areas.
Classical composer Elgar was a huge fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, and would cycle 40 miles from his home in the Malverns, to watch them play. He even composed the first football anthem – no doubt a bit more demure than ‘It’s coming home, it’s coming home, football’s coming home!
Coventry suffered terribly during the war, when Hitler’s army dropped bombs on the city in 1940, causing 500 deaths and also destroying the cathedral. At one time, this was the fourth wealthiest city in England, and has the third largest church spire in England (after Salisbury and Norwich).
Home to Lady Godiva, in recent years it became the setting for the successful TV series Keeping Up Appearances.
It was also the unlikely setting for parts of The Italian Job (the scene where Minis speed through tunnels, were actually filmed in Coventry’s sewers). The film became known for its iconic line:
You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!
West Midlands, made simple: county vs region, and why it matters when you plan a day out
People use “West Midlands” in two main ways, and both are valid. First, there’s the West Midlands county. This is the metropolitan area centred on Birmingham, with Coventry and Wolverhampton, plus Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall. It’s dense, connected, and built around rail lines, buses, canals, and ring roads. If you’re staying in the city and want a quick hop to a museum, a gig, or a football match, this is often what you mean.
Then there’s the West Midlands region, which is much bigger. In everyday travel terms, it often pulls in nearby counties such as Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire. That’s where you’ll find more open country, larger patches of woodland, and towns that still feel shaped by market days and local trades.
This matters because travel planning tools don’t always agree. A guidebook might say “West Midlands” and then talk about Shrewsbury. A ticket site might assume you mean Birmingham and nearby stops only. Even sat nav results can vary because the phrase is used loosely.
If you want less friction, decide first which “West Midlands” you’re asking for, then plan from there. Once you do, day trips stop feeling like guesses and start feeling like choices.
A quick way to picture it: the big urban core, then a ring of towns and countryside
Think of a hub, then a loose ring around it. The hub is the county, the places you can reach quickly from Birmingham New Street, Coventry, or Wolverhampton.
The ring is where the pace changes. Stratford-upon-Avon suits theatre nights and riverside walks. Warwick gives you castle history and compact shopping streets. Worcester has a river you can follow without thinking too hard. Shrewsbury feels like a proper old town, with loops of water and winding lanes. Lichfield is small but polished, built around its cathedral close. For green space, the Malvern Hills offer views that reset your head, while Cannock Chase gives you woodland trails and café stops.
None of these are far in spirit, even when the map looks bigger.
Where to go beyond the big three: towns, villages, and landscapes worth your time
The easiest way to explore the West Midlands region is to mix one “made by people” place with one “made by weather” place. A town, then a hill. A cathedral, then a canal towpath. That balance keeps a day out from feeling like a march.
You don’t need dozens of stops, either. Pick a handful of strong places, then give them time. That’s when you notice the small stuff: how quickly brick turns to sandstone, how a high street changes after 4 pm, how local pubs still do simple food well.
History you can walk through: castles, cathedrals, and old streets
- Warwick Castle (Warwickshire) works best if you arrive early. Start with the ramparts, then slow down in the grounds. If you’re with kids, the open space helps.
- Lichfield Cathedral (Staffordshire) feels calm even on a busy day. The close is compact, so you can wander without a route. Pair it with a café lunch and a gentle shop around the centre.
- Ironbridge Gorge (Shropshire) is a good choice when you want history that isn’t trapped behind glass. Walk over the bridge, then follow the river path. Add one museum stop if you’re curious, but don’t try to do them all.
- Stratford-upon-Avon (Warwickshire) can be more than the obvious names. Book a theatre ticket if you can, then take a late afternoon stroll along the Avon when the day-trippers thin out.
- Worcester (Worcestershire) is simple and satisfying. Walk by the Severn, then head up to the cathedral area. If there’s a market on, grab something small and eat it by the water.
Nature without a long drive: hills, forests, and canals
For big views without a complicated route, the Malvern Hills are a reliable bet. You can keep it short with a steady climb and a turn back when you’ve had enough. On a clear day, the horizon does most of the work. Spring brings lighter paths and blossom in the lower lanes, while autumn has that coppery feel underfoot.
Cannock Chase suits a different kind of green. The woodland is friendly, with wide trails, cycle routes, and places to stop for a hot drink. Families can keep it easy, while regular walkers can string together longer loops.
Canals are the quiet link between the region’s past and its current pace. A towpath stroll near the urban edge can feel oddly peaceful, even when you’re close to stations and ring roads. If you’d rather sit than walk, look for short boat trips in places that still treat the canal as a living route, not just scenery.
The West Midlands story isn’t only in museums. It’s also under your feet, in towpaths, cobbles, and ridge lines.
Getting around and eating well: trains, buses, and regional favourites
Trains cover most main routes well, especially between the larger towns. After that, local buses often handle the last few miles, so it’s worth checking times before you set off. If you can, book advance rail tickets to save money, since walk-up fares can sting.
Food is part of the region’s identity, but it doesn’t need a big speech. Try a Birmingham Balti if you haven’t, because it’s still a local classic. Staffordshire oatcakes are great for a quick lunch, and they work well for vegetarians, too. In market towns, keep an eye out for simple street food and bakery counters. Local ales show up across the region, and many places also carry good no-alcohol options now.
