Walks near Walsall by train

Parks, river and heritage trail.

Museum of Making (30 mins in)

Darley Park

6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.

Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.

2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.

Duffield Castle: The remains of one of England's largest castles (National Trust; 30 mins to visit).

2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Golf club, heath, woodland and Heart of England Way.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

2 lunch spots: the Tame Otter (2h15 in), or the Red Lion (2h15 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Horse and Jockey, or the Turnpike

Warnings: MOD firing range — check access.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Parks, river, country park and canal.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

1 lunch spot: the Stag and Pheasant (2h in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Lord Hop, the Felix Holt, the George Eliot Hotel, the Black Swan In Hand, or the Silk Mill

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Canal and villages.

2 lunch spots: San Giovanni (2h45 in), or the Black Horse (3h in)

7 end-of-walk rewards: the Blue Lion, the Blue Boar Inn, the Old Swan, the Hat and Beaver, the White Horse, the Kings Head Pub, or the Clock

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

A gentle climb through open country on the Monarch’s Way and canal towpath.

Waterway: three fifths along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

Walk details: Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership (PDF).

Reverse direction: Railwalks (inc. GPX).

Mostly along canal towpaths with field paths and road sections. Walk through mid-Worcestershire from Bromsgrove to Droitwich Spa, tracing salt industry heritage and Victorian spa development via canal routes. Droitwich is a town literally constructed on salt.

Waterway: four fifths along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

Warnings: Be careful of fast-moving cars on lane; towpath muddy in places.

Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).

Reverse direction: Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership (PDF, inc. GPX) and Railwalks (inc. GPX).

Most pleasant rolling countryside. Pastoral yet industrial terrain of north east Worcestershire. Two towns shaped by 18th-19th century canal development. Alvechurch has long history under Bishop of Worcester from late 8th century.

Waterway: four fifths along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

Warnings: Fast cars on lane; narrow busy road with no pavements.

Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).

Open farmland and field paths through quiet villages.

Walk details: Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership (PDF).

Largely urban walking on pavements and a riverside path, through parks and along the line of the Derby Canal.

1 lunch spot: Waterside Café

Warnings: Only a few trains a day call at Peartree.

Walk details: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (tips and turn-by-turn directions).

Mixture of off-road cycle path and on-road sections. Part of the longer London-to-Lake-District route.

Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).