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On 24/2, our special “Tolkien’s Middle Earth Tour” was held and was a great success. More than 20 Tolkien fans joined us for a combined coach and walking tour. Our first stopping point was Sarehole Mill, Tolkien’s childhood playground, where we also explored the surrounding area, including the ford that inspired the iconic Ford of Bruinen scene in Lord Of The Rings. After 3 1/2 hours discovering the areas Tolkien grew up in and how his experiences in Birmingham shaped his writing, everyone had just enough energy left to climb the 108 steps of Perrott’s Folly in Edgbaston, for great views over the city including the waterworks tower, which along with the folly may well be the inspiration for the title “The Two Towers”. Those who came on the tour went away with a whole new appreciation of Tolkien and his work, as well as having seen some “off the beaten track” parts of the city.
Victoria Square in Birmingham, is over run with rabbits again after 500 years. In the 1500’s the monks that lived on the site of today’s Council House kept rabbits for food in a Conigreave. Coni meaning rabbit and greave a clearing in a wood, hence the name of Congreve Passage, the pedestrian route between the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Central Library. The rabbits this time however are part of a children’s charity event sponsored by Lindt.
On the day of writing our Saturday afternoon walk visited sites connected with the growth of Cadbury in the city, but we skirted Victoria Square avoiding the Swiss Chocolate competitor.
There’s now just over a week to go until it’s time for our Tolkien’s Middle Earth Tour on Sunday 24th February. Making the tour even more interesting, we are delighted to announce a special tie-in with local charity Trident Reach. They recently acquired Perrott’s Folly in Edgbaston, one of the original two towers that are said to have inspired the young Tolkien, and are aiming to raise £1 million to restore it for community and visitor use. Ben Bradley from the charity has kindly agreed to open the tower and take us inside and up to the top as part of our tour, so we can get a great view of one of the areas Tolkien lived in, and over the whole city skyline. Thanks to Ben for his offer, which has given an extra dimension to our tour, and we wish him and his colleagues every success in their fundraising and public awareness campaigns.
To get your tickets for the tour, including this unique opportunity to visit Perrott’s Folly, visit our online booking site Oxboffice.
To find out more about Trident Reach’s work, including the Perrott’s Folly project, check out their website.
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The start locations of all our Birmingham Walking Tours