There is so much to do in and around Birmingham 'City of a Thousand Trades'

The Best Western Plough & Harrow Hotel, with its red brick Victorian architecture, terraced restaurant, enclosed gardens and plentiful car parking is ideally located within a 15 minute leisurely walk to the main centre and its many attractions.  The hotel also makes a good base for days out with the family to Cadbury World, Drayton Manor, West Midland's Safari Park and more locally the Sealife Centre, Think Tank and The Botanical Gardens.  A short drive away you can go back to the bygone years in the Black Country Living Museum, visit Warwick with its stunning Castle, Royal Leamington Spa and Shakespeare's birth place Stratford-upon-Avon to name just a few are also within easy reach.

Birmingham and the surrounding areas are jam packed with heritage.  If you are on a budget - much is free!  Elegant listed buildings, museums from fine arts to motorbikes and open spaces such as parks, canals and Botanical gardens to walk and marvel the natural beauty of the land.

To help you make the most of your short break in Birmingham, we have noted some suggested places of interest and activities we think you might like on our Attractions page.  Should you need any further information or ideas to put your D.I.Y. itinerary together whether it is to fill just a few hours or a few days, please do not hesitate to contact a member of staff or go onto the Visit Birmingham website.

tolkien

J.R.R. TOLKIEN

The Best Western Plough & Harrow Hotel has a genuine connection to JRR Tolkien, best known as author of the Hobbit & Lord of the Rings.  As a youth he frequented the hotel and in June 1916 stayed with his wife Edith Bratt at the hotel before he left for France to join the British Expeditionary Force.  The hotel has plaques displayed, presented by The Tolkien Society.

Take a Tolkien Trail Tour yourself starting from Sarehole Mill, a 250 year old working watermill. Click Tolkien Trail for full details including a map.

For more information on Tolkien's life in Birmingham read Robert S Blackham's book The Roots of Tolkien's Middle Earth, published by Tempus; visit this website here

"Little by little, one travels far" - J.R.R. Tolkien

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JRR TOLKIEN
WMSP-Reserves & Guests 11a