Report - River Rea - Birmingham - March 2020

[MOONTODUST]

My first UK explore after moving here a year ago, happy to be here, lots of exciting places to explore. I've done a lot of urbexing in the past, but this is my first time in the UK!

Sorry about the bad oversaturated quality, we kind of just stumbled upon an access route and didn't initially plan to take pictures so my phone camera had to make do.

The river is quite interesting, it's an interesting juxtaposition of the remains of industrial Birmingham and the new. It's incredibly quiet down at the river. Be mindful of the needles and excrement.

We had a lot of time, but there's so many things to cover about the various drains that they're worth their own explores on their own.

It's quite slippery, so I do recommend a helmet (as you can see us wearing!) and a torch for the dark sections.

Pictures below, but they're resized, you can find the originals on my: Flickr

 

[Seffy]

Done before the lockdown was brought in I hope!

 

[stranton]

it's like Sheepcar beck, Leeds with all the graffiti

 

[TheVicar]

Nice to see someone new taking an interest in this kind of thing.
Did anybody walk over the pedestrian bridge (in your tenth pic) while you were down there?

 

[Speed]

water level is high in that first bit, has it dammed up under the canal bridge?

 

[MOONTODUST]

water level is high in that first bit, has it dammed up under the canal bridge?

It has, so we couldn't get to the big underground bit easily, which is why we went the other way.

Nice to see someone new taking an interest in this kind of thing.
Did anybody walk over the pedestrian bridge (in your tenth pic) while you were down there?

Yes, 2 guys walked down there. Didn't seem to notice us though!

 

[jewelleryquartergirl]

One of the oldest parts of Brum, where industry began. There have been many plans to open out the river and create an urban oasis (as part of Digbeth and South Side redevelopment schemes) but presumably they will come to nothing if there is a post-coronavirus recession.

 

[Speed]

Trouble is 'urban oasis' dont really work when they are covered in turds and jam rags as soon as it rains a bit! The Rea is filthy.

 

[earthman_bumblebee]

Had many a close call down there...very slippery.

 

[KCM]

Good set of pics. Great looking at our history. Thank you for posting.

 

[Rosary_Boy]

My first UK explore after moving here a year ago, happy to be here, lots of exciting places to explore. I've done a lot of urbexing in the past, but this is my first time in the UK!

Sorry about the bad oversaturated quality, we kind of just stumbled upon an access route and didn't initially plan to take pictures so my phone camera had to make do.

The river is quite interesting, it's an interesting juxtaposition of the remains of industrial Birmingham and the new. It's incredibly quiet down at the river. Be mindful of the needles and excrement.

We had a lot of time, but there's so many things to cover about the various drains that they're worth their own explores on their own.

It's quite slippery, so I do recommend a helmet (as you can see us wearing!) and a torch for the dark sections.

Pictures below, but they're resized, you can find the originals on my: Flickr

always best do this when the waters lower say mid summer, but you need to go towards Duddeston theres more tunnels and the Dark half hour tunnel much better
great photos of our river rea

 

[paulpowers]

Nice

There's some really sexy bits along the Rea which should get more love

 

[chills]

water level is high in that first bit, has it dammed up under the canal bridge?

I cleared some of the blockage the other week to bring the level down a bit but there’s a huge tree under one of the arches. I took a wander last weekend and part has been properly cleared but the tree is still there. As you walk further down there’s blockages under each bridge so water level will remain high for the foreseeable.

 

[pastybarm]

The river named after the actor, do hope to see it one day, and those big outfalls at the sides.

 

[Rosary_Boy]

I cleared some of the blockage the other week to bring the level down a bit but there’s a huge tree under one of the arches. I took a wander last weekend and part has been properly cleared but the tree is still there. As you walk further down there’s blockages under each bridge so water level will remain high for the foreseeable.

yeah going towards Duddeston it can be abit deep cos of the blockages, but when its hot like last few days is the time too go and have a good look