Visiting Bilston and Brum

Today we bought Daytripper tickets with network west midlands and took the train and tram to Bilston. Bilston is mentioned as far back as 985AD, but was mostly a farming community until the industrial revolution brought coal mining, the steel industry and their associated populations to the area. The coal and steel have now left again, but the community remains and Bilston Craft Gallery is the largest dedicated craft venue in the West Midlands. It was built as a private house in 1905 by the Harper family who made locks and then between the wars it was a girls' school before being extended to become Bilston Art Gallery and Museum. Apparently, Professor Bodkin of the Barber Institute opened the Art Gallery in 1937 and it remained as such until the 1990s when the art collection was moved to Wolverhampton and the building was renamed Bilston Craft Gallery. Bilston Library also uses part of the building. We went to see their new exhibtion, More Than Floral, which runs until 25th June as well as their display, Craftsense, linking 18th century industry and modern crafts which is in place throughout 2011. Both exhibitions were excellent.

But it's thirsty work looking at stuff, so we were ready to find a café for refreshments. Café Metro looked inviting, so we went in and found a table. We ordered coffee and sandwiches at the counter and soon delicious freshly made coffees and cakes and sandwiches were being served. Very tasty, good value fare. On the way to the tram we crossed this amazing bridge with its story panels about the industry that put Bilston on the map and then we took the tram back to the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. We strolled around the area, window-shopping along the displays of sparkling gems, enjoying the old door signs with their quaint wordings. We called into the Museum, looking around the shop, but we didn't take the tour.

Now we walked down to the centre, looking in at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists; stopping for a cup of tea at Saint Caffè on the Georgian St Paul's Square, where they serve great Mighty Leaf teas; following a route via the Art Gallery, bringing us to the Mailbox where we wandered up the escalators to the BBC shop, at the entrance to their Birmingham studios.  We could watch the DJs presenting local radio and there was the Tardis lurking in the corner.From here we could walk down to the canal towpath where there were plenty of people enjoying the outside eating areas of the cafes along the canal and several narrow boats taking others on canal tours. There is a stunning new building here called the Cube - just finished, it has shops, offices, a hotel, club and spa, and a rooftop restaurant by Marco Pierre White.

But it was time to have dinner and the plan was to go to Carluccios on Brindley Place. It was fun walking by all the sports bars as it was the final of the cricket World Cup and there were plenty of people watching the event on the big screens - plenty of cheers for boundaries and wickets. Carluccios was busy, but we were soon seated and enjoyed our meal before catching the train back to Kings Norton and a well earned rest!

Bilston Craft Gallery
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
Saint Caffè
Mighty Leaf Tea
The Cube
Carluccios