Walking remains the most popular option for travelling to and from campus, which is no surprise seeing as our student accommodation villages are within a 20-minute walk.
A dedicated footpath links The Vale Village and campus, providing an easy route away from traffic. The local shopping areas of Selly Oak and Harborne are also easily accessible, offering a variety of shops, banks, pharmacies, and other services. The centre of Selly Oak is approximately a 15-minute walk from Old Joe; Harborne is a 30-minute walk.
Walking to the city? Take our Safer Walking Route. This well-lit, CCTV-monitored route is brought to you in partnership with West Midlands Police and the Calthorpe Estate, to make walking to and from the city (Five Ways) safer. Visit Community Safety's personal safety page for more information and tips on travelling safely.
If you want to boost your wellbeing while on campus, why not walk the Campus Mile? This circular route takes in a number of campus landmarks, including our beloved Old Joe, and takes around 30 minutes to complete at a leisurely pace.
There's also our campus Sculpture Trail, ideal if you want to get your steps in while appreciating some great art. To help you find your way around campus, we recommend using the Campus Map app, which is available to download but is also a part of the My UoB App.
The Campus Mile route
Wondrous Wander: Old Joe to Selly Oak Campus via UoB’s Quaker connections
Another opportunity to join this popular guided tour from Old Joe to Selly Oak campus, learning about the connections between Quakerism and the early history of the University. On the way we view historic buildings such as the Selly Oak Institute, Library, and Quaker Meeting House, as well as recent developments on the canalside.
The walking tour will be led by Dr Rhiannon Grant of the Department of Theology and Religion and the Quaker learning organisation Woodbrooke.
Starting at Old Joe, we will cover approximately 2 km over an hour and a half. The walk will finish at Selly Oak campus.
The walk is free of charge for staff and students, but please book your space using this form.
Please note that spaces are limited, therefore we can only offer places to UoB staff and students.
Date: Monday 11 May
Meeting time: 5pm, to start walking at 5.10pm
End time: 6.30pm
Meeting point: Old Joe
Finishing Point: Selly Oak Campus
Wondrous Wander: Ghost stations of the cross-city line
“Calling at Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville…”: this sequence familiar to cross-city line passengers was not always thus. Join the Sustainable Travel team to spy traces of abandoned stations and stops of the Birmingham West Suburban Line. We will also hear stories of other disused lines and stations in south Birmingham, including the recent resurrection of the Camp Hill line.
Starting at North Gate, we will cover approximately 3.5 km over two hours. The walk will finish at Bournville. There is an option to leave the walk at Selly Oak for a shorter distance overall.
The walk is free of charge for staff and students, but please book your space using this form.
Please note that spaces are limited, therefore we can only offer places to UoB staff and students.
Date: Thursday 21 May
Meeting time: 5pm, to start walking at 5.10pm
End time: 7.00pm
Meeting point: North Gate
Finishing Point: Bournville