This place kicked us out from the ice rink because we fell over twice DO NOT recommend this place.read more

BEWARE -SHORTAGE OF SAFETY…read more I had a bad fall yesterday. My binding should have released but didn't; my left leg was badly twisted. I am immobilised today and hoping I do need not to go to A&E On the plus side the staff are friendly and helpful particularly those who 'rescued' me from the slope. Regrettably there are minuses:- For its size the slope gets very crowded so do not book at peak times and avoid weekends and Bank holidays Safety is compromised by mixing snowboarders with skiers. Why so? First because snow boarders take different lines down the slope and skiers often find themselves being 'cut up' by boarders. Secondly the weight of skis is split between 2 skis and one ski is unlikely to cause injury to innocent 3rd parties. By contrast a board is heavier than one ski and all its weight is concentrated in its short length. Snow boards are notorious for injuries, often serious, to innocent 3rd parties. The surface of the slope is in places almost sheer ice which is what caught me out yesterday Lastly staff adjust the bindings on hired skis to hired boots. Like most people I did not check this. I suspect that had I done so I would not be immobile like now. Moral check your bindings.

Superb place to visit. ran ge of small jumps. Has good friendly staff willing and able to train you…read morein snowboarding and skiing. A little costly but enjoyable day out. Kids slope is very good.

Makes a great day out for any age!read more

Smallish but packed Store . Millets is a long established Camping/outdoor Shop…read more In recent years the camping parts seems to have took a back step and its more geared for the walker/outdoor pursuit customer It has a good range of coats (regatta) ,fleeces, thick socks and Hiking boots..Stocks children sizes as well as adults. Good place to look if they have school ski trips or tentoors walks The shop is quite expensive but normal has a couple of promotions most of the time2 fleeces for the price of 1. £20 of coats etc They also will order anything from millets catalogue if they do not stock it

Fond memories of learning to ski here when i was at school…read more Went back recently - and realised how kind memories and time are to places. Receptionist / clerical staff were rude and disinterested - this is inexcusable at a council run leisure facility. Other staff there were in the same mould, but one person was very kind and cheerily turned the ski lift on for me. The slope itself is quite short, and with it being artificial you are basically skiing on a network of scrubbing brushes - if you fall on this stuff it is going to hurt. If you are serious about going away then to ski then i'd make the effort and try and get to Tamworth for the snowdome - this will far better prepare you for a holiday, and the expense is justified as you will get far more out of your holiday.

I love LOAF! There, I said it! For a gal who has actively avoided bread for years, there's no point…read morefighting it! A presence on Stirchley High Street since 2012, it's only since moving closer to the area that I have stumbled across this place (thanks to the Brum food scene social media). Fresh loaves of sourdough, rye, sweet buns, and changeable lunches everyday - the salt beef if heaven - bring something special to the area. Add in their popular cookery school and 'takeover' evenings - last night it was a Chicken Shop takeover - and this community bakery serves more than just hungry tums...it is good for the soul too!

I went on one of Loaf's bread making courses back when it was run in the director's house and it…read morewas lovely to finally be able to go back and see the bakery in it's not-so new location. Having the day off I popped in when they'd just opened and was pleased to see a steady stream of people popping in to pick up bread - something I didn't expect for a mid-week lunchtime in the suburbs. The bread isn't as cheap at the stuff in the supermarket, but it's handmade and delicious. I picked up some focaccia, which was glorious, and also some of their lunch offering which was a decent portion for the price. I hear there can be queues at weekends and they often run out early so it's worth heading down sooner rather than later.

Ant is a great instructor. I really struggled with driving for years and had previous instructors…read moreto no avail. However, Ant was very patient and explained things in a very methodical step-by-step way that helped me lots. He took things simply at the start and then challenged me when suitable. For example, I was struggling with anxiety so he took me on a motorway to showcase that even in the most extreme, I had control of the car. I went from not being able to parallel park to being able to do so better than most people I know. He's also just a nice guy to speak with and genuinely cares about you as a student.

From the owner: We are a highly professional, friendly, reliable and exceptionally patient Driving School. We…read moreoperate a very client centered, relaxed approach to delivering our coaching services..

You cannot judge a book by its cover. A lovely place from the outside, but unfortunately it is run…read moreby a bunch of imbecile muppets. We had booked the NCP9 lifeguarding course for my daughter in February 2023, which was due to start during May 29th half term. She turned up for the course only to be told that the course had been cancelled. No apologies from the course management for the cancellation nor as to why we weren't informed of it at first. If we had known this earlier, we would have organised an alternative. Now, her plans and half term have been ruined thanks to a parade of incompetent dimwits. As for the refund, the staff have to speak to their head office about reimbursing the money (which they were more than happy to take). Hadn't they thought of speaking to us about the cancellation first?!?

I've been using this pool for a number of years, all the way back to when I first moved to Harborne…read morein the late 1990s. Back then, Harborne pool was a fairly run down (but nevertheless charming) Victorian pool - with a high glass ceiling and changing rooms that lined the pool. I really used to enjoy swimming there - it was very peaceful. This recently opened new centre on the site of the old pool is also very good. It is BRAND NEW, and you can tell. The facilities are excellent and the pool is first class. They have also added a gym on the 2nd floor which makes the whole building look very impressive when you drive past. I've not used the gym, but judging by how busy the exercise bikes and running machines are in the wide window that overlooks the road, the gym is very popular also.

CONTROL DRIVING SCHOOL- Female Automatic Instruction Specialists…read more o Fully Qualified DSA Approved Instructors o Lessons from £15 o Intensive courses o Pass Plus courses o Theory o Block booking discounts o Motorway tuition Contact: Control Driving School 07972 716 929

Birmingham is a world class city concerning the subject of art, this much cannot be disputed. Once…read moreone has thoroughly inspected the collections at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the next stop should be four miles south, at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts on the campus of the University of Birmingham. This fine institute was founded only in the 1930's as both a art gallery and campus building for the study of art. As with other collections on campus, there is no required admission fee, though a £5 donation is requested. The bequest used in the founding of the institute required that acquisitions be of a quality on par with the National Gallery in London. Almost all of the works on display are housed on the second floor of the building. The collection is smaller than art museums of a national scale, but it is very focused and robust in its own right. Arguably some of the most important works on display are 'The Harvest Wagon' (Gainsborough), Symphony in White No. 3 (Whistler), Shakespeare's folios, and a combined Roman & Byzantine coin collection (one of the world's largest). In addition you'll find works by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Gauguin. Unlike pretty much every gallery in London, you can relax and take in the works at the institute on a lazy afternoon with very few people milling about to break your concentration. Downstairs, a lecture hall and auditorium completes the institute, with a nice gift shop near the door. If you are only visiting, live in Birmingham, or even only have a passing passion for art, the Barber Institute is a must see regardless!

If you've ever fancied having one of the country's finest small galleries to yourself then the…read moreBarber Institute is the place for you. I've visited several times and on each occasion it's just been me and the security guards. This is nothing short of a travesty as the collection is one to be treasured. Situated within the grounds of the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston campus the permanent collection is housed within four adjoined galleries telling the story of European Art from the 13th to the early 20th Century. The Green gallery contains works from the Renaissance era with a particularly stunning collection of Albrecht Durer woodcuts in a darkened side-room. This leads to the Red gallery, which in addition to 17th Century works by Rubens, Van Dyck and Murillo contains representation of a personal favourite painter, Frans Hals (check out the brushwork - hands like lightning that man). The Beige gallery contains what is arguably the stand-out work of the whole collection, and from one of it's lesser known artists; Vigee-Lebrun's "Portrait of Francois Langois". Finally, the Blue gallery reads like a who's-who of Romantic and Impressionist artists - Turner, Manet, Delacroix, Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, Gaugin. I could go on. Temporary exhibits can also be found in the Education Gallery. There is a small gift shop and cafe on the ground floor. Entrance free; donations appreciated. It's just a shame there aren't more people there to appreciate it.