Tourists overlook my home city for being ‘ugly and grey’ – but its beauty inspired Lord Of The Rings
DESPITE being England's bustling second city, Birmingham is said to have inspired world-famous author JRR Tolkien.
While Birmingham is home to the world's biggest Primark and the largest authentic German market outside of Germany, there are plenty of other reasons to visit.
While my home city is often tarred as being 'ugly and grey' because of its industrial history, its beauty actually inspired The Lord of The Rings author JRR Tolkien
Just like me, Tolkien grew up in Birmingham and very much used the city as his playground.
As a proud Brummie, and someone who's read JRR Tolkien: a Biography, I know all about the Birmingham haunts that inspired the beloved author.
Despite being born overseas, Tolkien, his mother, and his younger brother permanently moved to Birmingham after the death of his father.
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Despite moving away from Birmingham at the age of 19 to attend University, the city seems to have left a lasting impression on the author.
When they first moved to the city, the family lived with Tolkien's grandparents in Kings Heath until they eventually settled in Sarehole.
Sarehole, which is now known as Hall Green, is said to have been the inspiration for both Hobbiton and The Shire.
One of the places famed for its association with the fantasy author is Sarehole Mill, a 250-year-old water mill.
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As a young child, Tolkien is said to have explored the water mill and its grounds with his younger brother.
Now a museum, Sarehole Mill runs guided tours on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for visitors to learn all about the old water mill.
Entry tickets into Sarehole Mill, including a guided tour, cost £8 for a full-paying adult, and £5 for a child.
Sarehole Mill's grounds are free to enter between 11pm to 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
The grounds, which are home to a small mill pond and tiny forest area called the Woodland Realm, are arguably where Lord of the Rings should flock.
I've visited Sarehole Mill on several occasions, and despite being a stone's throw from a main road, the grounds offer a slice of solitude.
When I was younger, my parents would take me and my siblings to the Middle Earth Festival, which was held in a field next to Sarehole Mill.
It was at the festival where we built wicker swords, painted miniature figures, and took photos with festivalgoers who were dressed as orcs, elves, and dwarves.
A short 15-minute walk from Sarehole Mill is Moseley Bog - another childhood playground of Tolkien's.
Moseley Bog, which is now a nature reserve, was said to have inspired Fangorn Forest and the Old Forest in Lord of the Rings.
Several walking trails are dotted throughout the woodland where visitors will notice gnarled trees, which are reminiscent of the Ents - Tolkien's tree-like creatures.
Guided walking tours run from Sarehole Mill to Moseley Bog on selected Sundays, with tickets costing £10 per person.
In direct contrast to the quaint water mill and nature reserve, Birmingham also inspired some of Tolkien's more sinister creations.
One of those places is Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower, which sits in the heart of the University of Birmingham campus.
The 100m clock tower is lovingly referred to as 'Old Joe' by students from the University - myself included.
As a student at the University of Birmingham, I spent countless days walking past 'Old Joe' or simply staring up at the giant clock tower.
But it wasn't until well into my first year of university that I discovered that 'Old Joe' was said to have inspired Orthanc - the fortress of the corrupted wizard Saruman.
In more recent years, it's also said to have inspired the campus in Disney Pixar’s Monsters University - although this is unconfirmed.
Even though visitors can't climb the tower, they can still visit the University of Birmingham and its campus for free.
The university is home to several museums, including The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Winterbourne House and Garden, and Lapworth Museum of Geology.
The University of Birmingham can be reached on a cross-city train from Birmingham New Street Station, with journeys taking eight minutes.
As well as the clock tower at the University of Birmingham, two other towers in Birmingham also inspired Tolkien.
Perrott's Folly and the Tower at Edgbaston Waterworks possibly inspired the Two Towers of Gondor (Minas Morgul and Minas Tirith)
Set in Edgbaston, Perrott's Folly is a Grade II listed building that was built in 1758 by local landowner John Perrott.
While the building is no longer in use, tours are sometimes organised for the public.
Die-hard Lord of the Rings fans can still view the tower from a distance, and it's only a three-minute walk from the Tower at Edgbaston Waterworks.
The Tower at Edgbaston Waterworks is another Grade II listed building, which manages the domestic water supply.
Again it can't be visited by members of the public, but does make for a good stop on a Tolkien-inspired walking tour of Birmingham.
Birmingham is also a stone's throw from popular UK days out like Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Avon - both of which are accessible via train from Birmingham Moor Street station.
Direct trains operate to Birmingham from London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.
There's also a range of accommodation options available including hotels, B&Bs, and Airbnbs.
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