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The Green Black Country

Exploring one of the UK’s Geoparks, right in the country’s industrial heartland

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Birmingham City Skyline seen from Sedgeley Beacon, part of the Black Country Geopark © Simon Whaley

“Turn right.”

What? Here? But it’s a suburban road of semi-detached houses. It can’t be down here, surely?

Hesitation costs me a missed turning, and an irate SatNav.

“At the next available opportunity, turn around.”

She repeats the message as I fervently hunt for anywhere to turn around.

“Shut up!”

“At the next available oppor — ”

I pulled the plug on her.

I don’t do SatNavs. Mainly because I don’t trust them, and also because until now I’ve rarely ventured into built-up territory. I don’t do cities. I don’t do towns. But when the editor of a magazine asked me to explore the Black Country Geopark it meant I had to navigate my way around the Birmingham conurbation districts of Dudley, Merry Hill, and Sandwell — places I’d managed to avoid since moving to the West Midlands nearly thirty years ago.

Eventually, I find somewhere to turn around, return to the suburban road I’m supposed to be in, drive past a community of office workers leaving their homes, ready for the daily commute, and park my car at the end of the road.

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