A repeat of the walk which celebrated the 150^th Anniversary of Aston Villa Football Club, 2 years ago, we were taking a walk into the past and visiting the locations of momentous events in the club’s history. The site where the original “Aston Villa” was built, the Gas Lamp where the four men met, the church they attended, the site of the ½ Rugby, ½ Football match, the graves of two famous Villa men, Ramsey and McGregor, the site of the original ground at Wellington Road. Starting and finishing at Villa Park (Villa Shop) and the Aston Lower Grounds which have their own special place in the history of the local area.

The tours will be led by Aston Villa’s Stadium Tour Guides, who have an impressive reputation and top the rankings on Trip Advisor. To make the tour accessible to all – there will be 2 separate tours. In the morning tour we will provide accessible transport between the main points. After Lunch, a full walking only option, about 4½ miles on foot. These events are being supported by the Aston Villa Foundation, and ticket income will aid their work.

There are limited toilet facilities on the walk but there are toilets in the Villa Shop at the start and end of the tour. For the afternoon walking tour – participants should be fit enough to walk approx. 4.5 miles.

How to get there
Villa Park is approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 km) from Birmingham city centre, and public transport is generally the quickest way to reach the stadium. Parking is very limited and surrounding roads have become heavily congested due to ongoing stadium developments. The two nearest train stations are Witton Station – around a 5–10-minute walk to Villa Park and Aston Station – around a 15-minute walk to the stadium. The main bus routes serving Villa Park include 7, 11A, 11C (alight at Witton Square), 65, 67 (short walk from Aston Station). Cycling is encouraged if you’re travelling locally. Facilities include: Secure free cycle parking at the Inner-City Academy, Brook Vale, close to the stadium. There are dedicated cycling routes from Birmingham city centre. Nearby are West Midlands Cycle Hire (Beryl) docking stations.

Organised by Aston Villa Football Club – AVFC Stadium Tour Team