River Cole (West Midlands)

The West Midlands River Cole flows North West across the Birmingham plateau. The river source is at Hobs Hill near Wythall. The river then crosses across the South East of Birmingham through the likes of Yardley, Chelmsley Wood and Shard End before joining the river Blythe at Coleshill. From the waters join the Tame, Trent and eventually the North Sea at the Humber estuary.

The Cole is a non-navigable waterway though had twelve watermills along it at one stage. It is usually shallow but due to the nature of the clay soil in the area the river is changed quickly by heavy rainfall and can easily flood.

The earliest recorded name of the river from 972AD is Colle which is an old English word for Hazel.

At Shard End

At Wythall (rather swollen by recent heavy rain)