Lover's Walk is a very short walk from the top of South Road (near Redland Rail Station) to the…read morebottom of Fremantle Road. From this direction there is a fairly steep incline to the top and is roughly 300 metres in length. The walk starts from a bridge which crosses the train line into Redland Rail. From here a good view of the quaint station can be seen. As you continue upwards, Cotham Gardens can be viewed to your left. The walk upwards takes you through a long arch of Oak trees and Victorian black lamps which gives a real feel of the history behind the area. Lover's Walk was created in the late 1800's and although the original footpath has been replaced, the feel and atmosphere has most definitely been retained. The walk is especially lovely in autumn when the oak trees leaves are underfoot creating a long golden carpet. The area is immaculately looked after, with never any litter or dog mess. Although only short, Lover's Walk is really quite lovely.

Harborne walkway is a space of natural tranquillity in an urban environment. It was opened in 1981,…read moreoccupying the former short branch Harborne railway line. The railway line opened in 1874, as an early example of a commuter route into the new industries city of Birmingham. It took five years to build the 2.5 miles of track, with stations at Hagley Road, Rotton Park Road, and Icknied Port Road before terminating at New Street. This was much shorter that the 1866 proposal, which would have connected Bromsgrove to Halesowen, and connecting the Great Western Railway (in Soho) with the London and North Western Railway on Monument Lane. I had previously presumed that the railway line was a victim of Dr Beeching's Cuts in the 60's, whereby he oversaw the closure of over 1,000 rail stations in the UK (luckily we didn't follow his full recommendation and close over 2,000). However, the Harborne line closed to passengers in 1934, as people favoured the buses, which had less delays at the time. The line remained open for freight, serving the Chad Valley toy factory in Harborne, as well as the Mitchells & Butlers brewery at Cape Hill, amongst over businesses. The line was completely closed in 1963. Cut to present day and the line has been transformed into the most lovely walking and cycling path in the city. The path runs from Forest Drive / Park Hill Road in Harborne to Summerfield Park in Soho; where one can easily visit Edgbaston Reservoir, or join the Birmingham Canal to walk into the city centre. The full walk from Harborne to town is unsurprisingly the same as the original railway line: 2.5 miles. It brings one into town at Brindley Place, where there are ample options for liquid refreshment and nutrient. Along most of the walk, we could easily be forgiven for forgetting that we are so close to the heart of the second city. We could easily be convinced that we're walking in a rural part of the country. The only hint to city life is seeing the buses on the Hagley Road above our heads. The footpath is however, slightly busier (and less boggy) than those out in the countryside, being popular with dog walkers, families, cyclists, and runners alike. The route doesn't have any lighting though, so is probably best avoided after dusk. Although I love Birmingham and all of the culture, bar, events etc that happen in the 'big city', sometimes it's good to get away from all of the 'hustle and bustle' and be 'one with nature' - any more clichés I can fit in? Seriously though, it's great to be able to escape from all of the stresses of modern life without having to travel too far from home. Birmingham has 3,500 hectares of public green space, more than any other European city, and 250 miles of urban brooks and streams (I've not even mentioned the canals, nor Venice). To me, Harborne Walkway is definitely one of the city's 'hotspots', a must for any Brummie!

Great walk on a fall afternoon with the dog. Don't leave it too late as it can get quite…read morecreepy/dark in areas. It is a great green space in an urban area and well worth a visit. Lots of runners and other dog walkers. Interesting railroad history.

In Ashton Court Estate you will find this pitch and put course on a hillside. It takes a bit of…read morefinding. At the main entrance (that is, where the gatehouse is, not down in the hill around Bedminster) go straight along the road and then take the first right, going up the hill. You'll come to a little car park and a slightly desolate looking hut. The hut is where you can hire clubs and balls (remember not to smack it into the bushes...) and get putting. It's run by the council, which means its a) cheap and b) not full of stuffy old men, the two usual vices of a golf course. Give your ball a thwack and follow it round the course, nobodies going to judge you. The only downside I can think of is that things can get a bit congested, especially if the weather is even vaguely nice. You may have to wait a little while, or have people queueing up behind you, to use one of the holes. Making golf a bit less of the pursuit of old men at country clubs, the pitch and put golf course is a great way for those of us that think golf looks like a lark to give it a try.

I used to hate golf until two of my mates practically dragged me across the bridge to Ashton Court…read morefor some pitch and putt. What can I say? I was almost instantly seduced by the satisfying feeling of smacking a little ball as hard as you can with a massive piece of metal, and the faraway sound of ball on deer. It's great value - £6.50 gets you 18 holes and a great view across the whole of Brizzle and beyond on a fine day. The only problem is that, when the sun's out, it can get pretty busy, and there's nothing guaranteed to give an amateur the yips more than a queue of people staring and tutting as you continually swing and miss at the ball off the tee. One tip: the course on the Bristol side of AC offers more variation, and there's even one par five hole where you can get your wood out and give it a real thrashing.

Great local facility. Teaming with wildlife. There's a two mike walk around the reservoir, ideal…read morefor dogs, provided you're prepared for bath time afterwards in the winter. There's a little cafe and a reasonable amount of paid for parking.

Very nice park this is…read more There is a large play park for the kids to play in including swings, slides, climbing frames, bouncing toys etc And of course the lake which is very big and full of ducks and swans. There are toilets and a reasonably priced cafe! Its a really nice day out, but unless you are prepared for rain make it on a sunny day as there is little shelter!

Let me introduce you to one of my favourite places to exercise, stroll and stuff my face with…read moreprocessed meats (Summertime BBQ's) - Cosmeston Lakes. First opened in 1978, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village is situated not far from Cardiff, Barry and Penarth. It is open all year round for visitors to explore it's 247 acres of land, lakes, woodlands and meadows. There's even a reconstructed 14th Century Village set within the park. Things to remember for your next visit: Parking: FREE! Lakeside Café: The Lakeside Café serves breakfast, lunch and obligatory ice creams! Open daily from 8.30am - 6.30pm. Take a seat on the patio area and enjoy the lakeside views. BBQ and Picnics: There are several BBQ units throughout the park that are available to hire from £17. There are also lots of conveniently placed picnic benches. Bird Hide: For the keen bird watchers, a bird hide can be found overlooking the western lake (visit website for map). Access to the bird hide is via steps leading from the main path. Open 24 hours. Free of charge. Horse Riding: Horse Riding is permitted, however if you want to ride along the main paths you will have to purchase a permit which costs £20 per year. Medieval Village: Open 7 days a week. Free of charge! Adventure Playground: A large children's playground can be found on the opposite side of the lake from the car park. It features a range of climbing equipment, swings, slides and a boat.

Cosmeston Lakes are the filled in remains of limestone quarries in the 19th century. When I go…read morethere, I imagine old metal towers and drills slowly mouldering away under the calm surface, with all its ducks and reeds. Cosmeston offers an easily accessible set of lakes, paths, wide grass areas and boardwalks. It is a lovely area to take in, and is suitable for cycling. There's also a large play area for small and large children alike. Also on site there's a visitor centre, cafe and the ever-popular Medieval Village. This is a great area to settle down for the day. As you do so, imagine what the mines once looked like and be in awe of the restoration project that went on there.

I really love this park, It offers FREE parking too, on certain days Run Birmingham offer a free…read morerunning scheme called 'Couch to 5k' a 9 week program free to attend and gives you confidence to meet other fellow runners. Beautiful surrounding, come with kids to feed the wild life duckies in the large pond. Big area to ride your bike too with a number of facilities to park your bike. Kids can also have fun on the pay area too, with swings and a large climb rack. On my daily walks to the park I've even found wild black berries and bamboo being grown in the woodland area. There's a Cadbury Bournville house that has been derelict for quite a few years now, for such a great location I've always hoped that the council would invest money in this great location and maybe convert it into a little café? That would be perfect in my opinion. Have a good day everyone, thanks a bunch for reading