What a fantastic day out! We drove down to Shropshire to meet our friends who suggested an…read moreexploration of the fantastic Hawkstone Park and Follies (to where, despite growing up in its backyard, they had never been either). There's lots to do here-- a hotel, outdoor activities like off-road driving, archery, balloon flights and, of course, hiking. Open year round, they have specialty activities around all the major holidays and there's something for the whole family. The hike through The Follies is pretty spectacular. The circular trail takes you through forests, terrific rock formations weathered from, well, weather it seems!-- and caves (you need a torch!). It's not an easy hike-- the uneven surfaces, steep inclines and equally steep (and narrow!) steps cut into the rocks are daunting. If you add rain into the mix (which we had), it makes for a bit of a precarious (and slippery!) adventure. But well worth it. There are picnic tables and benches dotted along the way-- and on a nice day, it is a fantastic place for a picnic-- if not only for the excuse to take a bit of a breather when you make it to the top. Estimated to be a three-hour round trip hike (depending on your pace and how long you stop to admire the plethora of incredible views), it's well worth your time. Plus, if you start early enough, you can make it back before the little tea room with veranda at the visitor's centre closes to reward yourself with some well-earned sweets and of course, the quintessential English cuppa (in a little teapot and everything). Well worth the trek-- we will be coming back here again!

A beautiful and huge park - one of the largest urban parks in the UK in fact. There are wild…read moreponies, free range cows and plenty of other wildlife you can spot at various times of the year. There are frequent ice cream vans dotted about near the scouts jamboree stone and lots of pay2ride bike docks around the edge of the park including e-bikes (run by beryl) in my experience the normal bikes are well maintained and not very expensive if you use them properly and dock them after each use - you get charged an extra fee if you leave it non-docked and another fee if you leave it outside the beryl zone but this is clearly demarcated in the beryl app. It's a beautiful place to go especially with family. The only detraction is that some of the paths and tracks are a bit muddy and unstable so if you're really having a hike like I do it's best to go in strong sturdy boots with good grip. There is an information centre located near the Sutton Coldfield town centre entrance of the park and a gym and swimming pool called wyndley right near the park. Fishing is allowed within certain seasons but you will need a licence and I'm not sure if there are any other requirements as I've not done it yet in this park. You will enjoy coming here, even in winter. Just bring appropriate clothing and shoes!

Henry VIII hunting ground, and the reason why Sutton received the royal charter since he had such a…read morefabulous time... It's bigger than most urban parks, and spans both further than you would expect, and less, as it goes on so much further than most city/town parks (you do genuinely get to points where you can here no traffic nor see no houses quite quickly), it almost makes it feel more like an estate park- which of course it is smaller than, but I'd probably say not by much for many. There are quite a few little pockets of the park, so you can take in as little or as much of it as you like. There is plenty of wildlife, pools, paths and impressive large trees in ancient woodlands. It tends to get quite busy, but it's large enough for you to never feel cramped, and people tend to cheerfully be saying good morning.

Leasowes park and woodland covers over 140 acres, including the Halesowen Golf Club. The Leasowes…read morePark is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes i have seen. They have also been designed by a poet from the 18th century called William Shenstone (if your interested in history). The area consist of wooded hillsides, scenic grasslands and small lakes and streams. Free parking is available at the Leasowes Lane entrance. It's natural and in areas very wild, isolated and utterly without basic facilities. But having said that its great for getting back to basics for a proper old school adventure! Spend the day hiking, have a mini beast finding safari, or have the hide and seek tournament of your lives... there is lots of fun to be had here! This public space is a great bit of wilderness in a heavily industrialised area. A great place to come to escape from it all. A much used and loved place for family recreation, couples, friends alike. There are a few must see features to find like the bridge over the water feature, this place is great as you'll find nothing but green here. it truly is Lovely!

This is a lovely and green parkland located just away from Halesowen town centre. It was landscaped…read moreto closely resemble the natural environment, so there are lots of trees and winding pathways to help you explore the sizeable (143 acre) space. There is a fishing pond with a well-trodden path that takes about 20 minutes to walk around. It is a pleasant stroll through the woodland up to the golf course. The main problem is accessing the park by car as it can only be reached from the downhill carriageway of Mucklow's Hill.

Moseley bog is a small natural wood in the south of the city that is perhaps most famous for its…read moreconnections to Tolkien who lived nearby and spent some of his childhood playing in the area. A few years ago this was quite a wild, abandoned and unloved looking place. However, since the release of Lord of the Rings, the establishment of the Middle Earth weekend and the support of local groups such as the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham Moseley Bog has taken on a bit of a transformation and the recent introduction of walk-ways make it an easier place to explore. You can access the bog via Yardley Wood Road or through Pensby Close and it's a lovely place to visit in the spring when blue-bells are out in force. Interesting fact - as well as being linked to Tolkien, it's said that a house next to the bog was once used by Birmingham based reggae band UB40 for some of their earlier recordings...

One of the curious things I've found about Birmingham is that for a city that has a reputation for…read morebeing ugly, it has a large number of areas of natural beauty hidden away. Moseley Bog is one of them. As the name suggests, it's an area of boggy woodland with plenty of nooks and cranies to poke about in. Though there's plenty of raised wooden pathways, it could still be hard work for those unsteady on their feet, with plenty of small hills and steps to negotiate. There's also plenty there for those for foragers on the hunt for wild foods. Get there at the right time in spring and you can come away with bags and bags of wild garlic. In conclusion, a great little escape from the pressures of city life.

Ever since I was a wee gal I've been coming to Lickey Hills park - from school geography trips to…read morehuge picnics , it has something for everyone. As soon as you come in, theres a huge park for kids which is actually great fun for the big kids too ;) take my advice for it! And as you go deeper into the park, you realise what an incredible sigh of relief this park is as it gives you a break from the busy, industrial city ; instead offering you serenity and beauty. You wouldn't even think it's in Birmingham! Rolling hills, towering trees and a blanket of green surrounding you; each area is beautiful. Even if you do get drenched by the rain like I did, it's definitely worth it! A must for those seeking an escape!

If you're looking for the best views of Birmingham, Lickey Hills Country Park is the place you…read moreshould go! This very popular landscape, placed between Rednal and Barnt Green areas, is a 524 acres park with a visitor centre, golf, tennis and bowls and also a wonderful view provided from the top of the Beacon Hill, the highest point of Lickey Hills. It's a huge public space that is perfect for walkers not afraid of a bit of adventure and also families that can have a good use of its recreation park. There is a cafe nearby the recreation area and you may need some food and drinks after walking through the park. I have been to Lickey Hills with a group of very enthusiastic friends and I can tell that in the end of the journey to Beacon Hill we were all tired but happy because the perspective we have of some parts of Birmingham from that point is quite impressive. If you thinking about making some walking, make sure you have plenty of water and comfortable trainers to face this hilly walk. We had a lovely picnic up there and it was really a good idea to have some food to compensate all energy spent during the journey. We worth it! There is a free car parking at Lickey Hills. The bus number 62 service from the city centre and the Barn Green train station are the other options to get there.

Gayle and I arrived at the very cool Broadway Tower as we hiked up from town and then on our way to…read moreChipping Campden. It was built in 1798 on the second highest point in the Cotswolds and a very cool scenic place to take it all in. It's also a folly - a building that looks like it has a useful purpose (in this case, a strategic lookout), but is really just for decoration or personal enjoyment. In this case, it was commissioned by the 6th Earl of Coventry as a token of affection for his wife Lady Barbara.

This place was great- we were just going to drive by and then were enticed inside where we found a…read moredelightful gift shop and cafe. We purchased cute greeting cards and two lattes- delicious. They can make one mean mocha! Cute holidays ornaments, builder sets & more. Outside there are nice tables and cute kids play toys like a teepee to go into etc 2nd cafe & shop had lovely clothes and bags... We ended up doing the loop hike and saw so many cute sheep and a herd of deer with a magnificent buck; many places to rest and take up a view of the valley on a comfy bench...the tower tour came w listening device with history..: view from roof was amazing. There's a small shop at the bottom of the tower stocked w similar to first shop. My 75 year old mom was a little tired going up some of the hills but crushed it; I was just as tired ha ha

Amazing walking area! If you like to go for a bike ride or a gentle stroll. 100% come to Cannock…read moreChase

This is my local gym where I regularly enjoy mountain biking, trail running, and walking nature…read moretrails. Leave No Trace! and please act responsibly by taking those bags of dog mess home

I literally stumbled across this walkway today (yes, it was painful and embarrassing...) whilst…read moremooching around in Billesley - as one does. I had no idea it existed before, or indeed the Shire Country Park of which it is a part (along with Sarehole Mill, Moseley Bog, The Dingles and other bits of random Birmingham parkland). I'm always pleased to find green spaces, so I went for a little stroll. It's always nice to discover little green hidden treasures amongst the urban sprawl, so I enjoyed my little wander through the walkway's little hedgerows which line the banks of the River Cole (I say 'River' it's more of a stream, really). There were lots of chirrupy birds around who were obviously enjoying their time in the Shire, but I have to say, it did look like it needed a bit of TLC as the path and the field both were a bit overgrown.

Located over the road from Sarhole Mill, this nature walk is another great inspiration to Tokien,…read morewho used to explore the river Cole as a child. The walkway is named after a headmaster from George Dixon Junior School, who wrote about the heritage of Birmingham in every district. This pathway certainly breathes the same history from Jone's pages, and feels very magical and enchanting to walk through, especially in the summertime when you hear birds, crickets and other insects. I often walk down this path to escape the smog of Birmingham, and become transported to a new aged, natural environment. And the walkway is perfect for runners, joggers and bikers, because it stretches such a long way. There's a few fruiting bushes along the path, and I often go and collect plums, blackberries and raspberries from the wild, overgrown edges of the walk (as do many other people). The plums are little yellow ones, which are very sweet and perfect for making pies. So if you want fresh, great tasting fruit to eat, John Morris Jones Walkway is definitely the place to pick your own. Who'd have thought such delicious food could be found in the wilderness of Birmingham?

One of Warwickshire's country parks, this place is quite unique. It seems to consist mostly of…read morehills, which are very steep but very small. It also seems to attract a lot of wind. This does make it ideal for kite flying, or mountain biking, or taking the dog for a run-around. In fact, it seems to be popular with people doing a lot of outdoor kinds of pursuits, even if it's just a nice picnic. There aren't really any set paths, and with all the hills it would be exhausting (but not impossible) to take a pushchair round, but if you are game there's nothing to stop you! While you are there, stop by the little village and have a look at the ancient church. No amenities, unless the ice cream man is about