I like Kings Heath park, it's got a lot going for it. First…read moreoff, it's a like a park of two halfs, oh and it's massive. It's like maybe two, three or even four parks in one. You've got the footpath that leads all the way around the park, which is popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists. This path will lead you from one of the three entrances right down to where the park edges alongside the trainline. How many miles this walkway is I don't know, but it's a good walk to take it all in. The path snakes in around the parks water feature which is really quite beautiful and is popular with ducks. There is also a tea room, tennis courts, a bowling green, basketball hoops, and two childrens playgrounds. This is a supreme park with large open grass spaces to boot. Kings Heath park is a great asset to the south of Birmingham and has a great deal to offer visitors.

Kings Heath park is absolutely huge. It's great to have picnics at, go for walks, have colour…read morefights (as my friends and I did ) , walk the dogs and even entertain the kids. Everytime I go there are always various clubs going on which is great to have something to occupy time with! Additionally, it has very quiet areas, especially by the pond , and I usually take work and do it there. It's a great park!

been here twice now for a run, it is a typical large park with road track for people go to the…read moreother end or for jogging. there are many kids play and also sports arena like cricket and volley. It is occasionally use for carnival on weekend this is the only decent running park in the area unfortunately running is not popular around this area (Washwood Heath, Small Heath, Saltley). I guess it's true when they say there were very few runner in Birmingham. the pond is nice with ducks floating or resting on the track-side but it is so dirty filled with dirt and bottles. It really needs some cleaning

This is a large park to come to for all sorts of activities. It has a steep hill/slope leading to…read moreits lower ground (at one point of entry) there is swings and climbing frames here, climbing the spider web to the top can reveal some of Birmingham beauties like the city centre and beyond. There is also a small basket ball/football enclosure there for the adults/kids to play. Right next to that is the community youth centre. At the upper part of the park is a huge divided into two parts of land, both sides are where sporting activities mainly take place like football and cricket. This is also where joggers and dog owners go to leisurely. There is also a medium sized pond at the bottom of the upper part of the part where there is ducks and fishes. Fishermen are there sometimes. Right beside the pond is the tennis court which is of a decnt size.

Although this park is an arboretum, (that's a park with examples of different trees to you and me),…read morethe main reason why most come here is to give their suburban pooches some exercise. So, you'll find yourself chatting small talk with other dog owners as your canines get to meet each other. As the park doesn't have any facilities, it's a quiet park with enough space for everyone to play ball, picnic, or read. It's the main meeting place in the Winter for school kids and their families when schools are cancelled due to the white stuff, and you can get a good run down the hill near the High Street entrance with your sledge/skateboard with the wheels taken off/plastic bag, though my most extreme jaunt down the hill was at dusk at break-neck speed in a bath! Truly, a park for all seasons.

I'm reviewing this from a family friendly perspective, so if this isn't your thing, check out the…read moreother reviews instead. Highbury is a great park for taking the children to. Plenty of tarmac paths for bikes and scooters, plus loads of wide open spaces for football etc. The play area is lovely and very similar to the style of the new one in Canon Hill Park, but much smaller. It's inventive and interactive which is brilliant for imaginative games. My daughter especially loves the sculpted ridge at the back as it's great fun to tear round and have adventures on. One of my favourite things is to take along some bread, feed the ducks and walk round to the bit up by Moor Green Lane and Yew Tree Road. It's a little adventure haven and even better now the rangers have created new pathways to explore. There are also bee hives not far from the duck pond, which is really cool. Some of my favourite trees are in this park. Really lovely. If you're in need of refreshments, then there's a Costcutter not far from the main entrance on the High Street or Co-Op on Dad's Lane. Both of which are a little walk out of the park. There aren't any toilets, so it's as nature intended or crossed legs.

Shirley Park is in Shirley, Solihull, close to a shopping area that is becoming more popular with…read morepeople from outside the Shirley area. The park provides relief to the frantic high street and is ideal for a family picnic. There are a wide range of activities in the Park, including pitch and putt, and a range of events through out the summer months. The Donkey Derby is one of my favourites. It is a large outdoor summer fair with lots of animals to interact with I was lucky enough to speak to the parks warden and he told me the Park was originally home to farmland, which was bought up in 1927. At a later stage additional features were introduced which included an ornamental garden and formal walkways. A walk through the woods of the park is especially pleasant in spring when the bluebells produce a vivid array of colours. It is also possible to view wildfowl as the pond is used on a frequent basis by birds and wildlife. Play equipment includes: - Junior & toddler swings, Junior & toddler multi play, Senior & junior mound slide, Talking flowers, Horse springers, reveloution roundabout, play car and crazy mirrors. I grew up in the area as a child and have fond memories of this park, to the extent that I visit it most weeks.

I don't use the term 'hidden gem' often, many because it's such a cliche and rarely true in these…read moredays of vapid overstatement. However, in this case it is literally true. You might never know it exists unless you're a resident of the local patch. I've lived over this side of Birmingham for over ten years and only discovered its existence a few months ago. I found it because I was trying to find Playpod (a soft play area) off the Stratford Road and stumbled upon this park by accident. There's plenty of green space surrounded by trees where you can play football or use the tennis courts if team games aren't you're thing. It's a great place for a picnic too, even though it's surrounded by busy residential streets. The play ground has swings, climbing frames, various slides, those flowers that you can talk into, a roundabout, play car andfunny mirrors. Everything is in pretty good condition too. There's also a skate park and even pitch and putt (though you have to take your own clubs and balls if you want to play.) I don't remember seeing any toilets because for once we didn't need to use them, but I'm sure there must be some nearby. If you want snacks and drinks, the shops on the high street are a few minutes away.

You could be forgiven for not knowing about Martineau Gardens…read more Rather inconspicuous, it sits alongside a busy junction in the Edgbaston area and doesn't warrant much attention from the road. Once through the gates you find yourself in amongst fruit trees and carefully nurtured plants and flowers, on this occasion we didn't venture past the club house but had already witnessed an almost surreal scene of classes being given on the lawn with a tree being the focus of the lesson, needless to say the world of traffic noise and commuter squabble is soon forgotten. The staff were friendly when approached and assisted with our guesswork as to exactly which fruits blossomed within the protective netting of various beds. Martineau Gardens is a welcoming place and offers a great deal for anyone interested in the simple joys of gardening. Events are held regularly and more information can be found at their website: http://www.martineau-gardens.org.uk/visitor-information/plants-produce/

An oasis of calm just set back from busy Edgbaston roads…read more Volunteer gardeners are friendly and always willing to help. Produce and plants are also often for sale (wood chips, seasonal vegetables and fruit and preserves) There are always interesting things growing and it's good for a look around any time of year. They even have a mulberry tree, not many of those in the area. Their events are worth visiting as there's always a lot going on (from Seed swaps to Apple Days)There's also a great play area with large wooden ship for the tiddlywinks to have a play on.

Coombe Country Park in Coventry is a beautiful, historical spot that isn't crowded or touristy…read more There's plenty of parking, and the scenery makes it perfect for romantic rainy-day strolls or sunny picnic dates. The park feels peaceful and well-kept, and it's a lovely place to relax and enjoy nature without the crowds.

My husband and I went for a very enjoyable walk around the Coombe Abbey wildlife grounds with some…read morefriends. She had a pram and found a lot of the trails easily accessible! We were there for almost 2-hours and even sat afterwards at the local cafe near the children's play area and enjoyed a sandwich and tea. It was very busy on a winters Sunday with loads of families, but once we made it towards the back side of the park it was less crowded. We will definitely go again and allow more time to meander around the grounds. The inside of the Coombe Abbey Hotel is just beautiful. Recommend popping inside for a quick look around. I hear the afternoon tea is exquisite in the hotel but i think we should book ahead!

You can get to the farm from main sandwell valley site. You can take the one mile woodland walk…read morethere. This route is not suitable for people who have difficulties walking. Alternativly you can drive around to there which is much quicker. You first see a a small childrens playground and there are a few pinic benches there. Then there is a shop which sells fresh barn eggs and all of your snacks. Also all of your merchandise.Animal food is there to buy to. Then you come into the courtyard and there are goats infront of you and to your left are ponies and chickens. You then move into the farm a bit and there are loads of cows where you can feed an there are chickens that you can feed. Thats about it. Then there is the walkway to the main site There is plenty parking at the park and the farm. Parking is also free. There is no bus link or anything like that, that takes you directly to the park or farm. To get to the park take a bus and get off on the main road and its a short walk from there (sorry I cant be anymore accurate) Its free to get in and drinks and snacks cheap and animal food is 15p. ***** Suitable for toddlers and very young children and it will only pass an hour away if you decide to only visit the farm. A no no if you are looking for a good day out. *IMPORTANT :: This review is about the farm not the main site. This farm may not appeal to older children but if you go to Sandwell valley park. There is more to do.

Sandwell Valley Country Park is made up of lots of different areas and activities. It is also…read moreattached to Dartmouth Park, so it is easy to wander between the two. Where to begin? Well, there are two farms: Sandwell Park Farm and Forge Mill Farm (worthy of reviews in their own right). Then there is the nature reserve and RSPB bird reserve. There's an awesome adventure playground and a Close to the Edge aerial assault course (which looks, frankly, terrifying). I love how there is a little vintage double decker bus that gives rides around the showground area. Last time I was there, a guy was training an owl and doing a bit of an impromptu falconry demonstration. The woodland areas are beautiful and very peaceful to walk around, although I still get spooked out by the stories of the Sandwell Valley witches and ghost monks that I got told when I was a kid!

Conveniently located opposite New Oscott School and just behind Princess Alice Retail Park and…read moreTesco Extra, this family-friendly park is a great place for children, dog-walking and after-work kick-arounds. The park contains a large, flat field, perfect for sporting activities, surrounded by an attractive pebble footpath and man-made trees. Of a late-afternoon, the park swarms with small children who walk over from the local school and of a weekend, whenever weather permits, the park is popular amongst locals for family games of cricket. According to signs positioned at either end of the footpath, the park closes at dusk. But in reality, Princess Alice Park is never properly gated up and of a late evening, regularly turns into a haven for drunken teenagers and trouble. After 6-7pm, Princess Alice is always intimidating and sadly, the once pleasant children's play area has seen much better days, now absolutely plastered in graffiti.

For me this retail park is small and local. It has a Tesco Extra, Pizza Land, Boots, Next, Currys,…read moreMark & Spencer, Thomson holidays, Bannatyne gym, Costa coffee and 1 or 2 other chains. Noticed today a new 99p store too. Accessible via the Chester Road at New Oscott its handy if you need to quickly pop in and out quickly.