One of Birmingham's lesser known parks, and all the better for it, if you ask me! We really are…read moreblessed / spoiled over in the south of the city when it comes to parks - there seems to be one every few hundred yards - from large, countryside-equse open spaces like Warley Woods and the Lickeys, to ornate urban parks like Cannon Hill Park. This place is a little of both - the large open space that dominates it provides a lovely respite from the bustle of Harborne, and the gardens that border it are well kept and a legacy of the park's Victorian roots. A great little park - much recommended!

Queens Park is one of Birmingham's best parks in my opinion, its very secluded and not very known…read moreabout and all the better for it! We don't have many great outdoor spaces in Harborne so its a great place for young children, teenagers and adults too. Its has a great open large space, people come here to play football, tennis (has 2 tennis courts), basketball (has a basketball court). Has a playground area for young children. Very popular with dog walkers, joggers and cyclists. Ive been here day and night and never had any trouble, the gardens are well kept and very pretty in every season. There is 2 car parks available on site which is free, space available for disabled vehicles too. A great little park!

Since getting a dog we are always looking for dog friendly places and Himley Halls grounds are…read moreperfect! They have parking (£1.80 all day), Golf course & hire, cafe, toilets and even water bowls for the thirsty doggies. Beautiful walks and even got a stream you can trek along. The food in the cafe is basic but good. My only criticism was the toilets where closed so we had quite a walk to get to the other toilets located by the hall. My mom has trouble getting around and nearly had to go in the bushes lol. Thankfully we got there in time! Overall great place for anyone who likes a good trek and ideal for dog owners.

Located in the old grounds of Himley Hall which was the home of the Earl of Dudley . Theres…read moreopenland , woods , fishing lake and a public golf course . They have many big events here such as the usual bonfire night but also music events , wedding fairs etc .

Large area of woodland and heathland just to the south of wombourne . Excellant for walking the…read moremutts .

As you approach Spitfire Island, Birmingham's proud industrial heritage sprouts from the ground in…read morethis imposing structure, marking the place where spitfires were once mass-produced in World War II. This structure is pure Birmingham. Made from welded steel this is the city at its rawest, transforming one of its most famous products into a striking work of art. Three metallic spitfires cross each other in formation, pointing off to the forgotten airfields of a once war torn England. Unpainted, and therefore stripped of their trademark camouflage, the planes become so much more than a nostalgic icon lazily represented on canvass. In naked form the flying machines force the viewer to look behind the iconic veneer, pondering the toil and engineering prowess that went into one of Britain's greatest mechanical achievements. Look and remember the nuts and bolts of it, and how the people of Birmingham helped change the course of history.

On the way to Castle Vale and the Fort, you can't miss this metal structure. It stands tall above…read morethe landscape near the Jaguar Factory, and was designed by Tim Tolkien, who is J.R.R. Tolkien's great-nephew. (So talent really does run in the family!) The Sentinel is more commonly known as Spitfire Island and has three fighter planes with vapour trails leading out of them. The creation has become a landmark to this area of Birmingham, and was built in 1997 as part of a Castle Vale regeneration programme. I really like the design, however, I do think the aluminium material that it has been crafted out of is a little dull and dark. But I guess it does reflect the remaining industrial surroundings of Birmingham's past. Although, it'd be nice to view something a little more aesthetically brighter to improve the mood of pedestrians, who are already dampened by Birmingham's grey skies, let alone a grey structure. Most of the world war Supermarine Spitfires were built in a factory nearby, so all in all, this sculpture pays a great homage to the importance of Birmingham during this time.

With a pretty lake at it's centre, sloping grass verges and wildlife, it's easy to see why the…read moreparents of a prospective student would want their child to live here whilst studying. With many facilities on site such as a bar, restaurant and shop, there's not many reasons for students to leave, apart from to go to lectures of course. The village even has it's own one day music festival each year, the much loved Vale Fest. However, living in such attractive surroundings does not come cheaply, and in such destitute times, the Vale is going to be outside many students' budgets. The onsite Costcutter is also seen by many as being overpriced, which is particularly a problem when the local shops are quite a distance away. In conclusion, though the Vale is not without it's flaws, this is a nice place to live when doing your degree. As long as you can afford it...........

Having been to several other universities (both on open days and to visit friends) and sampled…read morenumerous different examples of university accommodation, I can with some degree of certainty see that the Vale is the nicest setting for student flats in the country. The main blocks of accommodation are all adjacent to, or indeed, actually part of, the Vale, an expansive stretch of park in the middle of the leafy area of Edgbaston (although even here it stands out as an exceptionally beautiful setting). Various trails wind in and out of various wooded areas, and the whole effect is set off by a huge lake, home of many birds, and, if you're lucky, you may get to see swans nesting and eventually having signets at the start of third term. It's a wonderful location, and really shows students apprehensive about Birmingham, possibly due to its reputation in parts as being something of a concrete jungle, that there's most definitely another side to it. The one downside to living on the Vale is that it when it's sunny, it's very hard to resist the temptation to stop working and go outside!

I discovered this just today by accident, by taking a wrong turning. What a nice surprise! I've…read morealways thought that Birmingham is well stocked with good public parks, and it seems that there are even more that I had no idea about. Cotteridge Park is really quiet for an urban park. Considering the fact that it's close to the Pershore Road, there is little by way of traffic noise. It's a great park: really spacious, with tree-lined paths, a car park, a kids' play area, some big open spaces, a skate ramp and some tennis and a basketball court! Who knew?! The only noise that I could hear (other than kids on their way home from school) was the bells from the carillon in Bournville. How very quaint and pleasant :) A train did rattle by while I was there, but other than that it was relative peace and quiet. 'Relative' due to the fact that it was home time from school so there were plenty of kids running around. Which is good. That is what parks are for. I've decided that I now want to live on Franklin Road (the road that backs onto the park)...

Cotteridge Park is a spacious with wide vast amounts of field which is great to walk dogs and hang…read morearound with large groups of friends on a hot sunny day. They also provide a miniature skating area and an abundant play area that consists of many arenas such as a climbing frame, rock climbing facilities, conventional playground swings and much much more! They have also assembled park like pieces of art such as their wick hut that satisfies both children and people of my age! It is definitely a place to be hanging out in the summer and is easy to gain access to as its location is situated between both train stations, Kings Norton and Bournville. Even for a nice little stroll, the area is very tranquil and peaceful.

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.

A lot of historic buildings are owned and run by either local councils, or other large bodies like…read moreEnglish Heritage. This one is neither, and as such provides a quirky and welcome anomaly in the landscape of heritage venues. Very unassuming, nestled between housing in a residential area - you might pass it and remark on how pretty a building it is, but really the beauty is inside. The building has higgledypiggledy narrow corridors and stairs with obligatory beamed ceilings and creaking floorboards. If any house was likely to open a doorway to Narnia, this would be it. Because it isn't supported by any larger organisation, accessing this beauty requires some planning in advance. I was lucky enough to attend a meeting by the Historical Society here (where they also served tea and biscuits and speakers retold their memories of the past - fascinating!) and was able to explore the building at the same time. Definitely worth a trip!

Handsworth Historical Society are an amazing bunch of people that helped to save the Old Town Hall…read more One half of this building is rented out to an artist whilst the other side is home to the Historical Society, a tea room and an upstairs full of old documents and postcards that pertain to the history of Handsworth. The Old Town Hall is a fin example of a 15th Centure Cuck built house and whilst I can't remember what that means, if you visit they will tell you. This building is a little gem that's lucky to be preserved and the knowledge about the local area is astounding, as soon as you get them talking you are lost in the history of the area. They even have a few books and bits and bobs to sell as well. As a member of the society they host regular outings and talks with guest speakers. As a visitor to the Old Town Hall you should attend one of their coffee mornings or free events they run over the summer. It's a quaint, fun trip out that is pleasantly surprising and it;'s great to support such a group to continue fighting for and preserving local history.