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!

How can this not be 5*?! Beautiful rolling countryside, amazing views, woods and generally stunning…read morescenery. I actually don't have much more to say for a change!! If you are looking for a place for a hike, romantic walk, dog walking spot or just generally a spot to get out of the city without going too far then check this place ut. I have been coming here since I was a kid and think ill be coming back for some years! Lovely.

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!

Hinksey is the park I tend to forget about and every time we go to the outdoor pool I think - why…read moredon't we come here more often? The answer is that we live on the other side of the city and Oxford has so many lovely green spaces. On the other hand Hinksey is just outside the centre of Oxford and has things the other parks don't have. There is a small children's play area, a lake on which there used to be pedalos for hire, a lake on which you sometimes see people sailing their radio controlled boats, tennis courts, fishing and the outdoor swimming pool. The paddling pool has been replaced by a free fountain / water feature play area. I've not been to this one at the right time of year but the one in Abingdon is great fun. Remember the fun of running under the hose in the garden? Fountain play areas recreate that experience. I've just looked at the city council website to check out the details for this park and I found out that it is a "Green Flag" winner. I've heard of different coloured flags being awarded to beaches but I didn't know there were flags for parks - I can feel myself just about to waste half an hour looking up other "green flag" parks to see if my other favorite places have won anything. (And I've found out from the website there are fresh water sponges and zebra mussels in the park - who'd have thought it!)

This is as good a park as any, and it's a lovely haven of green and fun. If you live in central…read moreOxford, there are plenty of nearer parks, but if you're young at heart or have kids, and if it's a warm day, this is definitely the place to be. Why? Water! There's a 'Splash' water feature, open from 10am-8pm May to September, but sometimes earlier in the year if it's warm enough. The outdoor swimming pool is brilliant: it's heated, free for under-17s and surrounded by sun-loungers. It's like being on holiday: sun, water and ice-cream, yet only a short drive from home. There's also tennis, fishing and a lake with a myriad of interesting birds (still waiting to catch a glimpse of a kingfisher!) and underwater life. A word of warning: if, like me, you enjoy evening walks with friends or a four-legged companion, watch out because although the park's always open (unlike the University Parks for example), there's no way to get a car in after a certain time. This changes throughout the year, the earliest being aroudn 5pm in winter, I think. Definitely worth checking, but not a disaster if it's shut, as there's plenty of parking nearby.

The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

My wife and I have attended mnay performances of Shakespear's work, both in actual theathers and…read moreoutdoors "in the park". So, when we got a chance to visit his birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, we jumped at the chance. Our tour guide was excellent and shared many details of what it was like living in this house in William's time (e.g. the boys shared one room and the girls were in another - and the boy's room was more comfortable because - in those days - the boys were more valuable. It was fascinating walking through the house where Shakespear actually lived and grew up. The day we were there, there were actors in the courtyard performing snippets of Shakespear's plays and writings. The one actor asked members of the audience to call out their favorite and he would then perform something from that particular play. Fascinating visit and tour.

Okay, it's a house, but then again back in Shakespeare's days, they really didn't have hospitals in…read morethe way that we have hospitals. Mind you, wandering through this house makes you realise how wealthy Shakespeare's family actually was. It's a pretty big house, and quite interesting to explore as well. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

Visited here today, 18 Feb, because I wanted to see something 'typically British' and this was one…read moreof the few 'stately homes' open in winter. They opened the gates at 10:30 am, but the main house doesn't open til 11:30. If you want to do something similar make sure to check hours on the websites! We enjoyed walking around the gardens for roughly an hour before going inside the house. Despite it being winter, the grounds were really green and the light was wonderful. There is a kind of 'ring path' around the periphery - perfect for a long walk - but bring your wellies! It was too muddy for us to walk into the lower areas near the river. There were tons of deer all over - very nice to see bucks and doe all mixed together - and not spooked by people. On the grounds you can get snacks at The Orangery - but be prepared to wait - we tried to get in twice and both times the line was out the door and every table was taken. But inside is lovely with lots of artwork showing the home and grounds throughout the seasons represented in different mediums (block prints, photos, watercolors). And there is also outdoor seating, which would be really nice in warmer weather. There's also the Tea Garden with beverages and snacks on the other side of the house, but it's all outside. The home itself is really grand. The front hall, dining and living areas, library, pool room and ladies chambers, all on the first floor, give insight into how people used to live - and it's quite something. Only a small portion of the second floor is open to the public via staircases and the place does not appear to be accessible by people with special needs. Overall a very enjoyable experience! And a place to return to season after season to see the gardens, flowers in bloom and exhibits. And don't miss the kitchen and shops!

Really pleasant place to visit, great grounds, see full review…read more http://www.kevinsimon.co.uk/?p=513

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.

This is a picture perfect park. On the early Autumn afternoon when we go, Summer is having another…read morecrack at it. Parents are sat out side the thatched roofed cafe with pots of teas, while children gleefully hop over the stream absently-mindedly letting ice cream cones drip their contents over their bare arms. We just about make the curfew for the Golden Putter crazy golf, which is the purpose of this post-shopping visit. There are a full state-of-the-art 18 holes to play, each one getting progressively harder. My memory of crazy golf is of playing on cracked concrete surfaces, but here your ball will glide over all-weather baize, that gives a realistic green putting experience. There are obstacles, slopes, a version of bunkers to tackle and walls to bounce your ball off, and the experience is kind of like a cross between putting and pool. It's very, very, fun, and at around £3.50 a person you'll get a full hour of casual competitiveness for the price of a pint. If you want a more rough and ready retro crazy golf experience there is an older more ramshackle course as you enter the park, (clubs hired from the cafe.) Ace.

A large open park near the middle of Warwick. Has a good car park (pay the ticket or you'll get a…read morefine) suitable for visiting the park, Warwick Castle and the town itself. Facilities include a sport centre/swimming pool, astroturf pitch and tennis courts. Bike ramps and an off road bike track, play rea with modern swings and things, paddling pool, paid for rides, boat hire on the River avon, mini golf and bowls (probably more but that's not bad going). Cafe and toilets as well.

If you have a few moments to spare and need a breath of fresh air why not go for a walk around…read moreBarnwood arboritum. Originally part of the landscaped grounds of the old Barnwood House Hospital (famous Gloucestershire poet Ivor Gurney was once a resident) there is a stream running through the park with ducks so dog owners please keep your dogs on a lead. Barnwood Arboretum buzzes with wildlife and the Friends of Barnwood Arboretumare busily creating habitats to encourage even more into their little wilderness. Birds visiting the space include sparrowhawks, jays, buzzards, various woodpeckers, goldcrests and kingfishers During the autumn and winter months the area is grazed by rare breed sheep to to mow the grass. For the more energectic the park is also home to a gym located in the church.