10 Best Parks in Birmingham
Explore Hiking and Cycling Trails, Wetlands and Vast Green Space
Birmingham is surrounded by some of the most beautiful, fun and serene parklands in all of the UK, with hiking, play, cafes and adventure. Here you can watch birds, catch a glimpse of wild ponies grazing on green grass, grab a cup of coffee at a lakeside cafe or let the kids run and play in splash pads during summer. You can play a round of miniature golf, go hiking among shaded woodlands or get out on the lake in a kayak to just relax surrounded by calm waters. Whether you’re looking for a play park for the kids or a serene escape from the hustle and bustle, you’ll find it at the 10 best parks in Birmingham.
1. Sutton Park
Visit one of the largest urban parks in Europe
Good for: Couples, Families, Adventure
Sutton Park is among the largest urban parks on the continent and encompasses 970 hectares of Natural Nature Reserve green space with water activities, hiking, biking and adventure. Just 30 minutes from the town center, you can explore a wealth of terrain types, from lakes, wetlands and marshes to woodlands and open heathland. Each area has its own variety of wildlife, some of which are unique to the region. Animal lovers will thrill to the sight of wild ponies grazing on the rich green grass, birdwatching and relaxing by the lakeshore. You’ll find plenty of trails for hikers of just about any skill level, or you can just relax and have a picnic with your loved ones. Read more
Location: Park Rd, Sutton Coldfield B74 2YT, UK
Phone: +44 (0)1213 556370
Sutton Park
2. Moseley Bog
Walk an authentic wetland that’s connected to Tolkien
Good for: Couples, Families, Adventure
Moseley Bog is part of the much larger Shire Country Park and is situated on the site of an old millpond, offering both wetland and woodland neighborhoods to explore. Just 15 minutes from the town center, you can walk through patches of fen vegetation and enjoy the unique geography of this authentic bog that was particularly beloved by author J.R.R. Tolkien, who used to visit here regularly. The bog is rich in community, history and wildlife and is a great place to come to see local fauna and do some birdwatching. Along the eastern boundary, you can take a walk through Joy’s Wood, which has grown wild in the old garden area that still offers brilliantly colored wildflowers. Read more
Location: Yardley Wood Rd, Moseley, Birmingham B13 9JX, UK
Open: 24/7
Phone: +44 (0)1215 230094
Moseley Bog
3. Lickey Hills
Visit one of the highest elevations in the Birmingham region
Good for: Couples, Families, Adventure
Lickey Hills, or Lickey Hills County Park, offers over 200 hectares of green space with brilliant views of the surrounding meadows and country. It’s just 30 minutes from the city centre and is the home of Beacon Hill, which rises to a height of nearly 300 meters. It’s a superb place to spend a day getting lost in rolling green fields, woodlands and relaxation and play. The park is fully modernized with a visitors center that provides information on all the activities here as well as mini-golf, a play area for the kids and even sculpture trails. The walking paths are lined with more than 380 species of flowers, making for great photo-ops. Read more
Location: Warren Ln, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8ER, UK
Open: Daily from 7.30 am to 4.45 pm
Phone: +44 (0)1214 456036
Lickey Hills
4. Walsall Arboretum
Go hiking or kayaking, then relax at a lakeside cafe
Good for: Couples, Families, Adventure
Walsall Arboretum is a historic public park that offers formal, tended gardens, a play area for the children and an outdoor fitness trail for hiking and biking. Here you can find all the outdoor adventure you’d like from birdwatching and viewing brightly colored flowers to just getting your steps in for the day just 20 minutes from the Birmingham town center. A lake offers opportunities for boating, while the cafe on the shore lets you grab a drink and light food. On-site tennis courts are available for a pickup match, while the kids can run and play on hectares of green space to their heart’s content. Read more
Location: Broadway N, Walsall WS1 2QB, UK
Open: 24/7
Phone: +44 (0)1922 650465
Walsall Arboretum
5. Aston Park
Enjoy rolling fields dominated by a magnificent Jacobean mansion
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget
Aston Park is a historic Green Flag Park between Villa Park and the Aston Expressway with a mature landscape that’s dominated by the majestic Jacobean Aston Hall. The park was originally a deer park and encompasses over 360 hectares of tended and reclaimed green space with gardens that are on the Historic Parks Register. The Grade I Jacobean mansion that dominates the park dates to the 17th century and adds a powerful sense of regal elegance to the surrounding grounds. It’s just a hop and skip from the city centre that once launched the iconic rock band Black Sabbath. Here you can walk the grounds, enjoy lite fare at the cafe and grab a souvenir at the onsite shop.
Location: Trinity Rd, Aston, Birmingham B6 6JD, UK
Open: 24/7
Phone: +44 (0)1216 754746
Aston Park
6. Billesley Common
Do some birdwatching or relax within the Brum district
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget
Billesley Common consists of hectares of green space and natural beauty just a few minutes from several other parks and recreation grounds with exhilarating surroundings. The park offers rolling fields of tall grass, shaded groves of tall trees and plenty of peace and quiet all nestled within the Brum district of Birmingham. This is an ideal place to go birdwatching or hiking, have a picnic with your beloved or let the kids run and play the day away. It’s one of the more popular nature refuge spots for the 26,000 residents of the area. Parking spaces are available along Yardley Wood Road, Haunch Lane and Chessetts Grove.
Location: Birmingham B13 0RD, UK
Open: 24/7
Billesley Common
7. Cannon Hill Park
Explore the home of the Midlands Arts Center
Good for: Families, Budget
Cannon Hill Park is one of the premier parks in Birmingham and houses the Midlands Arts Center, tons of open green space, lakes, sports pitches and a children’s play area. The park is located in the heart of Birmingham’s Edgbaston district and is famed for its model of the Elan Valley Reservoirs and its brilliantly colored flower beds. The park offers walking trails for those looking to get away from the city’s bustle for a while, and the kids will love to run, climb and play on the permanent playground. A golf putting course and 2 tennis courts draw fitness enthusiasts, while the 2 lakes offer serenity and the chance to get out on boats and just relax. Read more
Location: Russell Rd, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8RD, UK
Open: Daily from 7.30 am to 9 pm
Phone: +44 (0)1213 031111
Cannon Hill Park
8. Castle Vale Center Park
Have an adventure on a former RAF airfield from World War II
Good for: Couples, Families, History, Budget, Adventure
Castle Vale Center Park is a Green Flag Park that offers several hectares of rolling meadows on a historic location that once served as an RAF airfield. Locally built Spitfires launched from here during the World War II German Blitz. Today the park offers formal gardens with patches of ornamental grass and colorful flora with seating neighborhoods. Multi-use sports pitches can be used for soccer, basketball and other games. The park pays homage to its history with memorials and is bordered by 4 streets: Cosford Crescent, Kemble Drive, Tangmere Drive and Yatesbury Avenue. Convenient parking is available, making this a serene escape in the middle of the busy city.
Location: Farnborough Rd, Castle Vale, Birmingham B35 7NS, UK
Phone: +44 (0)1214 644499
Castle Vale Center Park
9. Cotteridge Park
Run and play in the ‘best little park in Birmingham’
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Cotteridge Park is a Green Flag Park that dubs itself the ‘best little park in Birmingham’, offering paved walking paths shaded by trees and rolling green fields. The park barely survived falling to urban decay due to budget cuts, but the Friends of Cotteridge Group revitalized the park, resulting in its Green Flag status. The park has lots of hidden wonders to discover including a babbling brook, glacial boulders that made their way here from North Wales and a BMX track that leads to a natural orchard. The park is well tended and well maintained and is a popular place for visitors and locals alike.
Location: 44 Franklin Rd, Cotteridge, Birmingham B30 2HG, UK
Open: 24/7
Cotteridge Park
10. Eastside City Park
Enjoy nearly 3 hectares of fields for picnics and play
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget
Eastside City Park in the heart of Birmingham covers 2.7 hectares of Green Flag fields that offer a green space escape right in the middle of the city. It’s situated next to Millennium Point and opened in 2012, the first major park to be built in the city in 130 years. It’s a popular space for people to relax, picnic, run and play. It offers plenty of space to lay out blankets and enjoy a meal or just lie in the grass. A toddlers’ play area lets the little ones spend the day laughing, running and climbing. Loos are available in Millennium Point, and parking can be found at nearby carparks or along the street.
Location: Curzon St, Birmingham B4 7AP, UK
Open: 24/7
Phone: +44 (0)1214 648728
Eastside City Park
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