10 Best Parks in Birmingham

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 centre, 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.

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 areas to explore. Just 15 minutes from the town centre, 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 coloured wildflowers.

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 metres. 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 centre 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.

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 coloured flowers to just getting your steps in for the day just 20 minutes from the Birmingham town centre. 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.

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 on-site shop.

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.

Cannon Hill Park is one of the premier parks in Birmingham and houses the Midlands Arts Centre, 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 coloured 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.

Castle Vale Centre 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 colourful flora with seating areas. Multi-use sports pitches can be used for football, 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.

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.

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 car parks or along the street.