Parks in Birmingham

There's been nice enough weather most weekends recently to visit a number of parks and nature reserves within Birmingham. I like the wooded ones better than ones with just a large pond, but many of these locations are big enough to have a variety of landscapes and paths to walk. I've visited Sutton Park a few times since it's the closest large park to where I live. Still, it does take a frustratingly long time to get there by bus, and I'm looking forward to cycling there on a path that goes past Witton Lakes. RSPB Sandwell Valley in West Bromwich has a bird viewing station at the lake and a nice picnic spot in the orchard. At Edgbaston Reservoir you can walk a circular route around the water. There is a canal path right in Birmingham city centre. Cannon Hill Park reminds me of Hyde Park and Regents Park in London because of its broad paths, big trees, and ponds. Highbury Park in Kings Heath has the historic Highbury House. Moseley Bog near Kings Heath is the inspiration for Tolkien's Mirkwood and is pleasantly wooded. In Moseley Park, you can hear bells from nearby St Mary's Church. Next on the list: Woodgate Valley Country Park in Quinton and Kingfisher Country Park in Shard End. Outside of Birmingham, I'm planning to visit Formby near Liverpool in May, and sometime in the future Cannock Chase, the Malvern Hills, Shropshire Hills, and Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

At Sutton Park

Blue skies at Sutton Park

The first tree in the greenwood was the holly

Spring green at Sutton Park

Sutton Park

RSPB Sandwell Valley (image from Google by Rolandas So)

RSPB Sandwell Valley (image from Google by Ibrahim Ravat)

Edgbaston Reservoir (image from Google by Ika Mustikawati)

Birmingham Canal, City Centre

City Centre Path (image from Google by Paul Toms)

City Centre Path (image from Google by Paul Toms)

A small part of Cannon Hill Park

Highbury House in Highbury Park (image from Google by Mike Higlett)

Fish Pond at Highbury Park (image from Google by Stewart Taylor)

Moseley Bog

Moseley Bog

Moseley Park and Pool (image from Google by Ainsley Wainwright)

And finally, the Burne-Jones window at St Martin's Church in Birmingham. Thanks for reading!

Window by Edward Burne-Jones