Birmingham is often lovingly known as our country’s ‘Second City’, and that’s because compared to any other city besides London, it is absolutely enormous. And while we are proud of its vast industrial spaces, sometimes we all need to take respite from the redbrick buildings and be amongst the greenery of nature instead. Luckily, the city has an unbelievable amount of parks — 591 to be exact. Whilst some offer an oasis in the city centre, others provide us with a full English countryside experience. In this article, we highlight the city’s top five parks to rest, play, and explore.
Lickey Hills Country Park
If you love Birmingham as we do, but just feel like swapping the city for some good old English countryside now and again, then put on your walking shoes and head to the Lickey Hills. Designated as a ‘Country Park’, Lickey Hills offers a true countryside experience within just 10 miles of central Birmingham.
From its woodland to its grassland and along its character-defining rolling hills, this park provides those beautifully rugged touches that make the English countryside feel so…English. And it is laced with wonderful walking trails to amble along deep in thought just as its most famous visitor J.R.R. Tolkein did as a boy. When walking through ihe park, it’s easy to imagine how it inspired him to dream up Middle-earth and become one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation.
And yes, just to clear it up Lickey Hills is, in fact, hilly. Now, if you’re allergic to exercise like me, you might be disregarding this park as you read. BUT before you do, let me tell you that the vistas they offer across our beloved Birmingham would undoubtedly take your breath away — if you had any left.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Ok so it’s not technically a park, but it would be a crime against the Brummie not to put this gorgeous green space on our list. The Birmingham Botanical Garden will capture your heart, ensnare your senses, and instill a deeper love for our natural world by the time you leave.
While the lush palms and the giant bird-of-paradise plant will take you on a tropical journey through The Glasshouse, the geometric topiary shrubs of the Historic Gardens will take you back to the Tudor era. Then expect to travel all the way to Asia as you walk beneath the cherry blossoms of the Japanese Garden and traverse China through the Bamboo Maze before returning to the UK with a visit to the traditionally British Pavillion Tea Room.
With seasonal events for young kids exploring the world we live in, to retired botany enthusiasts and everyone in between, the gardens are not just a place to relax, but also a place to learn and have fun with your loved ones.
Cannon Hill Park
What do you get when you mix vibrant nature with a touch of entertainment and a dash of adventure? Cannon Hill Park. That’s right, this park isn’t just about lush green grass, tall leafy trees, and crisp fresh air. No. It offers so much more.
With open fields for ball games, a tennis court, a bowling green, and a fishing lake, Cannon Hill Park is ideal for sports enthusiasts of all kinds. And that’s just the start. The park also features a mini-golf course, a land train, pedal boats, and a fun park, making it one of the most child-friendly parks in the city.
The park also benefits from being positioned next to two of Birmingham’s top attractions. The first is the Birmingham Wildlife and Conservation Park which conserves and breeds endangered species like red pandas and wallabies, and the second is the Midlands Art Centre (MAC), renowned as one of the top cultural destinations in the county. So, after spending a day playing mini-golf or tennis with friends, you can head to watch the MAC’s latest theatre production.
Sutton Park
Covering a whopping 2,400 acres, Sutton Park is not only the biggest urban park in the UK, but it is also one of the biggest on the entire European continent. This makes it the perfect place to (sometimes quite literally) get lost in nature. The beauty of its size, is that it is quite easy to escape from joggers, picnickers, and children who insist on screaming their way down a slide, and truly be at one with the world.
What’s more, most of it is designated as a National Nature Reserve, meaning its landscape remains wild and rugged. Think dense woodlands with a wealth of tree varieties, hilly meadows, and tranquil lakes. And if you thought it couldn’t get more idyllic than that, well, you’d be wrong. Sutton Park is home to free-roaming herds of cattle, deer and horses, as well as fluffy rabbits and other cute burrowing animals.
However, the park isn’t all about nature. It also features a donkey sanctuary, swan-shaped pedal boats, kayaking experiences, a playground, a cafe, and a delectable lakefront restaurant.
Eastside City Park
The last of our favourite picturesque parks in Birmingham is actually the city’s first green space to be created in the last 130 years. Unlike the country feel of Lickey Hills and Sutton Park, Eastside City Park offers that relaxing park experience whilst maintaining its urban atmosphere. Situated in front of Millenium Point, the park is super central and surrounded by some of the city’s biggest highlights including the Bullring, Thinktank, and the artsy Digbeth neighbourhood.
Eastside City Park features landscaped gardens, jet fountains, trees, a public square, and a canal water feature to honour Birmingham’s heritage as a major canal shipping network. Its structured beauty is beautifully in keeping with the structural surroundings, yet it provides more than enough greenery to satisfy the soul.
As the park is close to many of Birmingham’s university campuses, you will often find it populated with students meeting friends between classes, taking a moment to study outside, or even practising skills like skateboarding and rollerblading.
