Trails, tracks and parks, we’ve got them all
Whether you’ve made a new year resolution to get fit or you simply just want to take more time to enjoy the great outdoors, we can help. Solihull borough is jam-packed with award-winning parks, beautiful historic gardens, fantastic trails for cycling or walking and so much more.
January is the perfect time to get outdoors – embracing the fresh air and enjoying some exercise after all the excesses of Christmas. It’s also a great time to discover new places. Make the new year one of adventure and to get you started, we’ve compiled a list of lots of great places to visit and things to do…
Start things off in one of our Green Flag parks
The borough of Solihull is home to over 1,500 acres of parks and open spaces and most recently received a 17th ‘Green Flag’ for Hope Coppice. This lovely 5-acre park in Shirley was recognised with the award which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
At the heart of Chelmsley Wood, Meriden Park offers residents a great mixed use Green Flag Park and Local Nature Reserve throughout the year. You can spend an entire day at Meriden Park – as well as the expected swings and roundabouts, you can also take advantage of a football pitch, a skate park, tennis courts and a superb, supervised adventure playground. Linking with Babbs Mill Park and Cole Bank Park, part of Kingfisher Country Park, Meriden Park is a fantastic place for a day out.
From parks to Parkridge
Parkridge Visitor Centre in the heart of Brueton Park is a great place to stop and pick up maps of the walking trails and information about the wildlife before heading into the Nature Reserve. The Parkridge Nature Reserve is a tranquil oasis on the edge of Solihull Town Centre. The reserve boasts a whole variety of popular British and migratory birds including nesting blue tits, woodpeckers, long-tailed tits and nuthatches. The historic grounds are home to giant redwoods, iron wood trees, black walnut, handkerchief trees, maples and some fine mature oaks.
Still on the park theme, why not give ParkRun a go?
Start the new year with goals and log your improvement each week. Walk, jog, run, volunteer (or just spectate) at a ParkRun. ParkRun is a free, community event that takes place every Saturday morning across the country (and across the world) at 9am and all courses are 5km. There are two in Solihull Brueton ParkRun and Babbs Mill ParkRun. In addition, Junior ParkRun takes place every Sunday morning and is a 2km course for 4 – 14-year-olds and their families. Malvern Junior ParkRun happens in Solihull every Sunday.
Another activity to encourage movement that’s new to Solihull is Street Tag. Like ParkRun, Street Tag is a free activity. It’s a fun, family-friendly app that enables players to collect points by using their smartphones to scan virtual tags. The tags can be found in various locations across the borough including parks and open spaces, libraries, community and leisure centres and other areas of interest. Gain more points by being more active and then see where you or your team are on a leaderboard.
Go for a long walk
For a fun day out, The Heart of England Way which runs a whopping 100 miles through the green heart of England linking Staffordshire and the Cotswolds and passing through Balsall Common is a good option. While in Balsall Common you could take advantage of the recently-opened walking trail at Frog Lane and keep a look out for brass rubbing and Horace the Hedgehog! Did you know there is also a walk that covers over 21 miles of public footpaths connecting the urban and rural hearts of the borough that is called the Green Man Trail? The Green Man lives deep within Solihull folklore, customs, myths and legends and along the route are many examples of the Green Man just waiting to be discovered!
Map out some time for orienteering
Orienteering is a great activity to do alone or as part of a group with friends and family. Octavian Droobers, the local orienteering club for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull have helped to design two permanent orienteering courses which are located in Babbs Mill and Elmdon Park. Walk or run around the course using a map to navigate the trail, a bit like a treasure hunt. Test yourself across short, medium and long routes on each course and see how quickly you can complete them.
Click the links to download the Elmdon Nature Park and Babbs Mill Nature Reserve map.
If you’re new to orienteering, you can find more information about the sport on the Solihull on the Move and Octavian Droobers webpage.
Visit some gardens – or even a castle
Whether you are a fan of gardening or just prefer to admire other people’ skills, Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens is definitely worth a visit. Open weekly from Wednesday to Sunday 10:30am – 4:30pm, the 10 acres of 18th Century formal gardens and further 30 acres of local nature reserve parkland offer plenty of flora and fauna to marvel at. Be sure to visit their website to check out the full calendar of events.
Both Kenilworth and Warwick Castles are close by and well worth a visit. Channel your inner king or queen as you take in the great dining hall at Warwick or let the kids play ‘soldiers’ in the grounds of Kenilworth!
Enjoy some pedal power
Cycling is a great way to get out and about for both leisure and travel purposes, as well as being great for physical health and mental health and wellbeing. It’s also a great method of socialising with family and friends. The Solihull on the Move cycling webpage includes information on available cycling opportunities, including beginner cycling activities, cycling groups and clubs, volunteering and local cycling routes and maps.
Give ice skating a go!
Not quite ready to head outdoors, but wanting a wintery theme year-round? Why not give ice-skating a go. Planet Ice offer ice skating lessons throughout the year. The classes teach the fundamentals of ice skating and have been designed for beginners of all ages, abilities, and learning styles.
Test your art Knowle-edge
The Knowle Glass Art Trail will be taking place in 2025 with shops, cafes and businesses along the High Street and beyond displaying the beautiful glass artworks from local artists. Take time to browse the displays and see which are your favourites – you might even be inspired to design your own! This event is supported by visit Knowle and funded by Solihull council.
There is so much to see and do in the great outdoors in our borough! Make 2025 the year you discover new places and new activities.
