We’re now closing in on mid-March, which is good news for fans of longer days, blooming flowers and warmer weather.
In a county as beautiful as West Midlands, it would be rude not to make the most of spring.
Here in West Midlands we really are blessed when it comes to the great outdoors, with sprawling forests, historic parklands and vast lakes.
5. Moseley Old Hall
Moseley Old Hall is an Elizabethan farmhouse with many secrets. The priest hole and the chapel attic tell the story of King Charles II’s escape. It has an orchard, tea room, garden and a lot more. (Photo - wikimedia Commons/Mike Peel) | wikimedia Commons/Mike Peel
6. Baddesley Clinton House, Solihull
This is a secluded estate set in the heart of the Forest of Arden with 500 years of fascinating and unexpected stories. It’s a moated manor house with late medieval, Tudor and 20th-century histories. (Photo - Wikimedia Commons/DeFacto) | Wikimedia Commons/DeFacto
7. Packwood House, Solihull
Packwood House is a 16th-century Tudor house that was restored at the beginning of the 20th century by Graham Baron Ash, son of a wealthy industrialist. It has a garden, cafe, and a lot more. It’s great for spending a day out. (Photo - Wikimedia Commons/Tony Hisgett) | Wikimedia Commons/Tony Hisgett
8. Rosedene, Worcester
Rosedene is a restored, 1840s cottage with an organic garden and orchard, illustrating the mid-19th-century Chartist movement. The orchard and kitchen garden have been restored to reflect the self-sufficient ways of the first Chartist settlers who lived in the cottage. (Photo - Paul Shreeve / ‘Rosedene’ Chartists Cottage, Dodford / CC BY-SA 2.0) | Paul Shreeve / 'Rosedene' Chartists Cottage, Dodford / CC BY-SA 2.0