We visited Birmingham’s most popular park & found the prettiest lake in the middle of the city

Going on a walk in an open green space instantly puts me at ease as the worries of the day just fall away. If you are an able-bodied person like me, it is also probably one of the cheapest and easiest ways to clear your mind and get some exercise. 

I am no adrenaline junkie - who would opt for climbing tall hills or swimming in open waters - instead, I look for the simple ways to get my 10,000 steps in. It also helps when that can be joined with exploring a part of the city. 

With winter firmly here, it might feel like a punishment to step out of our comfy homes but nothing beats a walk in the park. So, I recently visited Cannon Hill Park in Moseley, Birmingham- one of my favourite parks in the city - for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the crispy air and winter foliage. 

After layering up in gloves, a hat, scarf and warm jumpers and boots - I headed out for the park with my husband in tow. 

The bus we took - the National Express West Midlands bus no. 1 - dropped us in front of the historic Edgbaston Stadium. We just had to cross the road to enter the Green Flag status park. 

When you enter the park, it’s easy to see why green spaces are important. Families were taking leisurely walks, children were playing, and birds were chirping and you would never know that there was a heavily built up area and ceaseless traffic right outside. 

The park’s prime location makes it a favourite spot for residents across Edgbaston, Moseley, Harborne and nearby areas. There’s also loads to do here. Fancy some tennis? Mini-golf? A model train ride for kids? Or, if you want to immerse yourself in culture or pick up a new skill - the Midlands Arts Centre is right there.  

The tennis court is free to book, but it is popular and slots go fast, the mini-golf is sadly closed for 2023 but will be back for the February half-term, but Midlands Arts Centre is open all year round for children and adults to enjoy. It also has a cafe to enjoy a hot drink after a winter walk in the park.  

There’s also a beautiful lake where you can go boating in a Swan Pedal Boat but this too will return in spring but until then a walk around it seemed enough to have a soothing effect. There are several winter birds that are still floating around in the waters and give a glimpse into the natural world. 

The park - which in the summer hosts some major music festivals - has several picnic tables to take a seat in for a break. 

On one of the paths, I came across the Golden Lion pub - which was rebuilt brick-by-brick and moved from its original location in Digbeth. The pub was recently granted £32,000 to establish the extent of the decay of the building. And, in the future maybe it could become a site for community engagement. 

If you walk a little further, you can visit the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park at the edge of the park. They have several unique animals of different species to learn more about and are doing essential conservation work. The Wildlife conservation park is open from 10am to 4pm and is a beautiful place to visit in the winters. 

The park is a massive 80 acres of formal parkland and 120 acres of conservation and woodland plantation, and after several visits I still haven’t seen all of it. For those who live nearby and those who come from a distance - it’s a welcome paradise with changing colours, friendly faces and perhaps, a dive into culture. It is open from 7.30am to 8.15pm everyday.