5km walk: Sutton Park

This easy 5km circuit explores the wooded heart of Sutton Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe and a National Nature Reserve on the edge of Sutton Coldfield. Starting and finishing in the town, the route loops through a mix of ancient woodland, heath and open parkland with gentle undulations and around 129m of ascent spread across the walk.

From Sutton Coldfield you head into the park via Holly Hurst, an area of established broadleaf woodland, before passing Crown Plantation and reaching the Jamboree Stone, a well-known landmark commemorating the international Scout Jamboree once held here. The path continues by Keepers Well and returns via a welcome stop at Costa for a coffee near the finish.

Along the way there are opportunities to detour to Wyndley Pool and Wyndley Wood, follow Plants Brook, or wander into Lower Nut Hurst. Look out too for The Great War 1914-1919 memorial near the park. At around an hour and a quarter, it is a relaxed introduction to a surprisingly wild green space on the doorstep of Birmingham.