Waseley Hills

Enjoy the lofty freedom of one of the first accredited country parks, which is largely open hillside, with some woodland areas, rising to over 280 metres (900 feet).

The contrasting views are spectacular; the M5 curves round the base of the hill to plunge northwards into the Black Country; north east is Birmingham city centre and west lies the rolling farmland of north Worcestershire, stretching across to the River Severn. The Malvern and Cotswold Hills can both be seen in the distance from the summit of Windmill Hill.

Green fields, high hedges and superb views make this a perfect spot for a brisk walk or a gentle stroll. With two waymarked trails around the park you can explore the hills with confidence, discovering more about the wildlife and landscape features around you with the help of the trail leaflets. If you want to stride out on your own there are several paths linking to the wider countryside from Waseley Hills. The North Worcestershire Path passes through here and the Illey Way starts or finishes at Waseley Hills Country Park.

Waseley Hills also has a popular orienteering course, a fun word and map game for all the family. It uses clues to help you find the posts dotted around the park. It’s a great way to explore the park and you can choose the level of difficulty you want. If you do not want to travel so far, the adventure play area is right next to the picnic area and main car park, and includes an aerial runway, scramble nets and stepping stones.

Rainfall on the east of the hills drains to the Trent Valley and North Sea. Rain falling on the west drains via the River Salwarpe into the Bristol Channel, making Waseley a natural watershed. The grass here is very short as it is heavily grazed by rabbits, with the help of a few cattle at certain times of year. Grassland is a very special place for wildlife. Many birds actually nest on the ground here, so do take care in spring and keep dogs under control.

This Green Flag Country Park is home to lots of interesting and valuable wildlife. Gnarled Hawthorns in the ancient hedgerows offer white blossom in May and sparkle with scarlet berries in October. Segebourne Coppice is particularly good for birdsong and Bluebells. Hang around the pools and you are sure to see lots of wildlife. Frogs, dragonflies, birds coming to drink or bathe, and specialist water plants are all there to be admired by the quiet observant visitor.

The Café and Information Centre are housed in an ancient timber framed threshing barn, originally from Lower Smite Farm in Hindlip. It was very dilapidated, but was moved to Waseley Hills and carefully restored. Even much of the original flag stone floor has been restored. The barn is a very early example of its type and is dated 11 May 1695.

Waseley Hills is visited by over 200,000 people each year, testimony to its popularity.

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