Hammerwich Square

Wryley & Essington Canal Local Nature Reserve

Wallington Heath · 5.6 miles

The waterway that runs through the countryside near Wallington Heath carries the dual identity of a historic canal and a protected green space. Known locally as “the Curly Wyrley”, the stretch of the Wyrley and Essington Canal was formally designated a Local Nature Reserve on 7 May 2008 and is managed by South Staffordshire Council. Its status as a reserve adds a wildlife-focused dimension to a route originally cut to move coal, limestone and other mineral products across the English Midlands. Construction of the canal began after the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act received royal assent on 30 April 1792, authorising a link from the Birmingham Canal near Wolverhampton to Wyrley Bank. The appointed engineer was William Pitt, and the level section to Sneyd Junction opened in November 1794. Subsequent legislation in 1794 extended the line past Lichfield to Huddlesford Junction and added branches to the Hay Head Limeworks and various coal pits. While the original main line reached Ogley Junction near Brownhills, parts of the network are now derelict and the navigable section terminates at that point. The canal’s historic role in supplying cheap coal to Lichfield and supporting local collieries and ironworks remains evident in the landscape that now supports the nature reserve. Visitors can locate the reserve using Wallington Heath as a reference point; the council’s stewardship began with the 2008 designation. No admission charge or visitor facilities are recorded in the supplied material, so access is governed by the general rights of way that apply to the canal corridor.

Sutton Park National Nature Reserve

Little Aston · 6.8 miles

Spanning more than 2,200 acres of heath, wetland and ancient woodland, Sutton Park National Nature Reserve lies on the edge of Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, close to the Little Aston area of the West Midlands. Managed by Birmingham City Council since its designation as a nature reserve in 1997, the site offers unrestricted public entry and permits dogs throughout the grounds. Visitors can wander among seven lakes, explore a network of trails suitable for dog walking, pony trekking, mountain biking and kite-flying, or try the designated zones for model aeroplanes and helicopters. A visitor centre, several cafés, a municipal golf course to the south and a private 18-hole course on the western fringe complement the playgrounds, while a former donkey sanctuary now stands closed. Parking arrangements are currently under review, but no admission fee is required. The landscape bears evidence of continuous human use from the Iron Age onward, including burnt mounds, a prehistoric well and a preserved stretch of the Roman Icknield Street, still walkable near the Royal Oak Gate. Royal connections date back to the ninth-century Mercian forest, later becoming a Norman deer park and, in 1528, a royal grant to Sutton Coldfield by Henry VIII. Features such as Wyndley Pool, possibly of twelfth-century origin, and other historic pools created for watermills illustrate the park’s long-standing water management. A railway line cut through the area in 1879, with a now-defunct station closed in 1964, and the site has hosted wartime camps, the 1957 World Scout Jamboree and a 1992 BBC Radio 1 roadshow. Regular events include a free 5 km parkrun each Saturday at 09:00 from Boldmere Gate, alongside numerous organised runs throughout the year.

Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery

Wednesbury · 9.3 miles

The purpose-built Victorian gallery in Wednesbury, West Midlands, stands as a listed historic building that houses a range of local collections. Erected in 1891 to display the artworks donated by Mary Ann Richards in memory of her husband Edwin, the structure was designed by the West Bromwich firm Wood and Kendrick and features four façade panels depicting Sir Christopher Wren, Sir Joshua Reynolds, John Flaxman and Sir Isaac Newton, alongside busts of former mayors Alderman Williams and Alderman Lloyd. After serving as council offices following the Second World War, the premises returned to museum use in 1972 following modernisation and renovation. Inside, the permanent displays include the Ruskin Pottery collection, noted for its varied glazes such as Bleu Soufflé, lustre and crystalline finishes, and the Richards Gallery, which presents fifty-four landscape paintings from the Richards bequest, many of which survived wartime storage in Kinver caves. Additional galleries hold a selection of Victorian-era toys and games for Key Stage 1 activities, works by local artist Joseph Gibbs—including a probable post-humous portrait of Mary Ann Richards—and the Crimean War medals of former mayor Alderman John Ashley Kilvert, recently restored to the museum after a complex provenance. Temporary exhibitions rotate roughly every six months; notable past shows have featured the inaugural public presentation of the Stuckism movement, a video art programme with Bill Viola, and portrait loans from Ingestre Hall. The museum is identified on OpenStreetMap as a history-type museum in Wednesbury and is recorded on the Historic England register.

Forge Mill Lake Local Nature Reserve Black Country Geosite

Newton · 9.3 miles

A 63-hectare lakeside reserve in Sandwell Valley provides a mixture of water, meadow and woodland habitats close to West Bromwich in the West Midlands. The lake, also known as Sandwell Valley Storage Lake, lies alongside the River Tame and was completed in 1981 as part of flood-alleviation works. Managed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, the site was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1991 and forms part of the wider Sandwell Valley Country Park. One of the two islands in the lake falls under the care of the RSPB, linking the reserve to the adjacent Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve. A footpath encircles the water, while additional pathways, a cycleway and a bridleway connect surrounding wildflower meadows and planted woodlands. The visitor centre at Forge Mill Farm supplies information for walkers and birdwatchers. During winter the lake attracts wigeon, snipe, water rail and other less common wildfowl; in spring and autumn migrating birds may be observed passing through the area. As of 2020 the lake is undergoing remodelling under the Perry Barr and Witton flood-risk management scheme, which is increasing its storage capacity. The reserve is operated by Sandwell MBC, with the nearest town listed as Newton, and can be accessed on foot or by bicycle via the network of paths that link the site to the surrounding parkland.

Forge Mill Lake

Newton · 9.3 miles

A 63-hectare wetland reserve on the edge of West Bromwich provides a mix of open water, wildflower meadows and planted woodland, all linked by a network of footpaths, a cycleway and a bridleway. The lake, also known as Sandwell Valley Storage Lake, lies alongside the River Tame and was completed in 1981 as part of flood-alleviation works; its original capacity was 498,000 m³. Managed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, the site was designated a local nature reserve in 1991, and a portion—including one of the two islands—is overseen by the RSPB as part of the adjacent Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve. A visitor centre at Forge Mill Farm offers information for those exploring the area. Wildfowl are a regular feature, with winter sightings that can include wigeon, snipe and water rail, while spring and autumn migrations bring a variety of rarer birds through the lake. The reservoir continues to be altered; as of 2020 work was under way to remodel the lake and increase its capacity within the Perry Barr and Witton flood risk management scheme. Access is straightforward from the nearby town of Newton, and the surrounding pathways make it suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders seeking a natural setting within Sandwell Valley Country Park.

Bluebell Wood Local Nature Reserve

Charlemont · 9.9 miles

Sot's Hole is a local nature reserve in West Midlands, England. It is on the west side of Sandwell Valley, and north-east of West Bromwich.