May is National Walking Month, and we’ve come up with five great walks around Walsall — so you can get out and explore the great outdoors.
Walking is great for helping you get more active, giving you a boost in mind and body. And here in Walsall there are some great routes on our doorstep that you can try.
Distance: 2 miles
Family-friendly: Yes
Parking: Yes, free parking available
The Arboretum, a Victorian public park located near Walsall town centre, is a popular destination for easy walking routes.
The routes include gardens, picnic areas, play areas, and Hatherton Lake. There is also plenty of wildlife to see on the lake and in the surrounding woodland. With more than 10,000 species of trees and shrubs, it is hard to believe that you are so close to the town centre.
There are also great opportunities to meet new people, including Walsall Walk On — a free weekly health walk programme suitable for all abilities.
Distance: 2 miles
Family-friendly: Yes
Parking: No
Despite only being a short trail, this local nature reserve packs a lot into a small space.
A geological fault line runs between the two sites – and the difference in geology means trees, plants and wildflowers you see at each site will have a lot of contrast.
Cuckoo’s Nook and the Dingle is a great location if you want to feel closer to nature and enjoy some peace and quiet.
- Park Lime Pits
Distance: 1 mile
Family-friendly: Yes
Parking: Yes
It is hard to believe that this Local Nature Reserve used to be the site of a limestone quarry 200 years ago. These abandoned quarries now contain beautiful clear pools surrounded by woodland, grassland and meadows.
Park Lime Pits is home to 300 species of plants, 100 different types of birds and countless fish. This makes it a great location for a short walk, fishing, and birdwatching.
You can follow the circular walking trail which loops around the pool and connects to Lime Pits Farm and country park — or extend your walk down Daw End Canal.
- Shire Oak Park
Distance: Various routes available, from 1 mile.
Family-friendly: Yes
Parking: Yes
This Local Nature Reserve was once a sand quarry. It getting its name from an ancient oak tree which used to mark the boundary between Walsall and Shenstone.
Now it boasts meadows and woodland, abundance of wildlife and an on-site play area — which make this Walsall route a great walk for the whole family.
While there, look out for the willow warbler, a bird which nests in the trees at Shire Oak every spring and summer before heading to central Africa in the autumn.
- Walsall Canal
Distance: Various
Family-friendly: Yes
Parking: No
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without at least one canal walk.
Walsall Canal is eight miles long with a nice towpath, making it a flat, easy route for a waterside walk. You don’t have to walk the full length, you can turn around and walk back at any point. So the walk can be as long or short as you like.
You can even add some attractions to your walk, with a visit to the art gallery or a detour to the Arboretum.
Walking is not just about exercise; it is about exploring the places around you, enjoying nature and spending quality time with family and friends.
So, this National Walking Month, let’s make the most of these walks around Walsall.
