A walk in the Kingfisher Country Park from Hay Mills to Bordesley Green on Easter Sunday 2021

This was an Easter Sunday walk in the Kingfisher Country Park. Starting from the Coventry Road in Hay Mills. And walking as far as Bordesley Green (not far from Stechford). The Cole Valley Route in Hay Barn Recreation Ground, Newbridge Farm Recreation Ground, Sycamores Recreation Ground and Bordesley Green Recreation Ground. Sadly was a lot of litter to see along the River Cole.

The Kingfisher Country Park starts in Birmingham from the Coventry Road in Hay Mills. Not far from Small Heath and Haybarnes Circus. This is part of the Cole Valley Route that walkers and cyclists alike can use. Sadly as soon as we got here on Easter Sunday 2021 (Sunday 4th April 2021) I could see litter, rubbish and fly-tipping all over the place (it was not nice to see how people treat our City and wonderful open spaces).

The walk was through four recreation grounds that follow the River Cole.

Hay Barn Recreation Ground starts at the Coventry Road in Hay Mills and ends at Hob Moor Road.

Newbridge Farm Recreation Ground starts at Hob Moor Road and ends at Yardley Green Road in Bordesley Green.

Sycamores Recreation Ground starts at Yardley Green Road and ends at Bordesley Green East.

Bordesley Green Recreation Ground starts at Bordesley Green East and ends at Eastfield Road (you can see the West Coast Mainline to the far end with Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway trains going by).

 

Hay Barn Recreation Ground

Starting at the Coventry Road in Hay Mills, there is this map of the entire Kingfisher Country Park from Hay Mills towards Chelmsley Wood in Solihull. Sadly other maps like this in the country park had graffiti on them.

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A Project Kingfisher sign showing signs of past vandalism. It mentions that riding off road bikes with City Council parkland is illegal. I later saw an idiot riding a petrol powered dirt bike around Bordesley Green Recreation Ground in circles, all over the grass. Plus last Christmas was idiots riding bikes in the part in Shard End.

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Earlier we first had views of the River Cole from the Berkeley Play Park.

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But was no footbridge to cross over the River Cole at this point, but later found a footbridge further up in the Hay Barn Recreation Ground.

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From the Haymills Old Bridge dated 1903 on Coventry Road, with the River Cole below. A cyclist from Just Eat in orange stopped on the path on the left.

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The correct form of bikes, a couple riding bicycles along the Cole Valley Route. This is how it should be done!

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Daffodils to the left of the main path.

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When we first got to the Kingfisher Country Park, we were near the Berkeley Play Park, and walked down to the Coventry Road. While on the Cole Valley Route in the Hay Barn Recreation Ground, spotted this footbridge over the River Cole which we later used as an exit from the park on the walk back to the car.

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View of the footbridge over the River Cole. Which we crossed at the end of the walk heading back to the starting point on Berkeley Road.

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Further on in the Hay Barn Recreation Ground is this open field, running towards Hob Moor Road.

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The path continues alongside the River Cole towards Hob Moor Road.

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Getting close to Hob Moor Road, the bridge is almost in view.

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The Hob Moor Road Bridge over the River Cole.

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Newbridge Farm Recreation Ground

Now at Hob Moor Road, and into the Newbridge Recreation Ground. Several wooden bollards here. Plus a fingerpost / direction sign on the Cole Valley Cycle Route along the River Cole. The name of the area comes from Newbridge Farm, which used to be located at this site near the river.

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From here, you can cycle left to the City Centre and Small Heath, or right towards Stechford. (Note the sign has an extra "t" which is incorrect).

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The path in Newbridge Farm Recreation Ground curves to the right, already signs of litter on both sides of the path!

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The path heads straight towards Yardley Green Road.

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Some green areas, so you have plenty of space for the 2 metre social distancing rule, while on your walk (to overtake some slow people).

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Getting close to Yardley Green Road, the path curves to the left.

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Bollards and another fingerpost at Yardley Green Road. Also a gate on the right where the lawn is.

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Interesting bridge on Yardley Green Road to the right of here. With a separate pedestrian footbridge. Was quiet on the Easter Sunday, but I gather in normal times there could be a lot of cars driving down here.

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Sycamores Recreation Ground

From Yardley Green Road in Bordesley Green, we next enter the Sycamores Recreation Ground. More bollards here. Sometimes the Kingfisher Country Park is also called Project Kingfisher.

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Beyond the Project Kingfisher sign (missing fingerposts?) the path curves to the right, then beyond to the left.

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Heading on the path in the Sycamores Recreation Ground, it now turns to the left before turning to the right.

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A distant cyclist up ahead, the odd piece of litter on the lawn on both sides of the path.

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Bordesley Green East is now in view, as the path curves to the left.

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The River Cole is visible again on the right, as is the Bordesley Green East Bridge.

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At Bordesley Green East, more bollards. This is a busy dual carriageway road. Turned right and headed to the pelican crossing traffic lights.

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Bordesley Green Recreation Ground

Starting at Bordesley Green East, we enter the Bordesley Green Recreation Ground after crossing over at the lights. This area was the former site of Batchelors Farm.

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Many families enjoying the sunshine and sitting on the lawn. Sadly the litter problem here was quite bad to see.

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The path curves around the Recreation Ground. While here, kept seeing an idiot riding a dirt bike around the ground in circles. Tyre tracks were visible in the grass. Other signs of burnt out former off road bikes were along the path.

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The path curves in an S shape as we passed these bushes to the right.

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Not too visible here, but in the distance is the West Coast Mainline. Stechford Station is to the far right of here.

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Bits of rubbish on both sides of the path, and sometimes on the path.

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The path is good to walk on though, was even the odd dog walker and cyclist here.

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Getting close to the end of the path, a man riding a bike in orange.

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End of the path at Eastfield Road. Litter was really bad around here, plus graffiti on the wall on the right. Turned back from here towards Hay Mills.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown