Birmingham Rates 5 Walking Trails by Distance and Difficulty

Birmingham City Council released ratings this week for five walking trails in local parks, listing distances from 1.2 miles to 8.5 miles and difficulty levels from flat paths to steep climbs.

Interest in outdoor routes has risen since the council expanded its wellness programs in 2025, with residents turning to parks instead of indoor gyms during longer daylight hours.

Staff at the Birmingham Active Wellbeing Network mapped the routes using GPS data collected between January and May. Sutton Park in the north of the city contains the longest option at 8.5 miles, marked strenuous because of its mix of woodland and open heath. Cannon Hill Park near Edgbaston offers a 3.4-mile circuit rated moderate, following the lake edge and crossing the Pershore Road footbridge.

Routes by the numbers

The ratings draw on a 2025 council survey that recorded 187,000 visits to Sutton Park trails alone. Entry remains free at both parks, though parking at Sutton Park costs £2.50 for up to three hours. Lickey Hills Country Park, ten miles south, adds a 4.7-mile moderate trail that opened to the public in April 2024 after path resurfacing funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Walkers can download the graded maps from the council website or pick up printed copies at the Sutton Park visitor centre on Park Road. The network advises checking weather updates before setting out, as recent rain has left sections of the 8.5-mile route muddy near the railway line.

Planning a visit

Those new to the trails should start with the 1.2-mile easy loop at Cannon Hill Park, which begins at the main gate on Edgbaston Road and stays on level ground. Regular users recommend carrying water and noting the nearest cafes on Bristol Road for post-walk stops. The council plans to add lighting to two shorter routes by October 2026 to extend safe evening use.