Sutton Park Town Gate to Boldmere Gate

I got the train to Sutton Coldfield on the 5th June 2021, on a nice and warm sunny morning in The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield. I headed for the Town Gate for a bit of a walk in Sutton Park. Followed Google Maps to Keepers Pool and Keepers Well. Before changing direction for Powell's Pool and the Boldmere Gate. Much more to explore on a future visit, can't do it all in one go.

This was more of a proper walk into Sutton Park. As back in August 2017 I only popped into the Boldmere Gate to find the Big Sleuth bear nearby. See this post here: The outer fringes of Sutton Park.

Got the train to Sutton Coldfield Station on the morning of Saturday 5th June 2021 (Cross City Line, now operated by West Midlands Railway). I walked around Railway Road, Tudor Road and Upper Clifton Road, before I got to a roundabout at Park Road. This leads to the Town Gate.

Town Gate

On the island was a thatched sculpture of what I think is a Cello.

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Heading up Park Road to the Sutton Park Town Gate. Either side is a pair of gatehouses (looked boarded up). There is a Toby Carvery this way. Tudor Hill to the right had a pair of old gateposts.

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The main road in from the Town Gate. Was a play area on the left, the car park up ahead.

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Heading around the back of the play area, over a footbridge that crosses over the Plants Brook.

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I could see the Visitor Centre to the far left of my then position in the park.

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Crossing over the lawn back onto the main path. I wanted to find the Keepers Pool, so checked Google Maps, and left this road for the route to where I wanted to go.

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Crossing over to the path I needed, saw this tree stump and cut tree log on the ground.

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Keepers Pool and Keepers Well

The Keepers Pool looked nice and peaceful in the early summer sunshine. It dates to the 15th Century. In 1887, a lido was built here, an open-air swimming pool. It survived until 2003 when it was burnt by arsonists, another fire in 2004 meant it was lost for good. But the area has returned to woodland and wetland.

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Further up was the Keepers Well. Despite the grass being dry saw a bit of mud, so didn't want to get too close. Would assume it also dates back to the same period as Keepers Pool.

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Deer Park Subdivision

Not far from Keepers Pool and Well was this marker for Deer Park Subdivision. The land had been a Norman deer park from the early 12th century. There used to be banks and ditches. But over time they subsided and were filled in, so is nothing much to see now. Although I did cross over some raised bits of earth near the paths and roads.

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This is the path close to the Deer Park Subdivision marker.

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The road continues on towards Streetly. But it was near here that I left the path to make my way towards the Boldmere Gate and Sutton Coldfield Town Centre. Didn't want to go too far in the park.

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Going off the path over the field, so many people walking or cycling over the land had left a trail towards the next path.

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Now back onto a path / road that leads back to the Boldmere Gate.

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But first a diversion into an open field I found. Was wooden markers with yellow warning signs. Apparently this is where people fly their model aeroplanes, but not on the day of my visit to the park.

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Into the heathland, and another path well troden by many other people over the years.

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Saw this weird looking tree, leaning to the left. I was getting close to Powell's Pool and the Boldmere Gate.

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Powell's Pool

Back to the path leading to the Boldmere Gate, then one last detour to see Powell's Pool again. Saw this boat with gulls perched on it.

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A perfect morning with a blue sky and little clouds above the pool.

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Taking the gate exit near Miller & Carter. Saw this view of the pool from the car park area on the left.

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Couldn't resist getting a couple more shots from Stonehouse Road of the pool. Yachts as usual to the far left.

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Boldmere Gate

Leaving at the park at the Boldmere Gate, via Stonehouse Road, saw another thatched sculpture on an island resembling a harp.

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Not far from the Boldmere Gate on Monmouth Drive was a new West Midlands Cycle Hire point with bikes.

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Down on Monmouth Drive was a football field, was kids taking part in an activity here, was a van near the road, but I didn't get a shot of it, so didn't remember the name of it.

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Leaving via Monmouth Drive, Digby Road, Driffold, Bishops Road and Birmingham Road. Walking back into Sutton Coldfield Town Centre. With a stop for a coffee and a toastie at Caffe Nero at the Gracechurch Shopping Centre.

By the time I walked back to Sutton Coldfield Station, I'd managed 10,000 steps.

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

The outer fringes of Sutton Park during 2017

I went to Sutton Coldfield a couple of times back in 2017. The first time in January 2017 to look around the Town Centre, then by August 2017 on The Big Sleuth bear hunt. So in January only skimmed the park from the road, and in August only popped in to find the bear they had there. On the way saw a couple of lakes. I've not yet been deep into Sutton Park, maybe one day in the future?

In 2017 I go the train to Sutton Coldfield on two different occasions. In January 2017 mainly to have a photo walk around Sutton Coldfield Town Centre. I returned in August 2017 for The Big Sleuth. I didn't go in 2015 for The Big Hoot as didn't want to do Sutton Coldfield for scratch with the owl sculptures as well. Although by 2017 there were some left to see in the Royal Town.

There was at least one bear in the summer of 2017 to see in Sutton Park. Once I got that, I walked towards Boldmere for the others (heading back into the town by Wylde Green and Maney finishing the trail at the Empire Cinema).

I also saw Sutton Park from the plane I was on, coming into land at Birmingham Airport around June 2017.

Some history of Sutton Park, taken from the Wikipedia page (link above). It is one of the largest urban parks in the UK. It is the largest country park in Birmingham (the Lickey Hills is second largest and Woodgate Valley is third largest) at 971.25 hectares (2,400 acres). Most of the park is a National Nature Reserve and parts of it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Sutton Park railway line goes through the park. There is several pools of water located within Sutton Park, used for boating in some of them.

January 2017

I didn't go into Sutton Park on the 22nd January 2017. I walked past it on Clifton Road. From here is the entrance to the Clifton Road Youth Centre and the Clifton Road Outdoor Education Centre.

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A close up look at the sign on Clifton Road. Wyndley Leisure Centre is also in the park. The customer car park was about 400 metres from here.

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This sign mentions that Authorised parking for Clifton Road Youth Centre only.

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Passing a bus stop on Clifton Road, there was leaves on the ground below the trees.

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A pair of signs on Clifton Road. To the left is the Sutton Park Town Gate. While Sutton Town Centre was to the right of here. I was heading towards Sutton Coldfield Town Hall at the time, so did not go into the park. The Town Gate can be accessed from Park Road. The Town Hall was a short walk away up Upper Clifton Road (and the Town Hall was the priority at the time to find).

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June 2017

Flying back from a holiday in Lyon, France, back to Birmingham Airport, I could see Sutton Park from the plane window as we came into land. This is probably the best way to see the park from above.

This was the first view from the plane of Sutton Park. You can see a couple of the pools from up here and the Sutton Park railway line that goes through the park. Blackroot Pool on the left and the Bracebridge Pool seen to the right.

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The view of Sutton Park at the bottom, with Sutton Coldfield to the top. It's possible that the parkland in this photo below is of the New Hall Valley Country Park near Walmley, towards Minworth. The plane would have been circling.

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A decent view of Sutton Park from the Flybe plane we were in as we were coming into land. You can just about see the jet near the wing on the left side of the plane. You can see how big it is from up here. The plane would have been circling on the way down to the runway.

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August 2017

Starting at Clifton Road, I headed towards Wyndley Lane past the Wyndley Swimming Baths.

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Behind the fences was the Royal Sutton Coldfield Athletics Club.

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I'm not sure what was happening at the Royal Sutton Coldfield Athletics Club site at the time, but it was obviously unsafe, or having construction work done.

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First view of the Wyndley Pool. There was some geese and swans in the water.

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Panoramic of the Wyndley Pool. It's the oldest pool in the park, possibly dating back to the 12th century.

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About three swans in the Wyndley Pool near some ducks.

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Heading on, now on Monmouth Drive on the long walk to the Boldmere Gate.

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Some long grass between the trees from Monmouth Drive,

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Re-entering the park at the Boldmere Gate. It is on Stonehouse Road.

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View of the Sutton Coldfield Sea Cadets from Stonehouse Road, which is near the Boldmere Gate. A cadet training ship (on dry land).

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The Miller & Carter Sutton Park restaurant / steakhouse is near Powell's Pool from this car park. Also called The Lakeside Restaurant. It is close to Powell's Pool.

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The Boldmere Lodge. Also known as the Boldmere Gate Cottage. Dating to 1901.

Boldmere Lodge was completed in 1901, just inside the Park gate. Powells Pool and the fields behind the lodge were still privately owned, and were not incorporated into the Park until 1937. Stonehouse Mill had been demolished and the area landscaped in 1936, giving the area its present appearance. The Park gate was later moved to a more convenient position a few yards further in to the Park.

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Mural by Fauna Graphic. The building has barbed wire on the roof.

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From Stonehouse Road (just up from the Boldmere Gate), you can see Powell's Pool. Which is near a Miller & Carter. The pool dates to the 18th century.

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Stepped weir on Powell's Pool with Canada geese at the far end.

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Yachts at the far side of Powell's Pool. Is the Sutton Sailing Club.

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Views of some yachts on Powell's Pool. Xenon 5.

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This one with a pink sail and a boy with a yellow helmet on.

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After my long walk to get into Sutton Park via the Boldmere Gate, I eventually found The Big Sleuth bear called Mother Bear. By the artist Jenny Tang, the sponsor was Seesaws.

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View of Mother Bear from the back. Images of polar bears.

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Next to Mother Bear was this selfie frame that you could big up and share you photos with Seesaws Nursery.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020