Official Fudges Bicnic Site - Lickey Hills
2nd Bicnic location
When you live in a busy city like Birmingham, it’s not always easy finding the time to sit back and savour life’s ingredients. So to help the locals get a taste of living life, the Fudges way, we have installed another of our bicnic benches at the wonderful Lickey Hills Country Park.
Known locally as The Lickeys, it is not only one of the oldest parks in Birmingham, but is one of the most picturesque locations in the midlands welcoming over 500,000 visitors a year. It was Birmingham’s first Park to earn the Green Flag award which has been held for consecutive years, impressing judges with its conservation of flora and fauna.
With such a variety of different habitats to be found, it is hardly surprising that over 380 species of flowering plants, 350 species of fungi and 17 species of fern have been found at Lickey Hills so far.
To many visitors it is the large conifer plantations, which typify the park. The established plantations are dominated by Scots pines, Douglas firs, Norway spruce and larches, but the woodlands around Lickey Warren, were planted less than 150 years ago. Birch and sweet chestnut are the predominant trees here along with some holly and birch.
In the spring, Pinfields Woods at the southern end of the Lickey’s, are covered by bluebells. Adding to the array of colour are white flowered wood sorrel, wood anemone, foxgloves, speedwells, stitchworts and buttercups.
For many Birmingham and Black Country people, The Lickeys have become a traditional day out to enjoy beautiful walks, sculpture trails, Ranger led educational and activity sessions and just some good old fashioned peace and fresh air.
Circle walk is a favourite; it’s 1.5 miles long and you can download a copy of the route from the Birmingham website (see below) for free! From the visitor centre, follow the numbers which correspond to numbered posts that you will pass on the route. This will lead you to Beacon View, the highest point on the Lickey Hills at 975ft above sea level, along to Bilberry Hill, Crofton Hill, The Douglas Firs, Narboroughs Field, through the rhododendrons and mixed woodland back to the Visitor Centre for a well earned cuppa in the cafe.
The Lickey Hills are made up of five main rock types. A route, taking approximately an hour and a half to complete, will take in all five types and include Barnt Green Volcanic Rock, Lickey Qartzite, Keele Clay, Clent Breccia and Bunter Pebble Beds.
So if we’ve tempted you to explore Lickey Hills further, visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/lickeyhills where you can download a printable map and learn more about the vast number of ranger led activities.
