FAQs

The Leasowes main entrance is located approximately 1km North-East of the centre (Somers Square) of the town of Halesowen in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley.

It location is shown on the Google map below

You can get to The Leasowes by foot, car or public transport. The following map shows the main entrance with parking, the network of roads that surround it and the bus stops that serve both the main and other entrances to the site.

The Leasowes is approximately 7.5 miles by road from the centre of Birmingham

Yes, there is no entry fee.

The Leasowes Park is open 24/7.

There is parking for around 80 cars in the car park, accessed through the main entrance which is a left turning when travelling downhill (east to west) on the dual carriageway (A458, known as Mucklow Hill).

It is free to park

No overnight parking in the Leasowes Park is allowed.

No

Unfortunately there are no toilets available at The Leasowes. We are aware that this is limiting factor for many, and we are working hard to resolve the issue with the council, who own and maintain the site.

During the summer, an Ice Cream Van will visit periodically to serve ice creams and Ice Lollies.

You are welcome to bring a picnic. There is a picnic area next to the car park and if you are prepared to walk a little further, there is a grassy field overlooking a large pool (Breaches/Priory Pool) which is popular for picnics.

Do not use barbecues, especially the disposable type and in all cases, please dispose of litter responsibly. There are litter bins located around the car park but please do not leave plastic bags containing food waste next to the bins as wildlife has a habit of tearing the bags apart and scattering the litter.

There are lots of great places to stay near The Leasowes, including the Travelodge hotel which is a 10-minute walk away, less than half a mile.

Be sure to visit the Walled Garden. The Walled Garden is run by Volunteers and is not open every day. Check their Facebook page for opening times. Walled Garden

It is a pleasant 10-minute walk from the main car park.

Route from The Leasowes Car Park to the Walled Garden

The other main tourist attractions include:

Dudley Zoo – 7.25km Dudley Zoo and Castle

Black Country Living Museum – 7.75km Black Country Living Museum

The closest town is Halesowen which is only 1km away from the main entrance. Other towns nearby include (Distances direct line of sight),

Blackheath – 2.25km Route to Blackheath

Cradley Heath – 3.5km Route to Cradley Heath

Merry Hill Centre (Brierley Hill) – 6km Route to the Merry Hill Centre

Oldbury – 6km Route to Oldbury

Harborne – 6.5km Route to Harborne

Dudley – 7km Route to Dudley

Stourbridge – 7.5km Route to Stourbridge

Birmingham – 10km Route to Birmingham Centre

Bromsgrove – 13.5km Route to Bromsgrove

There are a number of Nature reserves in the area. The main ones are.

Bumble Hole – 4.7km Bumble Hole and Warrens Hall Local Nature Reserves

Saltwells – 5km Saltwells Local Nature Reserve

Buckpool and Fens Pool – 6.9km Buckpool, Fens Pools and Barrow Hill Nature Reserves

Wrens Nest – 9km Wren’s Nest National Nature Reserve

No, Camping is not allowed at The Leasowes

Yes, you can walk in the Leasowes Park. You will find a network of graveled paths which lead you around the woodland valleys & watercourses. Alternatively you can follow one of 3 waymarked routes of varying lengths and difficulty.

Yellow trail 0.9km – 20 minutes. Easy Terrain

Blue trail 2.1km – 45 minutes. Moderate difficulty with some undulating ground and one short climb.

Red trail 3.3km – 1 hour 15 minutes. Moderate difficulty with some undulating ground and one short climb.

For longer & more demanding walks try searching for other walks/trails in the area taking in Coombeswood to the north and Illey and the Abbey fields to the south.

Yes, The Leasowes is located on a west-facing hill rising 80m to the Eastern boundary. It is therefore hilly in places but many parts are flat and low-lying.

Yes, we are very welcoming to dog walkers in The Leasowes. Please ensure that you keep your dog under control and with you on the footpaths, on a lead if necessary. Please ensure your dog does not disturb the wildlife around the paths and please clean up after your dog. If there is no dog bin around the location that you are walking, please take your dog bags home to dispose of them. The following rules are posted on park noticeboards:

We advise that you stick to walking on the footpaths and tracks

The main attraction is walking through the woodlands, meadows and alongside the brooks and pools. It’s a good place for picnics both in the picnic area near the car park or on the grassy slope near Priory Pool (known as ‘Blooming Leasowes’).

There are plenty of ducks to feed throughout the year. Feeding ducks at the park is a fun activity for all the family but if you do feed the ducks, we prefer the use of floating pellets made for feeding waterfowl as bread can be bad for their health (See Duck Feeding. ). The ‘Friends of the Leasowes’ group occasionally hold Duck Food Sales Events near the car park.

A small children’s play area can be found next to the Picnic Area.

The Leasowes also hosts a thriving group of amateur photographers who are attracted by the wide variety of Scenery, Wildlife and Flora. (See our Gallery).

Fishing is permitted on the western side of Priory Pool only from the 5 fishing pegs provided. The pool is a short walk from the main car park, accessed from Mucklow Hill, A458.

Angling on site is free, on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and subject to the following conditions:

• Environment Agency Rod Licence required.
• No litter and no tins. Anglers are responsible for all litter on pegs.
• No night fishing
• No fires
• No camping.
• No damage or disturbance to bank, trees, plants, birds or other wildlife.
• Fishing on Pegs only.
• No transfer or introduction of fish.
• Barbless hooks must be used.
• Fishing is NOT allowed on any other pool
• Fishing is NOT allowed during the Close Season (15th March – 15th June).
• The use of any kind of boat or craft is forbidden

Please fish responsibly and be courteous to other park users

Our understanding is that in general, Drones (above 250g) are not to be flown within 150M of a recreational space such as The Leasowes. This complies with the Civil Aviation guidelines Where you can fly drones | UK Civil Aviation Authority There may also be restrictions which apply to The Leasowes as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to avoid disturbing animals or wildlife.

It is not acceptable to use a metal detector and to disturb the ground digging for possible finds.

The Leasowes is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and therefore the site, and species within, are legally protected. We hope you appreciate the special fungi and grassland habitat but please leave them for others to enjoy.

This Nature Reserve has been notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

It is an offence, without reasonable excuse, intentionally or recklessly to destroy or damage any of the flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features by reason of which the land is of special interest, or intentionally or recklessly to disturb any of those flora and fauna.

A person found guilty of any such offence may be prosecuted and liable to a fine not exceeding £20,000.

The Leasowes is owned and maintained by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC)

The name means “rough pasture land” and is a reference to its former use as a farm.

The Leasowes landscape was formally created by the poet William Shenstone from 1743 – 1763 having inherited the farm from his father.

The Leasowes covers an area of 62.4 hectares (154 acres), of this approximately 18.4 hectares is grassland and 22.8 hectares of woodland. At the centre of The Leasowes is an 18-hole golf course

The Leasowes is one of the earliest landscapes that was consciously laid out in the ornamental farm (ferme ornée) style, where a garden is laid out in the middle of a working farm. Shenstone was a prominent figure in promoting this through his writings and encouraging visitors to the parkland and, as a result, The Leasowes is acknowledged as the inspiration for a number of other naturalistic parklands that were developed from formal gardens in England. The Leasowes is an important part of a group of three internationally renowned 18^th century parklands which includes the nearby Hagley and Enville estates.

No, but it is registered by Historic England as a Grade I Park and Garden (Registration no 1001204, 01 July 1986 Historic England . It is also registered by Natural England as a Site of Special Scientific Interest SSSI.

The route of the Dudley No 2 canal passes through The Leasowes. Unfortunately this section, although undergoing some restoration work in 1996, is currently not in use. The nearest working part of the canal starts at Hawne Basin, the home of the Coombeswood Canal Trust. This can be reached on foot, and is only a 15-minute walk away.

Walking Route to Hawne Basin

The Leasowes is home to a range of mammals including Squirrels, Rabbits, Foxes, Badgers and a variety of rodents. In 2024, a weasel was spotted and photographed (see Gallery). There are many woodland birds, water fowl, reptiles, insects and arachnids (see Gallery). There are also Longhorn cattle which graze the Stennels Fields from midsummer through to the autumn.

The Longhorn cattle graze the Stennels fields in the South and Crown Tip to the North of the car park  from around July through to October each year (See map). They are checked daily by one of The Leasowes Wardens.

Please remember.