April in Kings Heath Park.

Fresh spring leaves, spring blossom, and Easter Egg hunting in the park.

April brought new colours to Kings Heath Park as the buds opened to reveal fresh green leaves and spring blossom. The spring weather brought more people to the park, and the Friends of Kings Heath Park Litter Pickers were out, making sure that the park was tidy for all to enjoy.

The highlight of the month was the Easter weekend, with sunshine and warm temperatures making the park the perfect place to go. The Friends of Kings Heath Park put on a children's Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Saturday. Each child had to find one of the many wooden discs that had been hidden in the area of the park around the big horse chestnut tree, then exchange it for two eggs - a wooden one to paint, and a chocolate one to eat. The keen painters could also decorate rocks to hide in the park, continuing the 'Kings Heath Rocks' craze that has been keeping children and families entertained for well over a year now. 

The evenings are getting longer still, and the park is enjoyed by walkers of all ages, nature lovers, runners and sports groups, dog walkers, and families and children. A wonderful open space in our community of Kings Heath!

Kings Heath Park over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend 2019

It's been a hot four days over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend in late April 2019. I popped along to Kings Heath Park on Easter Monday, the 22nd April 2019 to check out the bluebells, the pond and flowers around the park! A walk down Vicarage Road into the park, then when I left, headed up Cartland Road towards Pershore Road, Stirchley (instead of Avenue Road).

Entering from the Vicrage Road entrance near the corner of Avenue Road, saw this yellow flower near the gatehouse.

Heading up the path parallel to Avenue Road, having a look at the bluebells growing in the grass, with a few zoom ins.

You don't have to go far to see bluebells it seems! Just catch the 11A or 11C to Kings Heath (or the 35 or 50). The High Street is in walking distance of the park.

Not as far zoomed in with this group of bluebells. Was also buttercups growing in the grass near the Avenue Road side.

Thought about leaving at Avenue Road, near one of the car park exits, but decided to check out the ponds instead! The trees around the pond was looking lush and green.

Even more lush and green around the pond here. Noticed some barriers to the left of here (not in the photo). The water jets were not turned on.

Lots of colour with the yellow and red flowers around the four pots and the flagpole.

A zoom into the four pots in the middle.

On the other side of the path heading back to the other Vicrage Road entrance / exit, saw these flowers planted on the left.

More yellow and red flowers around this small tree on the right.

My usual 10 minute walk in and out of the park. Headed past King Edward VI Camp Hill Schools (closed for the Easter holidays). Wasn't going to wait 20 minutes for another 11C, so walked up Cartland Road towards the Pershore Road in Stirchley. And the wait for the no 45 bus was 10 minutes.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown (over 1000 followers!).

Spring has clearly arrived at Kings Heath Park!

With lighter evenings, spring flowers, and many more people using our lovely park, Spring has most certainly arrived at Kings Heath Park.

March heralds the beginning of spring, and early spring flowers have started to blossom in Kings Heath Park. Daffodils and forsythia have brought bright splashes of yellow, and the huge magnolia near the Park House has been magnificent this year. The sunny days have brought more people to the park, and the lighter evenings have meant that more people can fit in a run or a walk with the dog after work. It is still cold though, so the children in the playground and the dog walkers are still wearing warm jackets! The pool, which had almost dried up during last year's hot summer, is filling up from the rain, and the heron has started visiting again.

The park staff have been busy maintaining the park throughout the winter, and March saw the second volunteer wood clearing event of the year, led by Dean the Ranger.

Wythall Transport Museum heritage buses between Hollywood and The Alexandra Theatre

On Bank Holiday weekends, up and down the Alcester Road, between the Wythall Transport Museum and Birmingham, you may see the odd vintage bus going up and down, taking passengers on rides from the museum to various nearby locations. From Hollywood, south of the Maypole, then up Kings Heath, towards Bristol Street and last stop at The Alexandra Theatre on Suffolk Street Queensway!

You may be suprised that there is an area near Birmingham, called Hollywood! Just south of the Maypole, down the Alcester Road South towards Wythall is Worcestershire's very own Hollywood! On the Easter Monday Bank Holiday in 2017 I had a walk from The Maypole towards Whitlocks End Station, when I spotted three heritage buses on special journeys from the Wythall Transport Museum!

You can find out when the next event is on at this link Event Days.

Metrobus on the 48 - 2462 - NOA 462X - returning to Wythall from the Maypole. Easter Monday 2017.

Sea Front Service on the 48 - Southern Vectis - 314 PFM - Carters - returning to Wythall from the Maypole. Easter Monday 2017.

Carisbrooke Castle on the 48 - 570 - Bristol Lodekka - Southern Vectis - YDL 315 - returning to Wythall from the Maypole. Easter Monday 2017.

The 48 - 322 - Midland General FRB 211 H Bristol Rear-Engined Double-Decker Bus -  FRB 211H - seen here heading to the Maypole. Late May Bank Holiday Weekend 2017. Not wanting to walk back to Whitlocks End again, I turned back to the Maypole (hoping to see another bus). The 750 to Birmingham I did see but missed getting a shot of it (see the photo at the end of this post from Suffolk Street Queensway).

Yardley Wood Bus Garage celebrated it's 80th birthday during November 2018, and they had bus rides around the local area. On other Bank Holidays I did try and go to Kings Heath, to see if I could spot one of the vintage buses but I kept missing them, or didn't have my camera ready. These photos below were taken from the top deck of the no 50 bus I was on to town. These buses are not part of the Wythall collection.

I have previously been on rides on this pair of vintage buses!

Timesaver - 2957 - WM Travel - MCW - D957 NDA - Seen November 2018

Previously rode on this bus during the pair of open days at Acocks Green and Yardley Wood bus garages in early October 2013, on the occasion of the bus garages 75th birthday.

JOJ 222 - 2222 - Leyland - Birmingham - Bearwood via Dudley Road - B82 - Seen November 2018

Saw this bus again only 2 months after I had ridden on it from Snow Hill Queensway to the Birmingham Museums Collection Centre!

If seeing the vintage Wythall buses on Bank Holiday's was hit and miss in the Maypole, Kings Heath or Moseley, the next option was to check them out in the city centre! I checked their timetables, so I had a fair idea approximately where they would be.

750 to Birmingham - GREEN LINE AEC RCL CUV 219C - CUV 219C - London Transport - AEC Routemaster - seen on the Easter Monday 2018 Bank Holiday. I had walked up to the Alexandra Theatre, but didn't see the expected bus, then walked down Bristol Street, before this one went past me!

Route 750 to Birmingham (Alexandra Theatre) - 1256 - FRC 956 - Trent FRC 956 Leyland PD2/12 with Leyland body - seen the late May Bank Holiday Monday 2017. I had previously tried to see this bus the day before in Kings Heath but I missed getting a decent shot of it (or I saw it being towed back to Wythall). So seeing it arriving at the Alexandra Theatre was my best chance of seeing it! At this point heading onto Suffolk Street Queensway from Holloway Circus and Bristol Street.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown