We know this area
Dog walks near Birmingham and Smethwick
We have measured 1,060 walks that start within 5 km of the middle of Birmingham, each against the same public map data. This page says what they are like, beside West Midlands as a whole, and how many pass the checks we run for five kinds of dog.
It covers Smethwick, whose centre is 4.7 km away, too.
Three walks near Birmingham
Three of the 1,060 walks near Birmingham, from those that start nearest its middle: a 5.7 km loop, a 2.7 km there and back and a 7.9 km one-way walk. How we pick them
Where these go is in the app
Create an account- Bordesley loop5.7 km · 97 min · A loop
- Near Birmingham2.7 km · 46 min · There and back
- Ladywood to Nechells7.9 km · 135 min · One way
Walks near Birmingham for your dog
When you tell us what your dog finds hard, the app checks every walk against it before you see one. These are five of those checks, run over the walks near Birmingham, and the share that pass each.
- 8%A dog who is nervous of other dogs and of livestock8% near Birmingham for a nervous or reactive dog, against 9% near the typical town in West Midlands.2.5 to 8 km long, a busy or fast road beside no more than 15% of the way, at most one busy road to cross and pasture beside no more than 30% of the way.That is 90 walks or more within 5 km that pass our checks for a nervous or reactive dog.Walks for a nervous or reactive dog near Birmingham
- 13%A dog frightened by traffic13% near Birmingham for a dog scared of traffic, against 24% near the typical town in West Midlands.2.5 to 8 km long, a busy or fast road beside no more than 15% of the way and at most one busy road to cross.That is 130 walks or more within 5 km that pass our checks for a dog scared of traffic.Walks for a dog scared of traffic near Birmingham
- 42%A big dog, or two on the lead at once42% near Birmingham for a big dog, against 37% near the typical town in West Midlands.2.5 to 8 km long and at most one stile, gate or cattle grid.That is 450 walks or more within 5 km that pass our checks for a big dog.
- 38%An older dog, on a short walk38% near Birmingham for an older dog, against 37% near the typical town in West Midlands.1 to 2.5 km long and at most one stile, gate or cattle grid.That is 400 walks or more within 5 km that pass our checks for an older dog.
- 61%A short walk from the car61% near Birmingham for a short walk from the car, the same as near the typical town in West Midlands.1 to 4.5 km long and starting where you can park, at a car park or on a minor road.That is 660 walks or more within 5 km that pass our checks for a short walk from the car.
The app searches further than 5 km when it has to, and it weighs what you tell it about your own dog, so these are a starting point rather than your answer.
What the walks near Birmingham are like
Each bar is the share of the 1,060 walks near Birmingham the sentence is true of. The upright mark on each bar, and the small number beside it, is the same share for West Midlands as a whole.
How far they go
5 to 8 km: 14% of the walks near Birmingham, against 16% across West Midlands, and no row here differs by more.
Where the walks fall by length. The five bars add up to the whole, give or take the rounding.
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 km | 46% | 46% |
| 3 to 5 km | 20% | 21% |
| 5 to 8 km | 14% | 16% |
| 8 to 12 km | 11% | 9% |
| Over 12 km | 6% | 6% |
What shape they are
A loop: 37% of the walks near Birmingham, against 27% across West Midlands.
A loop brings you back without repeating a step. There and back retraces the way out.
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| A loop | 37% | 27% |
| There and back the same way | 36% | 44% |
| One way, ending somewhere else | 25% | 28% |
What is beside the path
Beside crop fields for a third or more: 31% of the walks near Birmingham, against 61% across West Midlands.
Shares of walks where the ground beside the path is a given kind for the stated part of the way.
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| Under trees for a third or more of the way | 10% | 32% |
| Beside water for a tenth or more | 71% | 68% |
| On open access land for a third or more | <1% | <1% |
| Through a park or green space for a third or more | 60% | 48% |
| Beside crop fields for a third or more | 31% | 61% |
| Beside farm grassland for half or more | 10% | 32% |
| No farm grassland at all | 22% | 14% |
| Off road for four fifths or more | 1% | 4% |
| On roads or lanes for half or more | 95% | 85% |
| Through built-up streets for half or more | 37% | 20% |
What might stop you
Never beside a busy road: 36% of the walks near Birmingham, against 52% across West Midlands.
Shares of walks with none of each thing on the way. A road counts when it runs within about fifteen metres of the path.
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| Never beside a fast road | 83% | 85% |
| Never beside a busy road | 36% | 52% |
| No busy road to cross | 38% | 54% |
| No stile, gate or cattle grid | 99% | 84% |
| No steps | 66% | 76% |
What is on the way
Pass a public toilet: 40% of the walks near Birmingham, against 22% across West Midlands.
Shares of walks that start by, or pass, each of these.
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| Start where you can park, at a car park or on a minor road | 99% | 96% |
| Pass a pub | 62% | 45% |
| Pass a dog-waste bin | 49% | 39% |
| Pass a public toilet | 40% | 22% |
| Pass a drinking-water tap | 1% | <1% |
| Pass a busy beauty spot | 17% | 20% |
Measured on 12 October 2026 from the map. How these figures are made
Walks near Birmingham, for your dog
If you live in West Midlands, it is your home county, and every walk in it is free, for good. Tell the app what your dog finds hard and it shows you walks that suit, with anything that might stop you shown first.
Anywhere in Great Britain, even with no signal.
Further is the Trekosa subscription: walks beyond your home county, and help on the walk itself. The OS Explorer map, 1:25,000, on any walk while you have signal. Press Offline on a walk and its map stays on your phone until you remove it, for when the signal goes. Drift off the path and you get a quiet buzz.
The first 250 households have it for good. After that, £4.99 a month or £34.99 a year.
The rules around Birmingham
In England you may walk on public rights of way, on open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, and in woodland the Forestry Commission opens to the public. We hold all three for West Midlands, and a walk that leaves them is refused before you ever see it.
We have read the dog orders of every council in West Midlands, and a walk here tells you when it crosses a place an order names.
We checked West Midlands for military live-firing ground and found none. The military sites on the map here are barracks, cadet huts and indoor ranges, none of them open ground a walk could wander onto.