My third Friendship Bench Chat was with Sam a good friend and ex colleague. We met up at Woodgate Valley Country Park on a Thursday lunchtime. It was so good to see Sam as I pulled into the car park, and we were both already smiling as we hugged. It was another overcast and breezy day but there were lots of other people visiting the site and using the relatively small play area. One piece of play equipment that is always in use is the springy Jeep. We asked politely if we could take a picture without the children who kindly stepped aside for a moment but returned immediately we had captured the image.
Just a couple of minutes walk from the main road and carpark it feels like you are in a much more rural countryside setting with woodland and open fields ahead of you. Woodgate Valley Country Park Information
We chose to explore the Green Walking Route (1 mile). We walked past the front of the Visitor Centre (which is sadly still closed) and took the path between the horse meadows, leading down to the stream. You don’t have to go far to “look out for wildlife”, birds and butterflies were immediately visible from the top of the path and the horses in the fields stood quietly contemplated the stream of people walking past them. Swallows flew close to them but they didn’t move much unless it was to shake their manes to remove any annoying flies that landed on their faces.
At the bottom of the fields you can make a left turn following the stream past the Trekking Centre, then straight ahead up Watery Lane. At the main road turn left and briefly walk along the pavement before re-entering Woodgate’s car park.
For those in search of more exercise there are the Yellow and Red Routes and the Illey Way for even more of a challenge: Woodgate Valley Walking Routes
The purpose of our visit this time was to catch up with a Friendship Bench Chat so we chose a bench from the selection of benches around the car park, which include many styles that almost create a story of their own, and settled down on a dark green metal picnic bench for our chat.
Sam refers to talking about memories of Woodgate Valley in the FPA project – this was one of our first Blog posts: https://naturallybirmingham.org/2020/11/25/growing-up-in-green-spaces/
Please do listen in to our chat here:
There are only five steps to improving your day through a Friendship Bench Chat (if you listen in to our chat you will have heard I did lose the ability to count to five – never mind).
Sam’s response was a bit quiet when I talked about how being at Woodgate made us feel – but she said there was a warmth to being among other people who were chatting together and to see the children playing. We had already heard the word joyful used and now warmth. You really should try it.
If you would like me to come to meet you for a chat please do get in touch, taking time to notice nature really can improve your day and I would love to hear about your park and find out if it helps you feel OK.
Look out for the next chat which I am planning to be at Garrison Lane Park, hope to connect with you again soon.
Naturally Birmingham Future Parks Project 