Sheldon Country Park
🏟 Playground & park · Sheldon, Birmingham
Sheldon Country Park
A 300-acre country park on Birmingham's eastern edge with a playground by the entrance and the free 17th-century Old Rectory demonstration farm.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Park open daily; Old Rectory Farm free and open all year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day · Free · No booking needed
About Sheldon Country Park
Sheldon Country Park sits on the eastern edge of Birmingham, about seven miles from the city centre, covering roughly 300 acres of wetland, grassland, ancient hedgerows and mature woodland. It was established in 1986 by Birmingham City Council, and two brooks, the Westley and Hatchford, run through it attracting herons and kingfishers. The park's main draw is the 17th-century Old Rectory Farm, a restored former dairy farm now run as a demonstration farm with Jersey cattle, ponies, goats and sheep, which is free and open all year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For families there is a children's playground near the main entrance, next to the farm, with swings, slides and two climbing frames suitable for a range of ages. Other facilities include picnic areas such as the Rectory Lawn, a tea room inside Old Rectory Farm, an ice-cream cart in summer, public toilets and a visitor centre with park rangers. The park is also well known for its aircraft viewing area, where you can watch planes take off and land at nearby Birmingham Airport. Dogs are not permitted inside the farm itself.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Old Rectory Farm (demonstration farm)
- Picnic areas
- Aircraft viewing area
- Visitor centre
- Wetland and woodland walks
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: Car park at the park
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
- Dogs: Dogs not allowed inside Old Rectory Farm
🧒 Ages & play
- Ages: All ages
- Swings
- Slides
- Climbing frames
📍 Nearby places to play
- Ward End Park · approx 4.4 miles · Ward End
- Cannon Hill Park · approx 5.7 miles · Edgbaston
- Highbury Park · approx 5.8 miles · Moseley
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Sheldon Country Park free?
Yes, the park and the Old Rectory Farm are free to enter; the farm is open all year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
What's in the playground?
The playground near the main entrance has swings, slides and two climbing frames, suitable for children of all ages.
Are there toilets and a cafe?
Yes. There are public toilets and a tea room within Old Rectory Farm, plus an ice-cream cart in summer.
Where is Sheldon Country Park?
It is at Ragley Drive, off Church Road, in Sheldon on the eastern edge of Birmingham, postcode B26 3TU.
Can we see aeroplanes there?
Yes, the park has an aircraft viewing area giving close-up views of planes using nearby Birmingham Airport, reached on foot.
Where can you watch planes take off near Birmingham?
Sheldon Country Park has an aircraft viewing area with close-up views of planes using nearby Birmingham Airport.