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Waseley Hills Country Park facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Waseley Hills Country Park is a special place covering about 150 acres (0.61 square kilometers). It's a Country Park and a Local Nature Reserve, which means it's protected for nature and for people to enjoy. The park is owned and looked after by Worcestershire County Council. You'll find gentle, rolling hills here, with old hedgerows, open fields for grazing animals, and small areas of woodland. From the park, you can see amazing views across Worcestershire, England.

The park is located just southwest of Birmingham, near Junction 4 of the M5 motorway. You'll see signs for it from the motorway. Two long walking trails, the North Worcestershire Path and the Illey Way, go right through the park. Waseley Hills is also where the River Rea begins its journey! The hills act like a natural dividing line for water. Rain that falls on one side flows into the River Rea, and rain on the other side flows into the River Salwarpe. This means the water eventually ends up in different big rivers: the River Trent or the River Severn. The highest point in the park is about 998 feet (304 meters) above sea level.

Things to Do at Waseley Hills Country Park

Waseley Hills Country Park has several things for visitors to enjoy. There's an information center where you can learn more about the park. You'll also find a café and a meeting room, all inside a cool old building. This building is a timber-framed barn that was once used for threshing (separating grain from plants) at a farm called Lower Smite Farm in Hindlip. The park also has a fun play area for younger visitors and an orienteering course, which is like a treasure hunt using a map and compass.

What's in a Name?

The name "Waseley" might come from old English words. One idea is that it comes from "Waer" (meaning sheep) and "ley" (meaning field). So, it could mean "sheep field." Another idea is that it comes from "weardsetl" (meaning watchplace). If this is true, Waseley Hills was one of a chain of four watchplaces along the northern border of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom called the Hwicce. The other watchplaces were Wast Hills, Wassell Grove, and Wassell Wood.

Images for kids

  • Waseley Hills Country Park 1

    View of Waseley Hills Country Park

  • Waseley Hills Country Park 2

    Another view of Waseley Hills Country Park

  • Waseley Hills Country Park 3

    A third view of Waseley Hills Country Park

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