Walking is particularly good exercise if you are an older adult or suffer with back pain. It will make you fitter and stronger and help you maintain your balance. Walking with a group means that you have regular company and are safe and can walk in places such as Sutton Park where you would never dream of walking on your own. So – why not give it a try. Start walking now.

Walsall Sports and Leisure Services also organises regular weekly walks across the borough. The nearest ones to Streetly start in and around Aldridge and are very well attended. For details of these walks visit Walsall website or see the ‘Whats On’ brochure available in Blackwood Road Library.

The Institute of Ramblers organises walks on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, Distance between 5 - 10 miles and within an hours drive of Birmingham. Keep fit, make friends and enjoy the countryside. Subscription £8.00pa. Call 0121 453 9583 or visit iwalk website

There is no official walk leader. Michael knows lots of different walks in Sutton Park which he loves to take us on when he’s around. The following walks can be used when he is not there.

With your back to the entrance to Blackwood Park on Blackwood Road, walk to the left along this road turning second left into Foley Road East. Cross over School Acre Rise and turn left into the PROW opposite Besom Cottage on the right. Through the PROW turn right into Amberley Way, left into Cedar Drive crossing over into the entrance of the park. Follow the path till you reach the start of the conservation wood on the left. Enter the wood and follow the path round. Blackwood School will be on your left. Exit the wood over the foot stile onto the main path. Cross over this path entering the woodland on the other side. Follow this path past the church, the health centre and St. Anne’s School on the left.

Keep bearing right and you will come out onto the green and the pavilion. Bear right along the green, then right onto the main path taking you back to the park entrance on Blackwood Road. From the – Hardwick Arms turn left along the Chester Road from the front of the pub. Just past the flats turn left into the slip road and straight over into Ollison Drive. Follow the road round to the right through the PROW into Bushey Close. Turn left onto Carlton Avenue, past the bowling green, right into Hardwick Road, and next left into Thistledown Close. Walk along the left footpath turning left onto the tarmac PROW until you reach the grass area known locally as ‘the patch’. Turn immediate right along the path between the blackberries – mind the surface roots - and carry on as far as you can go – you will see a paddock in front of you. Turn right along the main path, over the railway line ( listen for approaching trains), through the gate to the next field and on to the stile. Turn round here and head back along the same path till you reach Lindrosa Road. Cross over into the PROW and then over Coniston Road into the next PROW to Hardwick Road and the pub.

From the Co-op go through the PROW next to the Rickshaw onto Thornhill Park and straight down the hill to Thornhill Road. Turn right crossing over Millcroft Road. Almost opposite is a gate into the park. Enter this gate and you will shortly reach the perimeter path. Turn left along this path and continue till you reach the golf club entrance. Exit here onto Thornhill Road. Cross over the pedestrian lights and bear left. Turn right into Manor Road and immediately right into Middleton Road and next left into Astor Road. Continue along Astor Road. On the bend, on the left, take the PROW through onto the field. Turn left following the perimeter fence. Turn right with the fence. Half way along this side is a PROW through into Briar Avenue – Manor School is to the left. Continue along Briar Avenue, left into Thorney Road. Enter the PROW on the right between house numbers 72 and 74 emerging onto the Chester Road slip road. Head left, back to the Co-op.

From the front hall at Streetly Community Centre, enter the playing fields at the rear through the railings, turn left then right along the perimeter fence. Part way along the second side, a waste bin marks a PROW. Through here, turn right along Astor road, right into Middleton, left onto Thornhill Rd, left to the pedestrian lights. Cross over and enter the Park. Bear left then right. Turn right at the oak tree and carry straight on. At the point where the trees meet across the path, golf links to the right, you will be crossing over the old Roman Road into some woodland. A little way along take a cutting on the right between the holly trees, turn left then right. Follow this path to the next junction – a tree on the right bears the sign ‘10th tee’. Go left and left again. Along this path there is another path on the left going into the woodland. Follow this winding path, past the fallen tree on the left, coming out of the wood into an open area. The golf links are on the left. Continue along the links. Where the path forks at the holly bush, bear left and carry straight on, over another path, through more holly bushes back to the golf club gate. Cross over the pedestrian lights. Left along Thornhill, right into Manor, immediate right into Middleton, left into Astor, through the PROW on the left onto the playing field and right back to the Community Centre.

From the Parson and Clerk, turn left from the car park along the Chester Road, cross over the Chester Road outside Sutton Park Surgery and enter the park at the gate. Walk straight ahead along the red path until you reach the stream at the bottom of the hill. Those wanting to stretch themselves, can continue up the hill to the Jamboree Stone. If it’s reasonable underfoot, it’s nice to walk in the heaths either side of the red path. There are several paths taking you across the heaths without having to go too far, and within sight of the main red path so you should feel safe. Return to the Parson and Clerk along the red path.