Photographers share beauty of Birmingham Commonwealth Games venue

  • By John Bray
  • BBC News, West Midlands

Image source, @alisonjmatthews

Image caption, Sutton Park is a 2,400 acre National Nature Reserve and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest

Six miles north of Birmingham city centre lies Sutton Park which will take centre stage as a Commonwealth Games venue in a month's time.

The beautiful green space will host the Birmingham Commonwealth Games triathlon events.

There are five medal events in the Birmingham 2022 triathlon competition: Individual women, individual men, para individual women, para individual men and a mixed team relay event.

Sutton Park is one of Europe's largest urban parks. Inspired by its beauty, local amateur photographers have been sharing their images with the BBC Midlands Instagram page.

Image source, @andrew_martin_photography

Image caption, The park has open heathland, woodlands, lakes, wetlands, and marshes

Image source, @edphillips_media

Image caption, Sutton Park has been used for recreation since the 19th century when there were two horse racing courses in the park

Image source, @edphillips_media

Image caption, A railway line runs through the park, which once had its own station. The line is now used by freight trains

Image source, Elliott Brown

Image caption, The park is popular for a number of sports including mountain biking, sailing and canoeing

Image source, @kirstydown

Image caption, Sutton Park has seven lakes and thousands of anglers fish there every year

Image source, @marcusthomasuk

Image caption, In 1957, 35,000 scouts from 37 countries set up camp in the park for the World Jubilee Jamboree

Image source, @missclanger

Image caption, Wild ponies have grazed at Sutton Park for centuries

Image source, @photo_cynth

Image caption, The ponies graze on heathland, which covers 465 acres of parkland

Image source, @missis_teapot

Image caption, Sutton Park's Roman road is usually known as Ryknield Street and is about 1.5 miles (2.4km) long

Image source, @sean.a.rhodes

Image caption, In 1989, work began to restore the heathlands which saw large areas of birch trees and gorse cleared

Image source, @timmins_john

Image caption, There is a model aircraft flying field in Sutton Park. Pilots are members of the Sutton Park Model Aero Club

Image source, @victoria_beavon

Image caption, BBC Midlands Today will be turning the spotlight on the park on 28 June at 18:30 BST on BBC One

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