A Coventry Way

Over three days of the 2018 Easter weekend I walked "A Coventry Way" a 40 mile circular route around Coventry. This was the first time I have completed a distance path and the first time I've done 10+ miles a day over consecutive days.

Day one Bretford to Corley 14.5 miles.
Day two Corley to Kenilworth 12.5 miles.
Day three Kenilworth to Bretford 13 miles plus a few diversions due to flooded paths.

Information regarding the route can be found here.

We have had an awful lot of rain and a lot of the ground was very wet and muddy. In two places the path was completely impassable. However, it was a great walk to do and a real achievement. Easter Sunday marked three years since I returned to work.

Brinklow Castle mound

Coventry's Ricoh Arena in the distance

Muddy trousers at the end of day one

Stoneleigh Church

Stoneleigh Park - first part of the path that was impassable

Stoneleigh Park - when I managed to get to the other side (via the road)

Bubbenhall Church

The River Avon between Ryton and Wolston - also impassable - another diversion via the road required!

The Sowe Valley Footpath

This footpath follows the River Sowe in Coventry from Hawksbury Junction to Whitley.

You won't find this marked on an OS map but a leaflet is available in pdf form from here.

I haven't walked the entire footpath as yet which is about 12 miles but I have walked sections as circular routes from where I live.

One walk circular walk I did in March 2018 is known as the Walsgrave-Caludon Circle.

Walsgrave-Caludon Circle follows the brown route

Once you add on the distance from my house this was about 6 miles.

Two points of interest are the remains of the 14th Century Caludon Castle and the church of St Mary Magdalene which is the oldest parish church in Coventry. I was very lucky with the weather.

Remains of Caludon Castle

More info on the castle

St Mary Magdalene's

St Mary Magdalene's

Walk Five - To Brinklow

This is a slightly longer walk, approx 5 miles. Again starting at the lay-by next to the stadium.

Retrace the steps of walk four skirting Birchley Wood and past Birchley Farm. Take the path to the right past Brinklow Quarry and on towards Brinklow until reaching Heath Lane. Here turn right along the lane where it eventually becomes a bridle path (ignoring the ACW path). You come to a point where you have to turn right. Shortly afterwards turn left and then right again to head back towards the stadium.

Taken from Brinklow. The antenna can be seen in the distance

Cottage Farm. To the left of the picture you can just make out the tower of St John the Baptist Church, Brinklow

The weather has still been rubbish with lots of rain but the April 2018 walk did at least show signs of spring:

Towards Birchley Farm

Bluebells

On another walk I did with my son that covered some of this walk, my son spotted an old car. We couldn't work out how it got there as the path is a bridleway.

Walk Four - Coombe #2

This walk also starts from the lay-by next to the stadium and also incorporates Twelve O'Clock Ride. It is approx 4 miles and I first did this in March 2018.

From the lay-by walk north along the Twelve O'Clock Ride to the entrance to Coombe Abbey. Turn right along the B4428 before turning left onto Coombe Fields Rd. After about 500m take a path on the right across a field heading back towards the B4428. This field was incredibly muddy when I did this in March. Once at the B4428 cross the road picking up the path on the opposite side heading towards Birchley Farm. You stay on this path skirting Birchley Wood back to the lay-by.

Daffodils at the entrance to Coombe Abbey

Birchley Farm

The path along Birchley Wood

For the April walk, the weather had finally improved!

Towards Birchley Farm

Twelve O'Clock Ride

New Close Wood

The May Coombe #2 walk was on a lovely sunny day. This photo is looking towards Birchley Wood from Merton Hall Farm.

Walk Three - Wolston, Bretford and Brandon

This walks starts in the village of Wolston and incorporates a short section of "A Coventry Way" (ACW), more about that later. It is approx 4 miles and I did it for the first time in March 2018.

From Wolston you follow ACW path past The Priory and under the railway bridge to Marston Hall Farm. You then follow the River Avon to the road to Bretford. At Bretford, you take the left hand path (not ACW) past the trig point from Walk one. Rather than follow that path all the way back to the stadium, head south to the bend in the A428. There is a short walk along the A428 before heading across a field to Brandon. Head towards the Royal Oak where you pick up the Centenary Way back to Wolston.

Photos from March 2018

The Priory

The Railway Bridge

Towards the River Avon from Marston Hall Farm

Marston Hall Farm

Looking south towards Brandon Grange Farm

Two bridges over the River Avon

It was a very misty day for the April walk ...

The River Avon

The trig point to the right

Photos from the May walk show some crops coming through:

Towards Brandon Grange Farm

That trig point again

Walk Two - Coombe #1

The walk is probably the least exciting of the walks as it has the most road walking. However, its main advantage is that I can do it from my front door, so no driving. It is approx 4 miles and my first time doing the walk for this blog was in March 2018 when there was snow on the ground. I also did the same walk a few days later after more snowfall.

I pick up the B4428 and walk as far as Coombe Abbey before turning south onto the Centenary Way (this particular section is known as Twelve O'clock Ride locally) through New Close Wood. You can either cut the corner and take the right hand path through the wood or carry on to go closer to the stadium. You then take the A428 back towards Coventry.

Photos from March 2018

Snow on Twelve O'Clock Ride

Across the fields from Twelve O'Clock Ride

A few days later - more snow

More snow across the fields

The April walk was drizzly rather than snowy!

New Close Wood

For the May walk it was still quite wet but at least we are seeing signs of Spring now.

New Close Wood

Stream in New Close Wood

Entrance to Coombe Abbey