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Cancer Research U.K. Walk
6th
May 2006
Meriden to Warwick – Approximately 15 miles.
Two days
before this walk the weather was amazing. The sun shone and the heat was
almost to the best standards of high summer. Jeff, who organises the travel
arrangements and refreshments with his wife Lin, and I were concerned
that it might be too hot and we were hopeful that the weather would get
a little cooler on the day of the walk. It seems we were not to be disappointed
as weather forecasts indicated rain would be visiting most of England
on the Saturday. However, at 10 a.m. Meriden, the starting point of the
walk, was bathed in sunshine and it was difficult to even consider that
we might be having rainfall.
You will note that this year we had decided to abandon the local canal
infrastructure for the walk and, as this would result in the route being
less obvious, I put together some directions based on my experience of
parts of the route, a quick drive round the lanes that the route would
cross and examination of the relevant O.S. Map. It was therefore very
much a relief to find out that two of the regular walkers, Bridget and
her husband Gary, had walked the route the weekend before and considered
my instructions easy to follow, even without a map, and thought the scenery
to be very good. However, I was concerned as it had taken them more than
30 minutes longer than my estimated timings.
The
route details are below (in black) interspersed
with comments, pictures etc.
If you would like to see a copy of the route as a saveable PDF file
Click here
The
route of the walk is covered by the Ordnance Survey
Explorer Map for Coventry
and Warwickshire - No. 221.
The
route follows, for the most part, the Coventry Way to Kenilworth and the
Centenary Way from Kenilworth to Warwick
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The Centre of England
Monument on the Green in Meriden. |
1.
The walk starts from the Monument on the Green in
Meriden (The
Centre of England). This is approximately 1 mile from the Coventry
Way which is reached by walking east along the B4102.
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Adjusting rucksacks
and enjoying the sun before "The Off" |
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Jeff and Gary leading
the way as we leave the Centre of England Monument. |
2.
This part of the route, which is on pavements, passes
the road to Berkswell (on the right). We go right at the next turn into
Church Lane.
3.
Walk up Church Lane (South) and immediately
after the lane bears left take the second of two paths on the right.
The one you want will be marked as being the Coventry Way and at
this point it is also the Heart of England Way. (Total Distance
walked approximately 1 mile)
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Walking up Church
Lane. |
4.
Follow this path southward for approximately .75
mile until a road is reached (Back Lane). Cross this and continue
southwards along the track on the other side of the road.
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Approaching Back
Lane - left to right Sandra, Jez, Sandra and John. |
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I wonder what this
sheep would say if it could talk? |
5.
After about .5 mile, at a crossing of paths, we leave
the Heart of England Way (it goes straight on). Our route goes
left (east). .25 mile further on a track is reached by Hill House
Farm where we go right and shortly afterwards we reach Broad Lane (Shown as Coventry Road on some maps).
(Total distance walked approximately 2.6 miles)
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On the Coventry Way approaching Benton
Green Lane.
The leading five are Bridget, Jeff,
Richard, Chris and Paula.
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6.
At Broad Lane (Coventry Road) turn
right and in about 100 metres turn left into Benton Green Lane.
TAKE CARE - THERE ARE NO PAVEMENTS - FACE ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
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Walking along Benton
Green Lane - left to right Richard, Bridget and Jeff. |
7.
Follow the lane for .25 mile and as the lane bends
to the left follow the signs on the right indicating the Coventry Way.
In .5 mile, at a crossing of paths, turn left and within .25 mile, at
another crossing of paths, turn right and in approximately .3 mile the
road is reached at Carol Green. (Total distance walked approximately
4 miles)
8.
At Carol Green turn left and immediately right
into Truggist Lane. In about 50
metres, turn left into Hodgetts Lane.. Follow Hodgetts Lane until the bridge
over the railway is reached.
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The
Railway Bridge at Hodgetts Lane - Jeff and Richard with with Chris
and Paula behind them. |
9.
Cross the Railway Bridge
and immediately turn right along a private road, which is also a Public
Right of Way. There are Coventry Way signs indicating the route.
10.
Look for a path
on the left, follow it and within in .3 mile the disused railway line
is reached. Here turn left and follow the “track”.
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Speckled light along
the disused railway track. |
11.
In about .2 mile,
the “track”, goes under a road bridge and under another road bridge at
Burton Green (a distance of 1 mile along the track).
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Further along the
"Track". |
12.
In just under 1.5
miles after Burton Green a road bridge is crossed at Hollis Lane.
– The bridge is easily identifiable from the white graffiti which includes
“Coventry City FC” and “Viva Communista”
on the left hand wall – Once over descend the steps on the right to Hollis
Lane. (Total distance
walked approximately 7.4 miles).
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So I'm about to
take this photo and suddenly it seems everyone is more interested
in watching Sandra have a drink. Strange!! |
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The view from the
bridge over Hollis Lane. |
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Descending off the
bridge over Hollis Lane. |
13.
Here turn left
and follow the lane for approximately 1 mile until Beehive Hill/Fieldgate Lane is reached.
.
14. Turn left into
Fieldgate Lane (Take care crossing the road) and follow it (ignoring
the turn left into Upper Spring Lane) until the traffic lights are reached.
Here turn right and follow the road (High Street) towards Kenilworth
Castle and the refreshment stop at the Queen and Castle Inn.
You will now have completed
about 9.1 miles.
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Lin, and her sister
Carol, getting the food ready in the car park of the Queen and
Castle for the 30 plus hungry and thirsty walkers who started
striding into the pub car park at about 12.30 p.m. approximately
30 minutes earlier than was anticipated. Obviously having Bridget
and Gary near the front, who already knew the way, had made a significant
difference
The lunch break signified
the end of the beautiful sunny weather we had enjoyed during the
morning as now the sky was getting overcast and spots of rain were
being felt. So having enjoyed the excellent refreshments most of
us put waterproofs on before continuing. |
15. Follow the path
to the Car Park to the left of “the Castle” and follow the signs at the
far end of the car park indicating the Centenary Way, which is
followed back to War wick From the Castle it is about 2 miles to Rouncil Lane (Total distance to this point
is approximately 11.1 miles)
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Between Kenilworth
Castle and Rouncil Lane this Llama, or is it an Alpaca,
was spotted in a field with a number of sheep. |
16.
At Rouncil
Lane the Centenary Way goes left and follows the road for about .2
mile until a footpath is reached towards the end of a lay-by on the right
hand side of the road.
N.B. there are right of way signs but no indication that it is the Centenary
Way.
Follow this footpath across a cultivated field before entering woodland.
Immediately turn right in the woodland and follow the path – the field,
which you have just left, has its boundary with the woodland a few metres
to the right of the path.
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Sandra and Sandra
crossing the cultivated field. Behind the trees is the
headquarters of the Warwickshire Police at Leek Wootton. |
17. Soon after a golf
course comes into view – The Warwickshire – and the path goes slightly
left before crossing a wooden bridge over a water hazard. Cross the bridge
and follow the path right – still in woodland - before going through a
gate and turning left.
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Crossing the bridge
over the water hazard. |
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Still in the woodland,
Jeff walks alongside the bluebells that were growing in profusion. |
18.
Having come out
of the woodland continue straight ahead with a hedge on the left, which
separates you from the golf course. Continue with the hedge on the left
until more woodland is reached.
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Entering the second
woodland area, located to the east of the Wedgnock Rifle Range. |
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More bluebells in
the woodland near the Rifle Range. |
19.
Having gone through
this woodland, the path emerges by the side of the Golf Course - by an
electricity pylon - and the route continues in generally the same direction
with the hedgerow now on the right.
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Almost home - St.
Mary's Church in Warwick seen in the distance through the drizzle
that had accompanied us from Kenilworth. |
20.
Pass into a field
and follow the obvious path anticlockwise along two sides of the field
until a gate is reached, Go through the gate and follow path through field.
21.
Pass a large house
on the left and soon after, having crossed another field, a lane is reached.
Here turn left and follow this lane over the War wick Bypass to the Coventry
Road. Total distance to this point
is approximately 13.8 miles
22. At the Coventry
Road turn right and continue towards War
wick Just before
the Railway Bridge is reached
turn right along a path and in approximately .25 mile take the path left,
under the Railway Bridge and uphill with
the WCC Car Park on the right. Cross over Cape Road passing the Police
Station on the left and turn the corner right to the Staff Club.
Having made
good time during both the morning and afternoon the leading walkers reached
the finishing point at the W.C.C. Staff Club in Warwick over 30 minutes
before the anticipated arrival time of 4.00 p.m. But the doors were soon
open and a sit down was enjoyed, accompanied by a favourite tipple, before
everyone partook of the excellent spread prepared by Lin. A very satisfactory
end to a very enjoyable walk.
Thanks
to the generosity of the walkers and their sponsors £3,423.60 was
raised. This is, by far, the highest amount we have ever raised on one
of these walks. Superb.
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