Posts tagged Warwickshire
Completing all Warwickshire parkruns

There are currently 6 parkrun events in present-day Warwickshire, of which I have not yet completed any. There are a further 6 parkrun events in the part of the historic county of Warwickshire which are now in the present-day ceremonial county of the West Midlands.

The first event in historic Warwickshire was Coventry which started on February 6th 2010. The newest is Holbrooks which started on August 5th 2023. I’m not aware of a collective name for having completed all Warwickshire parkrun events, but let me know in the comments below if you know of one.

Wolford Wood (now permanently cancelled) is sometimes listed in the South West England Region. The actual course was in Warwickshire, but it had a Moreton-in-Marsh postal address, which is in Gloucestershire.

Aston Hall, Dallas Burston Polo Club and Wolford Wood were parkrun events in Warwickshire that have been permanently cancelled.

Numbers exclude any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.

A map of all of the parkrun events in Warwickshire.

All of the Warwickshire parkrun events …

Below are each of the Warwickshire 5k parkrun events in alphabetical order. A few things to note:

  • The interactive maps below take you to the approximate location for the course, typically the centre of the park. See the course instructions in the parkrun page for each event for specific directions to the start.

  • Course maps and elevation profiles show the route at the time that I ran it and may have changed since then. See the Course page in the event’s page on parkrun.org.uk for the current course outline. Note that course outlines are from Garmin data during a specific run and may vary from the officially measured distance.

  • Please contact me if you spot an event that doesn’t have a course map and elevation profile and you would like to donate one from your own run. I’m also interested in maps and elevation profiles for courses that have changed or where there’s regular alternative route (e.g. Horsham). I’ll need a GPX file from your run plus the date. I’ll include a credit for you and will donate £1 to parkrun.

Aston Hall

  • This parkrun event has been permanently cancelled. I did not complete this event before it was closed.

  • Historic County: Warwickshire. Ceremonial County: West Midlands

  • Inaugural: October 14th 2023. Final event: #34 on August 24th 2024

  • Reason for cancellation: Due a lack of core team. The local football club foundation had invested heavily into the event and made commitments in the process which were then never fully fulfilled. Unfortunately, there is no nearby running club and the local community also didn’t embrace the arrival of parkrun. This meant despite lots of effort by the ambassadors and local other parkruns no core team was ever built and most runners each week were tourists being no regular volunteer base could be established.

  • Links: Event Home Page

 

Babbs Mill

 

Bedworth

 

Brueton

 

Coventry

 

Dallas Burston Polo Club

  • This parkrun event has been permanently cancelled. I did not complete this event before it was closed.

  • Historic County: Warwickshire. Ceremonial County: Warwickshire

  • Inaugural: October 16th 2021. Final event: #83 on November 25th 2023

  • Reason for cancellation: Due to ongoing land improvements and development at the estate, which made the parkrun route unusable and unsustainable.

  • Links: Event Home Page

 

Edgbaston Reservoir

 

Holbrooks

 

Kingsbury Water

 

Leamington

 

 Rugby

 

Stratford-upon-Avon

 

Sutton Park

 

Warwick Racecourse

 

Wolford Wood

More parkrun posts

parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.

Featured and popular parkrun posts:

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Richard gowerRun, parkrun, Warwickshire, EnglandComment
West Midlands High Points

The West Midlands, a Ceremonial County in the heart of England, was formed ass result of a series of political and administrative changes that took place over centuries. Before the creation of the West Midlands, the region was divided into Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, The Local Government Act of 1974 marked a significant turning point in the history of the West Midlands. This legislation abolished the existing county boundaries and created a new county, the West Midlands. Today the 7 sub-divisions of the West Midlands are Metropolitan Boroughs.

For county-top hill-baggers, the region is, be honest, not very interesting. There’s a few good views but they’re mostly drive-bys in areas you’re not likely to go to unless you lived there or had an obscure hill-bagging obsession. If you’re in the latter camp, here’s a guide to the high points of the West Midlands. Click on the Blog Post link for each summit shown below for details on each.

Birmingham

Highest Point: Rednall Hill North Top, 250m
Historic County of High Point: Worcestershire (of which Worcestershire Beacon is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP4411 - Lickey Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Birmingham), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the official flag of Birmingham

Coventry

Highest Point: Corley Moor, 167m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP2413 - Corley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Coventry), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the official flag of Coventry

Dudley

Highest Point: Cawney Hill, 251m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP1060 - Barrow Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Dudley), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Sandwell

Highest Point: Turner’s Hill, 271m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP6743 - Warley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Sandwell, Turner’s Hill), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Solihull

Highest Point: Meigh’s Wood, 185m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP3975 - Hollyberry End
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Solihull), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the work of jet_man1990

Walsall

Highest Point: Barr Beacon, 227m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: TP1049 - Barr Beacon Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Walsall, Barr Beacon), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Wolverhampton

Highest Point: Sedgley Beacon, 235m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP5243 - Orton Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Wolverhampton, Beacon Hill), Peakbagger
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

The Metropolitan Boroughs of West Midlands, with the highest points grouped by Historical County.
Note that not all of each Metropolitan Borough was fully inside each Historical County shown here.

Back to English County Tops Index
Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, England Comments
Meigh's Wood: Solihull High Point

Also known as: Boultbee's Wood
Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Solihull
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Barr Beacon
Historic County: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 185m
Date “climbed”: July 16th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 27' 32'' N, 1° 37' 9'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP3975 - Hollyberry End
Map: Coventry & Warwick Map | Weatherproof | Royal Leamington Spa & Kenilworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Active Map 221
Links: Wikipedia (Solihull), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Meigh’s Wood is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, within the Historic County of Warwickshire and in the Ceremonial County of West Midlands. It’s very close to Corley Moor, the high point of Coventry so it makes sense to bag them in the same trip

This one is a quick drive-by with parking in a layby off the B4102 Fillongley Road. This high point is deceptively named as it’s actually in Boultbee’s Wood which is on the opposite side of the A4102 from Meigh’s Wood. From the layby enter the woods and follow the fence on the northern boundary with the field. The high point is roughly half way along the boundary with the field. There’s nothing to mark the summit.

Back to West Midlands High Point Index
Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Warwickshire, EnglandComment
Corley Moor: Coventry High Point

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Coventry
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Meighs Wood
Historic County: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 167m
Date “climbed”: July 16th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 27' 39'' N, 1° 35' 16'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP2413 - Corley Resr
Map: Coventry & Warwick Map | Weatherproof | Royal Leamington Spa & Kenilworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Active Map 221
Links: Wikipedia (Coventry), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Corley Moor is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Coventry, within the Historic County of Warwickshire and on the border of the Ceremonial Counties of Warwickshire and West Midlands. It’s very close to Meigh’s Wood, the high point of Solihull so it makes sense to bag them in the same trip

This one is a quick drive-by with parking at the Bull and Butcher pub in Corley Moor village. From the pub walk down Wall Hill Road in a south-easterly direction to the brow of the hill outside Sunnyside Farm. Nothing spectacular here.

Back to West Midlands High Points Index
Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Warwickshire, EnglandComment
Cycling The Grand Union Canal
Braunston Junction

Braunston Junction

Starting an 85 miles off-road cycle ride with an epic hangover probably wasn’t a great idea. The 2-day, 150 mile, Grand Union Canal cycle trip was tough enough anyway.

The trip was the main training weekend for the Lands End to John O’Groats trip in July. The plan was to travel up to Birmingham on the Friday night, start cycling on the Saturday morning, and arrive at the end-point in London with an over-night stay in Milton Keynes. That was the plan anyway. Six of us started, one of us finished.

Day 1: Birmingham to Milton Keynes

Start: Old Turn Junction, Birmingham, B1 2HL
Finish: Campbell Park, 1300 Silbury Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD
Distance: 128 km ( 80 miles)
Elevation Change: + 696m / - 766m. Net -70m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Grand Union Canal Walk, Millstream Way, Millennium Way, Heart of England Way, Shakespeare’s Avon Way, Centenary Way, Oxford Canal Walk, Jurassic Way, Nene Way, Macmillan Way, Midshires Way, Ouse Valley Way, Swans Way
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 41, 50, 5, 51, 535, 6 / Hanslope Circular Ride
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (220) Birmingham, Walsall, Solihull and Redditch
- OS Explorer Map (221) Coventry and Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa and Kenilworth
- OS Explorer Map (222) Rugby and Daventry, Southam and Lutterworth
- OS Explorer Map (223) Northampton and Market Harborough
- OS Explorer Map (207) Newport Pagnell and Northampton South
- OS Explorer Map (192) Buckingham and Milton Keynes

The Friday night in Birmingham was the first time the “Land's End 6” had properly got together. I got a little over-excited by the event and drank far too much wine, hence the spectacular hangover the next day. This was very much a learning weekend for the group, and I learned my main lesson very early on.

On Saturday morning, we headed off in two groups. Neil and I started first, getting to the official start at Salford Junction (tucked directly underneath the massive concrete pillars of the M6 Spaghetti Junction) early so we could take a detour to Edgbaston for parkrun. The other four were just behind us, completely not feeling the need to do a 5k run on top of the 85 miles that day.

The run was fine, a nice park with a friendly crowd, and would have been perfect if my head wasn't about to explode halfway round. By 10:00 am, we were finally back on the canal, heading towards the others who were at least an hour further ahead.

After a promising start, we soon hit a diversion where the 200-year-old towpath was closed for maintenance. A quick look at the guidebook reassured us that we could do a small detour by road and get back on the canal at the next bridge, but somehow we ended up cycling aimlessly around grotty industrial estates before two kind ladies took pity on us and pointed us back to the water.

Given their head-start, we didn't expect to see the other group until very late in the day. We actually caught them up just after lunch, about 40 miles in, mending what turned out to be Martyn's second of seven punctures. We had hit a beautiful but brutal 15-mile section where the hawthorn hedges had recently been aggressively trimmed. The thorns, which were previously part of the hedge, were now scattered across the towpath and were finding their way deep into everyone's tyres.

The next three hours were an absolute inner-tube bloodbath, with another 14 punctures across the group. Every time one was fixed, we would set off again, and someone else would immediately get a flat. It wasn't long before Brian had the great suggestion of splitting into two groups of three. That way, one group could make some progress while the other fixed punctures. I went ahead with Neil and Reggie and made it just three miles short of Braunston Junction before Neil's very last inner tube blew. He was in absolutely no mood to repair it, so he walked his bike the final few miles to meet us at the pub. (Braunston is famously the busy "Piccadilly Circus" of the canal network, where the Grand Union and Oxford Canals meet).

By now, it was clear that we needed a Plan B. The other group was still eight miles back and not making much progress, having already decided to abandon the canal and take the roads to Milton Keynes. We were further ahead but had no spare inner tubes left for Neil's bike. Because his wheels were a different size to Reggie's and mine, his only option was to get a taxi to Halfords in the next town to stock up!

By 18:30, we were back in action with 30 miles of road cycling to reach the hotel in Milton Keynes. With only one more puncture along the way, we made it to the hotel by 21:30. The other group had arrived shortly before us and had wisely already made it to the bar, ready for beers and a post-ride debrief.

Day 1 Elevation

Day 1 Elevation

Day 2: Milton Keynes to Brentford

Start: Campbell Park, 1300 Silbury Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD
Finish: The Brewery Tap, 47 Catherine Wheel Rd, Brentford, TW8 8BD
Distance: 95.4 km (59 miles)
Elevation Change: +392m / -460 m. Net -68m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Greensand Ridge Walk, Two Ridges Link, The Ridgeway, Chiltern Way, Hertfordshire Way, Colne Valley Trail, Hillingdon Trail, London Loop, Beeches Way, Shakespeare’s Way, Capital Ring, Thames Path
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 6, 61 / Tring Route 5, Berkhamsted Route 6, Chilterns Cycleway
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (192) Buckingham and Milton Keynes
- OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
- OS Explorer Map (182) St. Albans and Hatfield
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
- OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
- OS Explorer Map (161) London South, Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham
- OS Explorer Map (173) London North, The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford

It became clear very quickly that I was going to be entirely on my own for Day 2. The others had burned through all of their inner tubes, and continuing along the towpath would have been too risky. It was also a Sunday, so waiting for the local bike shops to open would have meant far too late a start. No one seemed too bothered, though, as the prospect of a leisurely breakfast and a smooth, on-road cycle to the nearest train station was much more appealing to them than another day in the saddle.

That night, I slept so deeply that I had absolutely no idea where I was or what day it was when I woke up. Once I finally gathered my bearings, I set off to tackle the remaining 60 miles to Brentford.

The towpath south from Milton Keynes turned out to be significantly better than our Day 1 experience. Apart from a couple of grassy miles near Leighton Buzzard, it was a solid, well-maintained, and thankfully thorn-free route all the way. I made great progress, reaching Berkhamsted by noon, where a friend joined me for the final 35 miles.

This last section was on home ground for me, and I had cycled or run many parts of it before. We reached the end of the canal at Brentford Lock just after 16:00. As with the start of the canal at Salford Junction, the end was wonderfully underwhelming. Despite these being the two extreme ends of one of Britain's greatest Georgian engineering masterpieces, there is barely a plaque to celebrate the achievement!

As a learning experience, the weekend did exactly its job. The group had its first long-distance cycle trip together and got excellent experience in rapid puncture repairs, knowing what not to pack, and learning how to adapt when things completely fall apart. Because of my slime-filled tyres, I didn't get the puncture repair experience, but I definitely learned not to ride 85 miles on a massive hangover!

route-26639870-map-full.png
Day 2 Elevation

Day 2 Elevation

The Complete Route

The full 2-day route (excluding diversions)

The Movie

Tips for Cycling The Grand Union Canal

The Route

End-to-end the canal is ~150 miles and makes a challenging 2 day or a more leisurely 3 day trip. For either option I recommend Birmingham to Braunston (approx 50 miles) as the target for Day 1. This is the toughest section with the highest chance of punctures so planning to go any further is risky. Braunston is a major junction on the canal and all milestones from London point to it so it makes a good target for a single day. On a 2-day trip Braunston to Brentford is very long but significantly easier than Day 1 due to better paths. For a 3 day trip, Leighton Buzzard is a good Half-way point between Braunston and Brentford.

The Bikes

A mountain bike is essential for this trip due to the "rural" surface for much of the first section. If you can avoid the few weeks after hedge-cutting it will cut down on punctures, but you should expect to get some. Make sure you have good tyres with a healthy tread and ideally use a puncture-proof set. I used Slime inner-tube which self-seal around most punctures. I'm sure that this was a major reason why I was the only one one the group not to get a puncture on the whole trip. Take at least 2 spare inner tubes plus tyre levers etc.

Food and Drink

There's large stretches of the canal without pubs or shops. Although you'll get to a pub eventually its essential to carry enough water and snacks to keep you going. 

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Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Canal, Thames, London, England, Chilterns, Colne Valley, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex Comments
Ebrington Hill: Warwickshire County Top

Significance: Highest peak in Warwickshire (Traditional CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleve Hill. NHN = Bredon Hill
Elevation: 261m
Date climbed: 13th December 2013
Coordinates:  52°04′54″N 1°43′38″W 
Route Start / End: layby near radio transmitter at junction of Cotswold Link and country road between Park Lane and Nebsworth Lane
Route Distance: 0.1 km (0.1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 0m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Cotswold Link
Other routes touched (cycle): none
Map: OS Explorer Map (205) Stratford-upon-Avon and Evesham
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Warwickshire), Wikipedia (Ebrington Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagger

This County Top can be done as a very quick drive-by if, as I was, you’re short on time and on the way to somewhere else. There’s parking space for a couple of cars at the transmitter station. Don’t worry too much about whether you’ll find a parking space. You’ll soon find out when you get there why this isn’t one of England’s Top Ten tourist attractions.

There’s a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee boundary stone by the transmitter. From here, cross the road following the Cotswold Link and take a bearing using the coordinates above to reach the high point of Warwickshire. Retrace your steps to the car, get in and drive somewhere more interesting.

If you have the time a more interesting way to bag this would be as part of a long distance walk on the Cotswold Link.

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Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Warwickshire, EnglandComment