Harwoodonline - Homepage
News : Formula 1 : Walking : Table Tennis : Bellringing : My Friends : My Guestbook : CV : Links
Derek's Lifetime of Walks - Homepage

LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD


Derek Harwood's Walking Records

If you have any queries about the pictures or descriptions e-mail me at: derek@harwoodonline.com

                      A COVENTRY WAY
                                 Crackley to Meriden

Tuesday 8th February 2011 .............................Walk No. 847
7th April 2003 - National Trust Sutton Hoo Mask

Cousins Walks No. 1                                    Total 8.0 miles


Time Taken:  3:50 hrs           Distance:             Enjoyment:           Weather: Warm
  10:00 to 13:30                      6.0 miles                     85%                            in Sun

Temp:     Cloud:         Rain:        Visibility:      Ground Conditions:           Nature:
  9oC          25%             0%            Good                 Good                         Buzzard
 
Total AA:       Total MH:     Total LD:        Total AW:      Other:       Total Distance:
1086.5 mls     931.5 mls     2593.5 mls       162.0  mls    1331.5 mls     6105.0 miles

Companions:  (Derek) Ken

Points of Interest and LINKS:
A Coventry Way     		   	Crackley Wood		 Beechwood Tunnel  
St Laurence's Church		The Queen's Head		 Meriden  
Description:
We caught the X17 bus to Crackley, Kenilworth and started the walk on the first section of the Coventry Way along the Kenilworth Greenway. The Greenway is the bed of an old railway track which used to link the old Coventry to Leamington branch line with the main Coventry to Birmingham line, from Crackley to Berkswell station, by-passing Coventry railway station. It was easy to stride out on the wide tarmac track, with only cyclists and horses to watch for. There was an interesting information board and seat and/or horse mount. We soon passed the new metal kissing gate at the entrance to Crackley Wood, with the local wildlife information board just inside the wood. Most of the Greenway is in a cutting, or bordered by trees. This was ideal for the route of the proposed (HS2) High Speed 2 train between London and Birmingham; time will tell. After several over bridges we turned off the track bed on a footpath across fields to Beechwood Farm and the main railway line to the west of Beechwood Tunnel. We turned left over Bridge 334 by West Tunnel entrance towards Carol Green Village. We crossed several more fields in the pleasant sunshine to Benton Green Village, then right on Board Lane, watching for traffic to Hill Cottage and the entrance to Hill House Farm. There were no hills anywhere to be seen. We stopped for lunch on a convenient crude seat in sight of Hill House Farm, with midges swarming close by. We joined the route of the 'Heart of England Way' and the 'West Midlands Way' on the footpath near Blind Hall House on the footpath to Meriden Village. We passed several ponds with unidentified creatures escaping from view. We arrived at Meriden Church with a good view of Birmingham City on the skyline and several interesting timber period houses by the church. We descended the slope from the church to the Queen's Head public house and a welcome pint of beer at the end of the walk. By chance the landlord of the pub explained that the bus route to Coventry had temporarily changed because of an unsafe local bridge, which meant we had to walk to the other side of the village green, by the village cross, to the bus stop in use. We passed many bus stops which weren't in use.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Start at Crackley. Finish at Meriden

Hazards: None.

Click Here to go to the Next Coventry Way Walk
Click Here to Return to 'Lifetime of Walks' Homepage
Derek's Lifetime of Walks - Homepage

Previous Walk : Next Walk : Cousin's Index : Favourite Walk : 'Lake District' Photos
News : Formula 1 : Walking : Table Tennis : Bellringing : My Friends : My Guestbook : CV : Links

Derek Harwood: Copyright 2009
Revised: June 2022