Kenilworth Railway Station, Rail Trails

Start : Kenilworth Railway Station (CV8 1JJ) Grid ref. SP 292 717

(S/E) Leave Kenilworth Railway Station and carefully cross Priory Road ahead. Turn left along the road before turning right into Station Road. Follow the road as it bends to the left and continue ahead until you reach the junction with Warwick Road.

(1) Turn right and continue ahead past the Clock tower and Abbey End until reaching the War Memorial overlooking Abbey Fields.

(2) Turn sharp left and follow Forest Road downhill along the edge of Abbey Fields to Borrowwell Lane (B4103).

(3) Turn right and cross the road at the crossing and continue in the same direction for 30 metres before turning left on a small road with a red post box on the corner.

Bear right at a fork behind houses and continue ahead to reach a woodland. Follow the path through the woods staying above the ditch to your right. On leaving the woods turn left down the track to reach a wide gap with the adjacent gate right.

(4) Take the gap and immediately go half right to take a gate leading onto a grassy passage signposted Rouncil Lane 1 1⁄4 miles. After 150 yards you reach a solitary waypost on your right.

(5) Continue straight ahead keeping the hedge right. Continue along to take a metal gate and exit the next large field by a metal kissing gate. Keep to the right hand path and stay with the hedge right, then go through a gap in the corner of the field and ahead keeping the hedge left.

(6) Just before the end of the field go through the metal gate left and continue with the hedge left. On reaching the hedge corner stay ahead across the centre of the field to take a wide gap in the distance. Stay slightly right across the field towards a white house, partially obscured by trees, to find and take the kissing gate to a farm track.

(7) Turn right and continue under power lines to reach the main road. Stay ahead and where the road bends sharp left go ahead through a metal kissing gate into the field staying ahead with the fence left. The track continues between fences eventually to bear left to the corner kissing gate. Take the kissing gate and bear slightly right through the scrub.

(8) Take a wooden footbridge over the brook, then through a kissing gate to turn left. Keep the hedge and brook left.

(9) Take the next bridge left over the brook and then ahead through a metal gate and up next field. Take the next gate ahead then turn immediately right along the bridleway keeping the hedge right. Continue through the gated hedge gap to reach the field corner.

(10) Take a metal gate right, under the power lines, then follow the blue bridleway marker into the right-hand field to go left and continue on the cinder track with the hedge left to the end of the field.

At the end of the field, by a large metal gate, turn right along the field bridleway but continue with the hedge and fence right. Go through a corner metal gate and ahead with the hedge and fence right to reach a field corner gate. Take the gate and go immediately left to continue gently up the farm track between trees ahead.

(11) Stay ahead on the surfaced track, past Deer Park Farm entrance left.

(12) When you reach the corner of wood ahead go left through a metal gate and continue down a wide bridleway keeping the hedge left. Eventually, pass through a large metal gate on the left and continue on the same line now with a hedge right to pass under power lines. Stay ahead to pass the left of farm buildings.

(13) Take the metal gate right following the bridleway sign. After a few steps go left and stay along surfaced track leaving Goodrest Farm behind you. Stay ahead on the surfaced track to reach Rouncil Lane.

(14) Go right on the lane for 50 paces and take the metal gate left. Go with the hedge right and a wooden fence left to follow the field edge cinder track and exit by the corner gap. Stay ahead with the hedge right to exit via a metal gate then ahead with the hedge right to the end of the field. Take the metal gate then ahead.

(15) Pass Oaks Farm to the corner a concrete bridge. Cross the bridge, walk ahead to take a gate, then ahead, across a field, to take a second metal gate. Stay ahead with the fence right (ignore the kissing gate right to the playing fields) to take the metal gate then ahead with the hedge right to eventually pass a dew pond reaching a solitary waypost just ahead.

(5) Go right along the wide grassy corridor between the hedge left and fence right to exit by a gate to a driveway. Turn left and then right into woods back to Borrowell Lane.

(3) Turn right onto Borrowell Lane and continue uphill without crossing until you reach the Clock tower and can retrace your steps to the Station.(S/E)

Start : Kenilworth Railway Station (CV8 1JJ) Grid ref. SP 292 717

Refreshments : This is a very rural walk so make sure to stock up on provisions before you leave town. You’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants and pubs around Warwick Road and the Old High Street, including the venerable Virgins & Castle, and the Michelin starred The Cross. You can also grab a cocktail at Pomeroy’s inside the facade of Kenilworth’s original 1844 train station!

Transport: Kenilworth is served by trains running between Leamington and Nuneaton via Coventry with connections onwards to Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham and London. Trains run hourly in both directions seven days a week.
Toilets and refreshments are available at this station.

The Virgins & Castle: Worth the extra hike across Abbey Fields for sure! Kenilworth’s oldest pub has been serving since 1563, (and possibly earlier!) so there’s absolutely no reason not to pop in for a venerable pint, delicious food or a cracking Sunday Roast.

Pomeroy’s: Despite being housed in the sandstone facade of Kenilworth’s very first station (from 1844) you can ease back in some modern ambience at Pomeroy’s. The food great but we’d go for a well earned cocktail!

Discover the Heart of England by rail at Heart Community Rail Trail here.

Kenilworth Castle: Don’t miss the 900 year old star of Kenilworth’s show! You’ll uncover the story of the longest medieval siege on English soil and the “romance” of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley. Ascend to the heights above the Great Hall for the best view in town!
A visit to the glorious gothic ruin gets you an insight into 900 years of history replete with royalty, sieges and romance! A good portion of this walk would have been underwater! The Mere was a 1.2km long and 152m man-made lake, flooded in medieval times for the defence of Kenilworth Castle. It was drained after the castle fell to Parliamentary forces in the Civil War.

Kenilworth is home to no less than five Nature Reserves (and that’s not even including Abbey Fields)!

Abbey Fields: Linger in the 68 acres of beautiful parkland at Abbey Fields, right in the heart of town. It’s perfect for a picnic, bird spotting, a quiet stroll or entertaining the kids at its top notch playground.

Faerie Tale Farm: You are going to walk right past the fluffy devils, so why not make some time post-walk for an Alpaca Experience? You’ll meet the herd, feed the youngsters and wander with your very own Alpaca!

WW2 Anti Aircraft Battery: You’ll only be able to view it over the gate, but take some time to marvel at the remains of the Bannerhill Battery; four 3.7” gun positions, constructed in 1940 as part of the defence of Coventry during the Blitz.