From Meer End and Kenilworth Castle, Millenium Way

Start: Tipperary Inn, Meer End, CV8 1PW Grid Ref: SP244 744

(S/E) Leave the Tipperary Inn car park to the main road ( A4177) and turn right in the direction of Warwick for 100 yards to take the public footpath left through a metal gate. Keep ahead between the fence and hedge to take the kissing gate right to the field.

(1) Go left with a hedge to pass houses left then across drive following the yellow waymarker through the metal gate by a pond right. Cross over the next drive to take the two gates through the paddock area across the track keeping the bungalow left to take the next gate.

Continue between the hedge and wooden fence, take gates across the driveway into a small paddock. Take the wooden waymarked kissing gate directly ahead past the cottage left following the yellow waymarker. Go through a metal kissing gate staying between hedge and wire fence to the next drive by corner barn.

Go left then right across the stream through a large wooden gate continuing ahead over a ditch on a well defined path. Take another metal kissing gate, go past Blenheim Barn on your left to take the kissing gate right continuing along a partly boarded footpath. Go through two further metal gates then go left on a bridleway along a lovely woodland path.

(2) Keep ahead on the well defined path through the wood (often muddy) eventually emerging by a damaged way post into a large field to continue right with trees right, along the path which runs alongside a narrow wood.

Go through the gap ahead at the field corner and turn left to stay on the bridleway, keeping the hedge left. Stay ahead passing to the right of green silos and metal barn to join the farm access track. Walk right along the track, under power lines, towards the wood then, after 100 yards, turn right (by waymarker at the corner of wood) downhill on a wide track keeping wood left to reach crossroads of paths where you will find a waymarker post.

(3) Turn left by waymarker post and keep along side of the field keeping hedge left keeping in the same direction for some while. Stay ahead through the gap into the next field keeping the hedge left. Cross plank bridge at field corner and continue into next field going under power lines. Go through a kissing gate and continue with the hedge right.

(4) Take the next kissing gate, go across the track following the yellow waymarker then go 1/4 left to reach and cross a small wooden footbridge, sometimes waterlogged, ( there is a rudimentary waypost here ) passing by some earthworks on your left, known as The Pleasance, to exit by corner wooden kissing gate adjacent to a telegraph pole. Here you will find an information board giving an interesting account of "The Pleasance" the remains of which are still visible. It was constructed by Henry V in 1414 as a moated pleasure garden.

(5) Continue along a well defined tree covered path eventually passing High House Farm on your right. Kenilworth Castle will soon come into view. At the rise continue gently downhill towards the castle keeping a look out for a footpath left. Access this footpath by a metal kissing gate signed Chase Lane 3/4 mile.

(6) Go diagonally half left up the field to the gap. Go through the gap and take the well defined left hand footpath keeping ahead to take mid hedge kissing gate then across the field to find the copse at the field corner. Enter the copse and exit by kissing the gate to the field. Go with the hedge right to find the kissing gate right. Take the gate and go 1/2 left diagonally across the field towards houses, keeping the farm buildings on your far left to reach and take the kissing gate to the road.

(7) Go right on the road for 10 paces taking the kissing gate left to the field (signposted Meer End). Continue with the hedge left to the field corner. Cross the ditch bridge left and go through small copse then ahead with hedge left.

Go through the next copse then down the field to find a mid field gap with the ditch. Cross the ditch and go directly across the field to hedge where you will find a waymarker post. At the hedge go left around field edge with hedge right to exit by the wide field corner gap with another waypost.

(8) Bear right to continue around the edge of the next field keeping the hedge right. Go through the gap ahead and immediately left keeping hedge left to pass under power cables ahead. 100 yards after passing under the power cables watch out for the waymarker post and bear right across field in direction of the house to the field corner. Continue with hedge left past houses and follow waymarker sign left passing by side of copse adjacent to houses to reach driveway.

(9) At the driveway turn right walking away from Rudfyn Manor and continue along for 100 yards to reach a track entering from the right. At this point turn immediately left to cross the field, passing 10 yards to the left of a large solitary oak tree.

Stay ahead across the centre of the field aiming for a yellow topped waypost by the field corner edge where you again find a distinctive black Millennium Way waymarker. Follow the waymarker very slightly right then after 10 paces take gap left then immediately right to stay up the field with hedge right. Follow around field edge up the field to far mid hedge stile.

(10) Take the stile and go over the ditch bridge. Bear left to way post following waymarker across the centre of next field to find waymarker and kissing gates. Take both kissing gates and go ahead with the hedge right to find a mid field kissing gate/footbridge on right. Ignore this kissing gate because at this point we leave The Millennium Way. Instead, stay ahead keeping the hedge right to take a wide corner gap to reach a large locked gate ( Oakwood Security ).

(11) Turn right here by side of the gate down a gravel path past a large green metal barn on the left emerging on to the track. Stay ahead following yellow waymarker keeping hedge left to reach field corner. Go right 20 paces then left through wide gap then across field to find and take stile to the main road.

Go left on very busy main road to walk along grass verge passing St. Michael Stud , returning to The Tipperary Inn. (S/E)

Start: Tipperary Inn__, Meer End, CV8 1PW Grid Ref: SP244 744
Parking: Car park at pub or roadside. As an alternative you can start and finish near Kenilworth Castle from waypoint (11) , but parking is easier at The Tipperary.
Maps: OS Explorer 221 or OS Landranger 139 / 140
Stiles: 4 (gaps to side therefore dog friendly)
Refreshments:

• Tipperary, Meer End (01676 532264)
• Queen and Castle, Kenilworth (01926 852661)
• Time for Tea, Kenilworth (01926 512675)

Note : It is a very pleasant introduction to The Millennium Way, which is noticeable by our distinctive black and white waymarkers.

More information at Millenium Way website here.

Points of Interest - What to know and what to see.... by Andy Botherway

(A) St John Baptist Church (The church is worth a visit - built in 1723 by Francis Smith - reputedly from a sketch drawn on a tablecloth by Sir Christopher Wren who was dining with Francis Smith at nearby Honiley Hall. The stained glass windows are a particular delight).

Kenilworth
See the notes on Circular 24 for details of the castle. Just before you pass the castle on the main road, there are several places to eat just a few yards up Castle Hill, including 2 pubs and 2 tearooms. The busy town high street is half a mile away, so too far to venture. There are 2 hotels 500 yards up Castle Hill, which are detailed on our pubs page.

Tipperary Inn, Meer End
A pub with an interesting musical past. Harry Williams parents were the owners of this pub. Harry was the co-writer of the 1912 marching song 'It's a long way to Tipperary'. It sold over a million copies and he used the royalties to buy the pub and associated cottage for the family. They changed the name of the pub from The Plough to The Tipperary.

Warriors Lodge Farm
This part timber-frame grade II listed building was a Tudor hunting lodge for the Deer Park of Kenilworth Castle.

The Pleasance
In about 1414 Henry V had "The Pleasaunce in the Marsh" built about 800m west of the castle. This was a timber-framed banqueting house surrounded by a moated earthwork about 180m by about 150m that 15th century kings used instead of the castle's state apartments, sailing across the Great Mere. In the 16th century Henry VIII had the banqueting house demolished and the materials re-used for new timber-framed buildings inside the castle. The mere was drained in 1649 but "The Pleasance" earthworks survive and are a Scheduled Monument.

Honiley
Back in 1086, Honiley was listed in the Domesday Book as 'Hunilege' The name means "Honey Clearing where Bees are numerous". At that time the area was mainly wooded, part of the Forest of Arden

St. John's Well
Not accessible, but visible in the garden on the left before reaching Honiley church, was a place of pilgrimage, being used “for the cleaning of incontinent penitents".

Honiley Church and Hall
Reputedly designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1723 and fortunately not ‘modernised’ by the Victorians, the church retains its original atmosphere. In 1914-15 Honiley Hall was rebuilt as we know it today. It was used as an educational establishment until 1992 when it was sold back into private hands.

Rudfyn Manor
Once a hunting lodge on the castle estate, built by Robert Dudley but sold off in 1917, this part-Tudor listed building stands well, with spectacular views.