Warwick Parkway to Hatton Railway Station, Rail Trails

Start : Warwick Parkway (CV35 8RH) Grid ref. SP 265 654

(S/E) Walk up the access lane to Old Budbroke Road and turn right, crossing the bridge over the canal.

(1) Continue along the right hand side of the road to the traffic lights on Birmingham Road (A4177). Cross Birmingham Road at the pedestrian crossing and walk up the farm drive to Wedgnock Park Farm which is slightly to the right on the opposite side.

(2) At the end of the tarmac drive, go through the gates by Wedgnock Park Farm and then turn left. Follow the track clockwise around the field boundary. (The formal line of the path goes half left across the field to the far left corner but it is normally easier to walk around the edge.) Turn left on entering a second field and continue on the track until it ends at trees ahead.

(3) Turn right a short distance then go left through a wide gap in the trees. Keep ahead along the left edge of a number of fields. On your left you can see the houses of Hatton Park, built in the grounds of Central Hospital Hatton which was a classic Victorian psychiatric hospital with imposing Gothic style buildings.

(4) At the path junction with a tree lined gravel track, turn right and look out for a metal gate on the left after 150 metres. Take the footpath through this gate and follow straight across the field to a gate with the brick barns of Turkey Farm just to the right. As you approach Turkey Farm look back for a good view over Warwick. On a clear day you can see as far as the Burton Dassett hills.

Go slightly right a short distance and pass through a metal kissing gate. Follow the hedge on your right as it bends right to reach a tarmac drive west of the farm. Turn left and follow the drive.

(5) On reaching the junction with Beausale Lane, turn right along the lane. After 100 metres turn left onto a farm track. Follow the track to a junction.

(6) Turn left. Just before reaching Home Farm, look out for a gate on the left of the track giving access to a path through woodland which skirts round the farm buildings and emerges on to the farm drive. Walk left along this drive.

(7) Cross over Birmingham Road and then turn left, past the Hatton Arms public house (Be aware of fast moving traffic on this busy A4177 road). Pub customers can walk diagonally left over the grass at the back of the pub down the slope to reach the canal.
Alternatively walk past the pub along the roadside, to find a footpath on your right that leads to the canal at the same spot.

(8) Reach the canal near a small concrete bridge (A). Continue downhill along the towpath with the water to your right. Across the fields to your right you may see trains on Hatton Bank. This was originally part of the Great Western Railway’s main line from London to Birmingham and the climb presented quite a challenge in the days of steam engines.

(9) Approach a modern road bridge over the canal (bridge 51c) and take the track to the left just before the bridge to re-join your outward route at the waypoint (1). Then, retrace your steps to Warwick Parkway. (S/E)

Start : Warwick Parkway (CV35 8RH) Grid ref. SP 265 654

Transport : Warwick Parkway is on the mainline between Birmingham Snow Hill and London Marylebone as well as to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Leamington and Kidderminster.
Trains run hourly to all stations on the Stratford branch as well as more frequently to stations between Hatton and Birmingham via Solihull.

Facilities : Toilets and refreshments are available at Warwick Parkway station.

Refreshments :
The Hatton Arms : Another cracking spot for a pit-stop! This time you’ll find creative British fare squeezed into an atmospheric pub with a truly wonderful outdoor terrace overlooking the canal.

Hatton Locks Cafe : Situated at the top of the famous flight of locks , this is the perfect place to enjoy the picturesque scenery and watch the world go by over a cake and a coffee (or even a cheeky ploughmans)!

Church Farm Brewery : Top notch craft brewery located on the family farm. Ale afficianados can pre-book group tours of the brewery, but if you fancy a solo tipple make sure to swing by the online shop.

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

(A) Across the bridge is a cafe and an opportunity to examine the three top locks in the Hatton flight. The canal here opened in 1799 as the Warwick and Birmingham canal although it has since been incorporated into the Grand Union Canal. In 1932-4 new locks were built to twice the width of the old ones in an ultimately doomed bid to retain freight traffic on the canal. Return across the bridge and

There’s no fewer than 21 locks in the famous “stairway to heaven” to marvel at. These state of the art locks were built at Hatton to fight off competition from the roads and railways, and widened in the 1930s. And you’ll find plenty of sedate spots to perch as the lovingly painted narrow boats slip by, from the gorgeous terrace at the Hatton Arms, to more freeform picnic benches or the Hatton Locks Cafe right on the towpath.
If you need a little more excitement then Hatton World on the Hatton Estate is nearby, complete with shopping, petting zoos, swimming pools and more activities than you can shake a stick at!

The barracks of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was created in 1877 about half a mile to the east of St. Michael’s Church, which became the battalion church. The barracks remained in use until the mid-1960’s when the barracks site was re-developed into the “20th Century Village” of Hampton Magna.

Hatton Locks : Hatton’s famous ‘stairway to heaven’ flight of 21 locks is a lovely spot to watch the colourful narrowboats as they traverse the Grand Union Canal. Top place for a picnic too!
Hatton’s 21 locks lift boats two miles up the steep Avon Valley from Warwick! Stairway to heaven indeed!

Hatton Country World : Be spoilt for choice on the Hatton Estate. Check out Hatton Adventure World, Hatton Shopping Village, escape Rooms, laser combat, a swimming pool and even a Gin Experience!

St Michael’s, Budbrooke : Not just your average church! Swing by for beautiful views over Warwick, an interesting history as a remnant of the original Budbrooke Village and heritage as the battalion church of the Warwickshire regiment.