Storug one

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I completed this walk yesterday travelling eastwards from Stoneleigh. A mostly enjoyable walk, with plenty of interest along it's 15½ mile route. There are no shortage of refreshment stops, with the route taking you past a coffee shop and no fewer than seven pubs! The main thing preventing me giving this a full five stars is the amount of road walking where you have to take a bit of care, but overall it's a good walk.

Starting in Stoneleigh where you cross the medieval stone bridge over the River Sowe (photo 1), the next mile of this route is along the busy Coventry Road where you should take care. Eventually, you reach the red sandstone Cloud Bridge which has no pedestrian path (photo 2) as it crosses the River Avon which becomes a feature of the route from here.

Immediately after the bridge, the route finally leaves the road as it finds it's first footpath (photo 3). Have to say the path on this section from here to the Stoneleigh Road seemed pretty overgrown, and this is in April! So, I wouldn't be surprised if this section is more of a challenge in summer. After crossing the Stoneleigh Road, the route then continues as the Coventry Way, and as such seems more well trodden. After crossing Watery Lane, the route runs alongside the lovely Warwickshire Lavender Farm where you can grab refreshments from their coffee shop - a recently opened small business which was interesting to visit and learn about their venture.

Upon reaching Bubbenhall, you encounter the first pub of the route, the grade II listed Malt Shovel which dates back to the early 17th Century (photo 4). At time of writing, the pub is currently the reigning CAMRA pub of the year in Warwickshire. After leaving the village, you cross open fields before eventually arriving at the busy A423 Banbury Road, which requires some care crossing.

The route then takes you through the village of Ryton-on-Dunsmore, past the second pub (Blacksmiths Arms) and eventually to an underpass under the busy A45. The route takes you alongside the A45, before leaving the noise behind as it heads over footpaths towards the Wolston Fields Nature Reserve (photo 6).

The given route here then hits a diversion which is well signed and labelled (photo 5) as it negotiates the development site of a new sand and gravel processing plant. The diversion gave us the most boggy part of the route, which was particularly wet following periods of rain recently. Eventually you reach the village of Wolston where the route takes you past a war memorial and old Post Office (photo 7). This is also the approximate halfway point and a conveniently located pub should you wish to break the journey.

The route then goes under the Birmingham branch of the West Coast Main Line railway (photo 8) on it's way towards Bretford. At Bretford you join the Fosse Way old Roman Road for a brief time. The route here takes you via a raised footbridge which hints at the floods which can occur at this location, before crossing the old bridge over the Avon. The route then takes you past the Queens Head pub as it leaves both the Fosse Way and Coventry Way along the Kings Newnham Lane. You again have an approx. 1 mile section of road walking here as you approach the old tower at Kings Newnham (photo 9).

Leaving Kings Newnham, you pass through a site of medieval fish ponds. Just before you reach the footbridge over the Avon (photo 10) lookout for the old remains of machinery from an old mill which used to be here. You then walk towards Church Lawford, where St Peter's Church (photo 11) provides a landmark to walk towards. There is another pub here (the Old Smithy) should you wish to stop for refreshments.

The route then roughly follows the Avon to Long Lawford. At Long Lawford, look out for a rare old plaque above 'Simply Hair' hairdressers which commemorates Queen Victoria's jubilee in 1897 (photo 12), another pub (the Lawford Arms) and the grounds of St John's Chapel of Ease. You then eventually pass over the Avon again (photo 13), before passing under the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line on your way to St Botulph's church (photo 14) in Newbold on Avon.

At Newbold, the route takes you past yet another pub (Barley Mow) as you approach the Oxford Canal. Once at the canal, you can get a brief glimpse of the portal to the Newbold Tunnel, before heading in the opposite direction. You stay with the canal for approx. 1 mile before leaving via steps to reach the route of the old Grand Central Railway which is now a greenway. The view from the top of the old viaduct provides some interest. The route then takes you over the old Black Path footbridge (photo 15) as you finally reach your destination in the centre of Rugby.

As you may expect, the route has a significant number of stiles, gates, footbridges and steps to negotiate. Being spring, it was pretty muddy in places too, but nothing too unexpected or impassable. Definitely recommend this route.

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