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south . It plays host to the Godiva Festival , a free music event held in July every year . It is strongly recommended not to take the A46 Warwick bypass as this is more like a motorway than an A-road , and this is not particularly obvious on some maps ! The A��� will take you into Kenilworth , where the medieval ruins of Kenilworth Castle are situated . The �enilworth �reenway �ro�ect begins here and ends in Balsall Common , following the route of a disused railway line , free from traffic . �urther south of Kenilworth , you will eventually arrive in Warwick ( which also has a castle !) and Royal Leamington Spa , both of which are pretty towns and well worth a visit . Heading west of Kenilworth takes in some quiet , winding and undulating country lanes where you will seldom encounter a car . From the south side of Kenilworth follow Rouncil Lane towards Beausale ; a few nice roads lead out of here and make for some peaceful riding .
relatively busy road and Brinklow is situated directly on it . �rom here , you can take a few different routes along some brilliant country roads , with those that lead to Monks �irby , Stretton-�nder-�osse , �asenhall , Cathiron and Churchover being among the best . If you have the legs to venture further afield into �eicestershire , Stanford Hall is situated in some beautiful countryside and pleasant roads , just east of the where the M6 joins the M� near Stanford-on-Avon .
Further south between Coventry and Rugby is Draycote Water , a reservoir often used for sailing but with a rideable circular path of roughly five miles around its perimeter . This is a pleasant ride but can be busy when there is nice weather . Heading back to Coventry from here , take the B���� back through �rincethorpe , Weston- �nder-Wetherley and Cubbington , and then up towards Stoneleigh , as these roads make for some pleasant riding , although they do inevitably get busier the closer back towards the city you get .
For those who like the hills , as previously stated , there is not much locally for you to really push the boat out , but what does exist can be useful and a challenge depending on your level of fitness and experience . The small village of Burton Dassett lies in between Coventry and Banbury , within Burton Dassett Hills Country Park . Here , atop the hill is Burton Dassett Beacon , presumed to have once been a medieval lookout tower or even a windmill . A road passes through the country park , and from the Temple Herdewyke side , it is a relatively steep but short ascent . Further south , to the west of Banbury , is Sun Rising Hill and Edgehill . Both are roughly equivalent in terms of difficulty and both are less than a mile in length and are no more than a seven percent average gradient .
To the south west of Warwick is Stratford-�pon-Avon , which is quite a large town famed for being the birth place of Shakespeare . Even if his plays and writings were never really your thing at school , it is still worth dropping by for a look around ! There are a few museums to see and the town has many half-timbered buildings which give it a rather Tudor appearance !
The B���� north of Coventry takes you towards Fillongley . Heading east from here towards Maxstoke takes you over one of the few ascents in the area along a quiet country road , but for the seasoned hill climber this will not be a challenge . Heading further north of Maxstoke is Kingsbury Water Park , a nature reserve with several lakes and paths that are generally smooth enough to be comfortable , even for those on road bikes .
The area between Coventry and �ugby to the east is perhaps the best area locally for those who enjoy long , quiet country roads . Heading out of the city on the B4428 takes you past Coombe Abbey on the left-hand side , a former country house at the end of a long approach , situated in stunning gardens . A popular location on a sunny day , it ’ s worth stopping to see . Carrying on the B4428 will eventually bring you into Brinklow , a quiet village about six miles east of Coventry . The remains of a motte and bailey castle can be seen here to the north east of the village . A quick glance at Warwickshire on the map and it is difficult not to notice the long , almost perfectly straight road that traverses the area from Cirencester to �eicester . This is the �osse Way , a �oman road which now forms a large part of the A429 and B���� which passes to the east of Coventry . This is a
Continuing further south still to the Warwickshire border with Oxfordshire are the Rollright Stones , a Neolithic stone circle , whilst not as spectacular in size as Stonehenge , it is still a mysterious place . There are also more standing stones in the fields ad�acent , with various tales and folklore associated with how they came into being . They are in a field and so for those on road bikes , it is recommended to dismount and walk through the gate ( no more than 100yds ).
There is something to suit every taste in Warwickshire and this is by no means an exhaustive guide to the sights and routes here . Coventry is well connected to neighbouring cities and is less than half an hour by train to Birmingham New Street , from which you can catch a train to some of the furthest reaches of the country . Travelling by road , it is around �� miles from the M� , and the M6 passes to the north of the city .