The best gravel rides around Coleshill

Popular junction of the Coventry canal which passes over the river Tame just past the junction.. Travel towards Birmingham and you will pass the famous white swing bridge near Drayton Bassett and Drayton Manor. Walk along the canal to Middleton lakes RSPB site, Middleton Hall and Kingsbury water park.

Such a towpath (known in German as a towpath or Leinpfad), which runs alongside the river or canal, was an essential part of the transport infrastructure in earlier times. Before ships could move by motor power, horses walked along the bank, pulling the boat against the current. This activity was called "treideln" in German, and thus the "treidelpfad" got its name. Where these paths – running directly along the bank – have survived to this day, they no longer serve their original purpose, but are still popular: namely, with hikers and cyclists.

Rivers and canals crisscross the country, as they were a crucial part of the transport infrastructure – especially in the early days of industrialization. Factories needed the delivery of raw materials in previously unknown quantities, and finished goods also had to find their way to traders. Many of the canals originated in this era. Later, rail and, even later, trucks took over the task of transporting goods. When building the artificial waterways, however, it was important to consider that differences in elevation always had to be overcome, and so locks are often located along the canals – at varying intervals, depending on the local situation. Only with their help was shipping possible.

The castle was founded after the Norman Conquest of 1066; with development through to the Tudor period. It has been described by the architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant for its scale, form and quality of workmanship". Kenilworth played an important historical role: it was the subject of the six-month-long siege of Kenilworth in 1266, thought to be the longest siege in medieval English history, and formed a base for Lancastrian operations in the Wars of the Roses. Kenilworth was the scene of the removal of Edward II from the English throne, the perceived French insult to Henry V in 1414 of a gift of tennis balls (said by John Strecche to have prompted the campaign that led to the Battle of Agincourt), and the Earl of Leicester's lavish reception of Elizabeth I in 1575. It has been described as "one of two major castles in Britain which may be classified as water-castles or lake-fortresses...

Drop down and corner past a medieval castle. Pretty cool.

This is a pretty stone bridge over the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal with a walkway beneath. Following on from the bridge is Minworth Locks, which allows canal boats to pass.

An ancient area of woodland with a mixture of native tree species and a wide range of animals, insects and birds. The area is owned by Tarmac and the Ministry of Defence, some areas are occasionally closed for military exercises so always follow signs.

Nicknamed the Curly Wyrley, the Wyrley & Essington Canal meanders peacefully through the English Midlands. It has few boats, but it is popular with recreational walkers, runners and cyclists.