Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Running trails & routes

Tutnall and Cobley CP

Arrow Valley Lake – Arrow Valley Lake loop from Redditch

Routes

Running trails & routes

Tutnall and Cobley CP

Arrow Valley Lake – Arrow Valley Lake loop from Redditch

Moderate

5.0

(1)

runners

Arrow Valley Lake – Arrow Valley Lake loop from Redditch

01:00

9.00km

40m

Running

Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 21, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

464 m

Bordesley Abbey is rich in history and archaeological evidence.

In 1140 a group of Cistercian monks from Garendon Abbey in Leicestershire were granted land in the Arrow Valley by Waleran de Beaumont, Count of Meulan and Earl of Worcester. This enabled the monks to found Bordesley Abbey and turn the Arrow Valley into a place suitable for a monastery. Bordesley means ‘the place where boards were obtained’.

Archaeological evidence show that when the monks arrived the Valley was a very marshy and inhospitable place, unsuitable for the building of a large Abbey – so they dug a complex drainage system and diverted the River Arrow.

Excavations show that the first buildings were made of wood, but within a few years they replaced it with stone buildings. You can see evidence of how the Abbey changed as you walk around – from the early plain green sandstone to the more ornately decorated later red sandstone.

The ‘Night’ stairs are also clearly visible – so called because the monks used these stairs to get into the church for the first service at 2am!

We know that the Abbey had about 20 farms or ‘granges’ in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and the sale of its produce – cereals and especially wool – gave the Abbey much of its wealth. But this prosperity, however was not to last.

In 1538 Henry VIII dissolved the monastic houses and Bordesley was demolished and the estates sold. The ruins remained buried until JM Woodward (tutor to the Bartleet family) first excavated them in 1864. In 1969 the Bordesley Abbey project team began a programme of excavations. Many of the objects and findings of the excavation can be seen in the Bordesley

Tip by

1.18 km

Forge Mill Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre

Highlight • Monument

museum open Tuesday and Weekend

Tip by

3.83 km

Arrow Valley Lake

Highlight • Viewpoint

Stunning views all around the lake area, plenty of paths & dirt tracks for walkers & cyclist. There is also a cafe on the waters edge.

Tip by

4.01 km

Arrow Valley parkrun

Highlight • Trail

Two laps of the lake. Paved surfaces all round, bring your road shoes!

Tip by

4.36 km

Arrow Valley Lake

Highlight • Lake

Great to walk around. Good for kids to play. Plenty to see and do

Tip by

5.77 km

Arrow Valley Lake

Highlight • Trail

Well used park with dog walkers, cyclist and walkers. Worth a visit if you are in the area…

Tip by

7.55 km

Five Tunnels Weir

Highlight • River

A desk-based heritage assessment for the historic environment was undertaken on behalf of the Environment Agency of Mill Weir (NGR SP 05355 68625) and Five Tunnels Weir (NGR SP 05238 68873), River Arrow, Redditch, Worcestershire (HER ref WSM 46479). Works are proposed at the weirs to enable better passage for fish. The River Arrow forms the northern and eastern boundary of the designated area that protects the Scheduled Ancient Monument of Bordesley Abbey which lies c 600m to the west. The course of the Arrow was altered by the Cistercian monks in the 12th century; its current course is a result of these engineering works. The original date of the weirs is uncertain, but Five Tunnels Weir dates back to at least the 16th century, possibly with medieval origins. It has large stones within its construction which may be of medieval date, although these may have been reused from the Abbey, post- Dissolution. Mill Weir lies just to the south of the point where the tail race from the Abbey's 12th century metalworking mill joins the Arrow. The weir does not date from this time, but is rather thought to be related to Redditch's needle working industry; constructed perhaps in the 18th century and associated with further structural remains that may hint at the site of a lost post-medieval mill.

Tip by

9.00 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.02 km

2.34 km

406 m

125 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

3.71 km

3.42 km

664 m

537 m

478 m

124 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Friday 28 August

20°C

14°C

98 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 21.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

Want to know more?

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Report restricted access

Nearby routes

Moderate

5.0

241

Worcester & Birmingham Canal & River Severn loop from Worcester

00:33h

5.34km

20m

Moderate

4.5

Lickey Hills Country Park & Beacon Hill loop

01:00h

8.53km

180m

Moderate

5.0

Kenilworth Castle Circular Walk — The Millennium Way

01:15h

11.2km

60m

Moderate

4.5

Warwick Waterside Circular Walk — The Millennium Way

00:54h

8.37km

30m

Moderate

3.3

Leek Wootton Circular Walk — The Millennium Way

01:11h

11.1km

70m

Hard

5.0

Arden Way Loop

01:39h

15.4km

130m

Hard

Town & Country — A Coventry Way Circular Walk 05

02:08h

20.1km

130m

Moderate

The Four Stones, Clent & Walton Hill loop from Nimmings Wood — Clent Hills

00:42h

5.93km

200m

Moderate

5.0

Hanbury Hall & Piper's Hill loop

01:02h

9.33km

90m

Hard

3.5

A Coventry Way Circular Walk 04

01:43h

15.7km

120m

Hard

Monarch's Way Loop from Wootton Wawen

01:41h

15.4km

170m

Moderate

After Tea — A Coventry Way Circular Walk 06

00:42h

6.36km

60m

Arrow Valley Lake – Arrow Valley Lake loop from Redditch

Wild River Crossing

Bordesley Abbey Ruins

Forge Mill Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre

Arrow Valley Lake

Arrow Valley parkrun

Arrow Valley Lake

Arrow Valley Lake

Five Tunnels Weir

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️