Route S5Insider Rider

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Insider Rider

Thinking of riding Route S5? This is 'an insider' guide on what to expect. This will be useful if you are relatively new to cycling, need help to convince a friend to come along, or if you are thinking of cycling the route with your children. It is not intended to be a detailed route guide. You can download one of these from here.

Summary

A pleasant 10 mile ride with some shorter alternatives. It has to be said that this is the hilliest of the 'S' rides but the reward is some great views over the West Midlands and a ride using some very quiet lanes in an almost forgotten part of our area.

There are no places of refreshment en-route but there are pubs in Meriden for the end!

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The Ride

The start is in the Green in Meriden where there is a war memorial dedicated to cyclists. This also marks the Centre of England and if there is a place of pilgrimage for cyclists this is it!

There is parking around the Green. If parking here is a problem look carefully at the on-street parking restrictions on nearby roads as they have some unusual hours!

Alternatively go down the road (in the direction of the ride) 200 yards and start and finish at the pub which has ample parking for customers.

The ride starts on a fairly busy but wide road but as you turn into Old Lane everything changes. Pass the Queens Head pub and enter a different world of quiet narrow lanes.

This is only a preview as there is soon a climb up along the B4102 for a short distance before you turn off into Kinwalsey Lane for a very pleasant ride along a lengthy winding narrow lane.

Watch out for the stump of the Wesley Oak where Methodist preacher John Wesley is said to have preached. Also don't forget to look back at the view!

Passing underneath the M6 is a reminder that you are in that area between Coventry and Birmingham which thousands of people pass through each day but hardly anybody knows! If you have ever wondered where Corley Services are, well it's not far from here. Because you can't get on or off the M6 around here it still seems very isolated.

The ride continues towards Maxstoke with its church and castle - another interesting feature of the area which is not very well known.

Returning towards Meriden you skirt the edge of Packington Park which is the West Midlands forgotten stately home (not open to the public) which is sadly best known for its dramatic landfill site which forms a significant hill in the area to the west

This section is mainly downhill and approaching Meriden is now easier due to a new bridge over the busy A45 which takes you via a short length of new road back to The Green.

Route S5

Meriden & Maxstoke Circular

(4,7 or 10 miles)

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