Cycling to Garden Organic Ryton
from Rugby or Coventry
If you are travelling with your bicycle to Garden Organic Ryton from outside the area and need to travel by train for part of your journey it is recommended that you get off at Rugby. The cycle trip from Rugby is more pleasant and easier to follow than cycling from Coventry.
From Rugby: (Approx. 8 miles along quiet lanes)
- Leave the railway station on the south side, via the ramp from Platform 1.
- Turn RIGHT out of the station along Station Terrace. Follow the road around to the left then take the first RIGHT turn along Wood Street.
- At the end of Wood Street (large junction, railway bridge to your right, sign saying 'Alstom' opposite) turn RIGHT along the A426 and go under the railway bridge.
- Take the first LEFT off the roundabout, along the B4112 through Newbold on Avon.
- Follow the road up the hill and around a sharp Right Hand Bend. Then turn LEFT, signed to Little Lawford.
- Continue on this lane for 2 miles following signs to King's Newnham.
If you have a copy of OS Landranger map no. 140, you may be tempted to take a detour at Little Lawford, through Long Lawford and over the Lawford Heath to Wolston. This is a nice route but, be warned, you need to cross a ford which is more than knee-deep and about 30 yards wide! (Nice for a paddle) - After King's Newnham, continue on the same lane past a left hand turn for Church Lawford and past the remains of a church tower on your left.
- At the end of the lane, turn LEFT onto the Fosse Way (B4455), into Bretford past the Queen's Head pub. Follow the road around to the left (where it briefly becomes the A428). Go over the river bridge at the traffic lights and then take the first RIGHT turn to rejoin the Fosse Way.
- After the railway bridge turn RIGHT where it is signposted to Wolston. Continue on this lane for 2 miles, through the village of Wolston.
- Garden Organic Ryton is on the LEFT at the bottom of a hill.
Fine, now how do I get back to Rugby station?
From Coventry:
Cycling from Coventry you have the choice of a short but scarey route along the A45 (about 6-7 miles) or more scenic routes using quieter roads and lanes (9-10 miles).
The quickest but least pleasant route to Garden Organic Ryton. The A45 route is the simplest to follow but involves cycling along mainly fast stretches of busy dual carriageway.
- Leave the city of Coventry heading south along the A429. See map above, the A429 is the Kenilworth Road which begins as the Warwick Road which runs close to the rail station (there is pedestrian access from the rail station onto the A429 by leaving the front of the station and following the pavement past the Bicycle Association offices, around to the left and joining the road heading left away from the city centre and over the railway line). Bear left as the road forks at the large Memorial Park.
- Continue along the road with the Park to your right until you reach a roundabout with the A45. Turn LEFT at this roundabout and follow the A45 for about 5 miles. There is a cycle path alongside certain stretches of the road, but it is not continuous and the surface is poor in places.
- Take great care at the large Tollbar roundabout, where the A45 meets the A46 and the road divides into lanes for access to the A46 and M69. If you wish you can take the pedestrian crossing over the first two turn-offs to avoid cycling on the roundabout at all. Otherwise, get in lane for A45 (London) and go straight across at the roundabout.
Shortly after this roundabout, look out for a cycle lane (marked with red tarmac) leading off to your left immediately after the petrol station. You can take an alternative route here if you wish, which will take you along a quiet back lane to the village of Wolston. You will pass the Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve and then the Royal Oak pub on your left as you enter Brandon village. Turn RIGHT here, under the railway bridge and over a humpback river bridge into Wolston village. Turn RIGHT at the T-junction in Wolston and stay on this road for about 1 mile where you will see the entrance to Garden Organic Ryton on your left. This detour will add about 1 mile to your journey (but probably save a few grey hairs!).
If you decide to continue along the A45 rather than take the alternative route along Brandon Lane, you will pass the Peugeot car plant on your right as you approach the village of Ryton on Dunsmore. Shortly after Ryton on Dunsmore you will see a brown tourist information sign indicating that Garden Organic Ryton is a LEFT turn off the roundabout, towards the village of Wolston. Take this turn and the entrance to Garden Organic Ryton is on your RIGHT after about 800 yards. . Enjoy a strong cup of organic coffee to settle your nerves!
For
a more pleasant, scenic route avoiding both the A45 and the A429. (9-10
miles)
- Leave the rail station by wheeling your bike along platform 1, past the cafeteria, away from the exit and the ticket office. Don't go up the steps to the road. Instead, follow the path under the road and onto the Central Six shopping centre car park. Your train tickets will be checked as you leave platform 1 - so don't discard them as you leave the train.
- See that light grey pedestrian suspension bridge over the car park? Make your way to the end near the large sports shop. You are now on a designated cycle route out of the city centre - cycle over the bridge (over the railway) and along the path between the school grounds on your left and the park on your right.
- At the end of the path, head down Dalton Road - immediately OPPOSITE. Follow it around to the right and then turn LEFT down Belvedere Road.
- At the end, turn RIGHT onto Earlsdon Avenue South and then first LEFT onto Warwick Avenue.
- At the end of Warwick Avenue continue STRAIGHT ACROSS Beechwood Avenue onto Stoneleigh Avenue.
- At the end of Stoneleigh Avenue turn RIGHT onto the A429 Kenilworth Road (or follow the cycle path on the side you are on, cross at the push-button crossing and wheel you bike to the next left turn) and take the next LEFT turn down Coat of Arms Bridge Road (if you come to the A45 junction you have gone too far).
- In about 200 yards turn RIGHT into Green Lane. Green Lane joins the A45 but there is a pedestrian subway underneath. Go through this subway - dismount and watch out for glass - and then turn RIGHT at the top of subway slope, walk 10 yards along the pavement to rejoin Green Lane heading away from the A45.
- Continue along Green Lane until it ends at a staggered crossroads. Turn RIGHT along St Martins Road (B4113), under the A46, and stay on this road until you enter the pretty village of Stoneleigh.
- Follow the road left over a river bridge, and then immediately turn off LEFT and up the hill. Continue on this road, past the golf course on your right, until you reach a left turn signposted to Bubbenhall immediately opposite a large arched entrance gate. Turn LEFT here and continue for 1.5 miles on this lane, through Bubbenhall, until it joins the Leamington Road (A445).
- Turn LEFT onto the A445. The A445 can be quite busy at rush hour times, but is usually fairly quiet otherwise. Stay on the A445 past Ryton Pools (lakes) and straight across 1 roundabout (where the A445 and A453-Banbury Road cross).
- You then have two options:
- If you continue along the A445 you will come to a large roundabout where the A445 is crossed by the A45. Go straight across at the roundabout, following the brown tourist 'Ryton Gardens' sign. This roundabout gets busy at rush-hour times.
- Alternatively, to avoid having to cross the A45, take the next turn LEFT (past the Ryton Nurseries garden centre - lots of sheds, pigs and small goats!) through the village of Ryton on Dunsmore on a 20mph speed-restricted road. Where the road meets the A45 there is a pedestrian subway (with bike-friendly slopes) which takes you under the A45. When you emerge out of the subway, via the slope, turn to your RIGHT and follow the wide pavement as it follows the A45 and turns left towards Wolston.
- The entrance to Garden Organic Ryton is on your RIGHT after about 800 yards.
Fine, now how do I get back to Coventry station?
Note from the Webmaster: "I have been cycling the scenic route between Coventry and Ryton for many years now and can recommend it if you need to travel from Coventry. I've come down the A45 once in that time - once was enough!
The route from Rugby station is a simpler, more pleasant way to cycle. Please e-mail me at webmaster@gardenorganic.org.uk if you have any comments or suggestions on these or any other cycle routes to Ryton."
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