C/O Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Wildlife Warwickshire C/O after use after RSPB Middleton Lakes Middleton RSPB
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Content © Tame Valley Wetlands Wetlands Valley Tame © Content
stated. otherwise unless
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RSPB and: RSPB
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@thetamevalley
Facebook.com/tamevalleywetlands
tamevalleywetlands.co.uk
For more information visit: information more For
website. the from download to available is guide This
RSPB members). Height restriction of 2.1m (6’, 11”). (6’, 2.1m of restriction Height members). RSPB
RSPB Middleton Lakes car park costs £3 per day (free to to (free day per £3 costs park car Lakes Middleton RSPB
at Middleton Hall Middleton at
SP 19435 98283. Café and toilet facilities can be found found be can facilities toilet and Café 98283. 19435 SP
RSPB Middleton Lakes’ car park, at the grid reference – – reference grid the at park, car Lakes’ Middleton RSPB
The nearest postcode is B76 2AE and the walk begins at at begins walk the and 2AE B76 is postcode nearest The
search for ‘Dosthill’ for search
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/buses then then at found be can
each day of the week and bank holidays. More information information More holidays. bank and week the of day each
route. Dosthill has a regular bus service (118/119) running running (118/119) service bus regular a has Dosthill route.
RSPB Middleton Lakes is not currently serviced by a bus bus a by serviced currently not is Lakes Middleton RSPB
Getting here Getting
M42
M42
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Hard: 11km / 7 miles 7 / 11km Hard: S L H LL
of over one million people. million one over of
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M6 Circular Walk Circular M6 hidden landscape on the doorstep doorstep the on landscape hidden
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Stretching between Birmingham Birmingham between Stretching
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Dosthill and and Dosthill
wildlife of the Tame Valley Wetlands. Wetlands. Valley Tame the of wildlife
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M42 M6 A444
Explore the landscape, history and and history landscape, the Explore
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Drayton Follow the Turret Bridge Countryside Code © Donna Willis Sections of this circular walk travel through wildlife friendly areas. Please be aware of this and know your Countryside Code: n Leave gates and property as you find them and keep to paths n Leave no trace of your visit and St. Paul’s Church Great crested grebe take your litter home © Donna Willis n Keep dogs under effective control n Be considerate of locals and Walk highlights others enjoying the outdoors RSPB Middleton Lakes St. Paul’s Church and Tame Aqueduct Drayton Turret n Follow advice and local signs. Middleton Lakes provides Norman Chapel, Dosthill The Tame Aqueduct Foot Bridge and protects a variety of The foundation stone was carries the Coventry This unusual Gothic- habitats including open laid on 5th October 1870 Canal over the River Tame style footbridge was water, wet grassland, by Mr. Farmer. The church in Staffordshire. Built built in the 1830s by the reed bed, meadow was built between 1870 between the years 1785 to celebrated architect Sir and woodland. It was and 1872 to designs of 1790 by Thomas Sheasby, Robert Smirke, while developed on reclaimed the Birmingham architect it is a Grade II listed constructing nearby gravel extraction land Edward Holmes. George structure. At the west end Drayton Manor for local in the Tame Valley, just Lilley of Ashby-de-la- of the aqueduct a pillbox MP Sir Robert Peel south of Tamworth. Zouch was chosen as was built in 1940 – 41 and (later to become Prime Middleton Lakes is one the contractor. It was was part of the Western Minister). The manor of RSPB’s newest nature consecrated by the Command Stop Line No. 5 house was demolished reserves to open to the Bishop of Worcester which ran from Tamworth in 1929 and later became nd public. The area is already on 2 April 1872. to Burton-on-Trent. It the site of the Drayton regionally important for The Norman Chapel, remains a reminder of Manor Theme Park. overwintering wildfowl sometimes referred to as Britain’s wartime history. The Grade II listed such as pochards, tufted the Wayfarer’s Chapel, in On the east end of the footbridge is located ducks and smews. the grounds of St. Paul’s aqueduct, a toll house and near the entrance of Church dates from the footbridge once stood. the theme park and is 12th Century. among the most ornate bridges anywhere on Britain’s canals. Middleton Hall DRA T N RSPB BASS TT Middleton G LF B N H LL Lakes Drayton START/ ND C RS Manor 1 D STH LL & A4 Park TH LAK S 1 C RC LAR
Watling Street Bi rmi ngh am & Fa eley C anal Drayton FA L Turret Foot 8 2 Bridge River Tame
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s Dosthill r e l uarry Wigford Rd e T e am P w St. Paul’s o Dosthill r t Church D STH LL h Ro Park rkers ad 5 yma for t a he w D 1/4 mile n o e CIRCULA s re LL R t HI W h g T A S il k L l r O K a D C i d r c 500 metres e Wilnecote u
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k k F w .u w o .t .c am s e nd valleywetla Key Directions: Turn right and follow Dosthill & The Lakes 4the way marked route Walk highlight The Tame Way (Circular route through the disused Circular walk Refreshments (River route) through countryside) Dosthill Quarry along The Tame Way Distance: 11km (7 miles) the steep paths. Take Parking From the RSPB car some time to enjoy the (Canal route) Allow: 3.5 hours Toilets 1park, walk (north views behind of the Tame 2 Route point Landscape and path type: The route uses east) towards the heronry Valley. In 300m you will Information over a boardwalk and Road surfaced footpaths & bridleways through see a metal fence ahead, Buildings past a viewing screen. follow the track to the Footpath a nature reserve, muddy tracks, hills and Open water Follow the bridleway for left, bearing right at steep inclines, tarmacked pavements, Bridleway 830m, crossing Fisher’s the bottom of the slope Dosthill roads and towpaths. There are footbridges, Mill Bridge over the then descending more (Circular route) Track steps, slopes, pedestrian and kissing Birmingham & Fazeley steeply and bearing right Train track gates and a stile during this walk. canal to reach the reserve. again into the car park Sturdy footwear is recommended. There is a permissive for Dosthill Quarry diving route option via the woods centre, reaching Wigford Cross Watling Street Turn right and follow Map: OS Map 232 Nuneaton & Tamworth, avoiding the ford section of Road in 340m. 6onto Mount Pleasant 7the towpath reaching Lichfield & Atherstone. the bridleway. and follow the blue the Tame Aqueduct in Turn left down Wigford pedestrian signs. Turn right 460m. Continue along the Dogs: Restricted to public rights of way Walk down the short Road, again enjoying onto New Street leading towpath, passing beneath set of steps ahead and 5 through the reserve, under close control 2 the views of the Tame to Parkfield Crescent. Go bridges 76 & 77, until you turn right, before turning at all times. Valley to the left. In 370m past Birchfield Close on reach Fazeley Junction. sharply left and reaching walk along the finger your left and follow the Turn and use bridge 77 Notice: During adverse weather, the section the bank of the River posted path through blue pedestrian sign to to cross over the canal, of this walk through RSPB Middleton Lakes Tame in 260m. Follow this the housing estate and the left towards Peelers joining the towpath track for approximately. can flood. Please use sound judgement and shortly reaching Orchard Way. Cross the road, again along the Birmingham another 450m and cross adhere to any warnings, restrictions Close after 180m, bearing following the blue signs & Fazeley Canal. the bridge over the River or closures in place along the route. left through a short alley to the left and sighting Tame, walking towards the Walk south along towards a kissing gate the Coventry Canal on kissing gate ahead. the towpath, passing and onto arable farm land. your left in 250m. Follow 8 beneath three bridges Take the surfaced track Walk down the hill across the canal ahead onto the (Watling Street Bridge, to the left then follow the field into Dosthill Park. unnamed road, then cross 3 Tolson’s Footbridge and the way marking posts to Take the way marked route the Kettlebrook Barn Coleshill Road Bridge), the left again, over a stile. ahead, up the hill through Bridge (no.75) in 360m. reaching Drayton Turret Walk along this track, over the park down a long path, Immediately turn left Bridge in 1.3 km. Carry on a section of board walk exiting onto Belvoir in after crossing the canal along the towpath to reach then into a wooded area. 600m. Continue walking then left again, through Fisher’s Mill Bridge in 2km. Continue along the track ahead along the cycle a barrier onto the canal Walk over the bridge and ahead and bear slightly route, keeping the River towpath. retrace your route back to left walking further into Tame on your left reaching the car park and the end the woods, reaching a gate Watling Street in 830m. of the walk. in 250m.