15th January 2013 Kenilworth Castle

The plan today was to go for a longish ride with my friend Graham. With a little snow still lying about and it being below freezing, we decided it may be best to call it off. It was such a beautiful morning however, perfect for the mountain bike over the nearby fields, so set a target of Kenilworth Castle.

The footbridge

This was not easy! There is a good bridle path from near my house, right to the castle and although the paths have been resurfaced for some way, there are still places which are boggy in the wet and with animals gadding about, the pathway can get quite mucky. This ride was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be, with a mixture of mud, snow and ice. This little footbridge was fine but a big hurdle was the next gate. 

The puddle

I thought all the water had gone!  Who put this there? It was a real challenge to get the bike through the gate without getting my trainers full of muddy, icy water. It was a struggle but did it.

Kenilworth Castle

This shot has been done before, but not in the snow.  The intention was to ask permission to take the bike inside the grounds and get some shots in the medieval garden, and some closer to the ruins. It was closed.  Gates all shut. That was hard work for nothing then. Still, don't waste an opportunity, there is a small lane at the back of the castle where a different view can be seen. Let's head there then.

Purlieu Lane

This little lane leads to a couple of farms and the footpath goes across fields for about 3 miles to Honiley. Not suitable for bikes unfortunately. The sun could have been better placed for this shot but another day perhaps.

Well, that was bloomin' hard work in places. It is about three miles from my house to the castle and I did not relish the thought of going back over the fields and negotiating that puddle again. The main roads were ice free so went back through Kenilworth town. That was an easy ride back.