This is a popular and sociable group who enjoy walking local fields and paths enjoying the countryside on our doorstep. These are rambles and may include the occasional stile as well as gates. Sensible walking footwear and clothing is needed. However, they are meant to be less demanding than the full Ramblers Group who typically walk for 5 miles plus.

It is the personal responsibility of each walker to ensure they are able to walk at a reasonable pace with the group - we typically cover just over 2 miles an hour.

We normally meet once a month, on the last Thursday at 11.00 am. However, the December walk is on New Years Day to "clear the cobwebs" and the August walk will be an "Afternoon Tea Walk" with an early afternoon start.

A number of walk leaders take it in turns to select a walk of about 3 miles. They choose where to go and where to meet. Members are encouraged to lead a walk but there is no requirement to do so, however, without leaders there will be no walks!

The aim is to start in Balsall Common (or within 10 minutes of it) and normally find pub car parks for our starting/finishing points! Many members stay for a drink and/or a meal after the walk. (Although a good tearoom or café should not be ruled out.)

We average 10–20 members per walk (although over 40 made it to a New Years Day "clear the cobwebs walk"). Walks take place in most kinds of weather with two major exceptions being snow and excessive heat!

This is a rambling group and for safety and insurance reasons dogs are not allowed.

The cost is very low — we have a joining fee of £2 and to date no other costs (and it is free for anyone who is already a paid up member of the Ramblers Group). You do pay for your own drinks/meals after a walk!

If you would like to join or require any other information please contact Richard. (The Short Walks group shares a distribution list with the Ramblers group so you don't need to join separately BUT you will get e-mails from both. There is a considerable overlap of walkers and leaders between the 2 groups).

Prospective new members can also try us out by just turning up at a walk starting point and joining us for that walk. Please note, however, if you are not already a u3a member you will not be covered by the u3a insurance scheme. Following that if you wish to continue you will need to join the u3a and the Short Walks group. ( We share the same e-mail list as the Ramblers Group as there is a considerable overlap of members).

All members are encouraged to lead walks, please contact the coordinator to discuss details further. Support is here for anyone who has never led a walk before. All part of lifelong learning. (NB: New leaders often pair up with a more experienced leader for their first walk).

If anyone wants to create a ramble route, either for the u3a or for personal reasons, try out the following sites:

Where's The Path

Millennium Way website — lists of walks

Click here For the Shorter Walks Risk Assessment updated 1st Decembr 2025

Click here for Hot Weather Walking General Guidance - July 2026

Thursday 26th November 2026

To send an email to the walk leader click on the underlined name and an email contact form will appear.

NB. Health and Safety requirement: All participants will need to sign an attendance list and provide an emergency contact number prior to the actual start of the walk.

When:	Thursday 26th November 2026
Where:	The Queen and Castle carpark, Castle Green, CV8 1ND, Parking – the pub has plenty of parking but one needs to put the car registration into the machine inside the pub otherwise you will be charged. Other free choices are opposite alongside the castle wall or in Castle Farm Leisure Centre carpark. https://visit.kenilworthweb.co.uk/listings/castle-farm-recreation-centre/
Meet:	11.00 AM
Travel Directions:	Along A452 to wards Kenilworth, straight on at Eveson’s  until one comes to Kenilworth. As one passes the left hand bend with the castle in view, the pub is on the left after the small green
Walk Description:	We never tire of walking around Kenilworth Castle and this is a shortened one based on a “Heritage Walk”(  https://visit.kenilworthweb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/kenilworth_heritage_trail2021.pdf ) We will meet at The Queen and Castle carpark. Walk up towards Old Kenilworth and into Abbey Fields, past the new swimming pool, along the lake then back to Borrowwell Lane. Crossing over the road we then turn towards the woods and walk along the castle defences towards the fields in front of the castle which in times gone past would have been flooded. Across to The Pleasance and onto Purlieu Lane, named after the fact that it was on the outskirts of Kenilworth in 12th century. Along in front of the castle and back to the pub. Length – just under 3miles, mainly along gravel paths but some earth paths which were fairly dry when we walked it in early November.
Expected Weather:	TBC
Afterwards:	If you are planning to stay for drink/lunch please let us know by 20.00 Monday 23rd so that we can inform the pub.  https://www.queenandcastlekenilworth.co.uk/  If there are more than 10 planning to stay for lunch we will need to inform the pub of the choices to make life easier for them and quicker for us.
Walk Leader:	Tom and Vivienne Waterer

At the end of the Walk