My American in-laws are coming for Christmas and have expressed a clear desire to ‘go for a drive’. This will actually mean me taking them for a scenic drive through the local countryside but where to take them? I have just moved to the West Midlands and in the last couple of months I’ve noticed that Warwickshire is a rural and pretty county. So does anyone have any ideas of circular routes I could take them on? Maybe an hour or two with a stop-off for tea/cakes/beer?

Cheers all

1. Round trip to Stratford
2. ….to Warwick
3. Clent and or Malverns
4. Parkwood House, Lapworth, Knowle, Hampton which lots of gastro pubs: Malt shovel Barston, Boot lapworth, orange tree can’t remember.

For a quintessential scene England you gotta head to the cotswolds surely?

We followed this little route a few years back.
http://www.the-cotswolds.org/top/english/seeanddo/romanticroad/

Especially nice as was snow covered at th e time too.

Theres a loop here which goes through some nice places, from Stratford down to the Cotswolds and back

http://www.theopenroad.co.uk/static_48.htm (map download at the bottom)

Come to the south end of the county and then around Edge Hill and up into North Oxfordshire, or head over Ilmington way and take in the north of the Cotswolds and Chipping Campden and Broadway. Couldn’t get more Englishness.
And you’ll realise why biking around here is a hidden gem 😀

Awesome guys Thankyou. I’m new to the West Midlands. It’s odd that I know so little about the area despite spending much of my life a stones throw away in Derby.

The Orange Tree is in Chadwick End.

Head south of Stratford and towards the Cotswolds and you’ll not go far wrong.

Yep, Cotswolds is excellent scenic territory.

However, don’t rule out Worcestershire. The area NW of Worcester is glorious country.

I would have said Cotswolds but that is a day trip IMO

Yes the pub mates suggested the Cotswolds but I’m not feeling the love for an all day epic. A 2hr round trip with Extra Time for comestibles sounds more like it.

Stratford maybe cotswolds yes if your near Kenilworth the cross is a fine eating place.

Kenilworth for the castle and Abbey ought to be on the list, as should Earlswood Lakes. Packington Hall if you can still drive through it. Meriden as the centre of England and the Cyclist’s memorial, and Berkswell for its church. Hampton In Arden for the village architecture…look out for the Lodge overhanging the High Street… I used to live there. The roads out of Balsall Common out towards Fen End, Shrewley, Hazely Knob (giggity) and Lapworth all worth a browse. I would have recommended the Durham Ox at Shrewley Common, but it’s changed hands. Might be OK for a sandwich at lunchtime. Shrewley Common is great for a walk, and if the ‘Muricans want to see a real pub in action, complete with beer from the wood and barking mad locals, try The Case is Altered at Five Ways, Hatton..(worth a visit for the flight of canal locks too)

Kenilworth is just down the road from me, popped down for the mud fest, err, fireworks the other week. And I’m pleased to say the road sign for Hazeley Knob elicited squeals of delight from Her Yankyness.

Traditional visit from west midlands always used to be to Ragley hall, Always used to be droves of them queueing up for miles in the summer when i lived in Alcester. So Ragley & stratford could take up most of a day any number of pub stops in that area.Arrow mill very good btw

Lunch at The Castle in Edge Hill is always a winner (if you can get in at that time of year!).

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I live almost as far south in warwickshire as you can get & would have suggested excatly the same as ps44.

The castle at Edgehill has just been refurbished and is magnificent. The Norman Knight is another brilliant pub and there is some awesome driving around that area with sunken roads with fords to cross.
Avon Dassett country park is nice for a wander over before making your way towards with of those pubs.